Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-30
Writer In Burlington Paper
Urges Iowa League to Take
Action at Once
SAYS IT is NOT TOO LATE
Success of the League, and Its Length
of Life, Depend Upon Getting Rid
of Poorly Paying Towns-Writer
Favors Quincy, ILL.,, and Clinton or
Muscatine.

The Burlington Hawkeye, the lead
ing paper published in the home city
of President Frank c. Norton, of the
Iowa State Base Ball League, pub
fishes a communication from writer
signing himself Local Fam" who urg-
es action on the part of the league in
expunging from membership the towns
of Boone and FIT. Dodge, and placing in
their stead Quincy, ILL.,. for one, and
either Clinton or Muscatine for the
other. The Burlington writer thinks
that the future of the league lies in
the wedding out process, and getting
rid of the towns in which base ball
does not pay, or at least did not last
year.
There are many things, however,
that could be said against some of the
ideas presented by the Burlington man.
Base ball did not actually pay in any
year, as professional base ball was
new. Some towns came more nearly
coming out even than others, and Mar
shalltown stood at the head of the list,
even tho in population this city does
not rank up with some of the larger
places Of the southern circuit, notice.
ably Burlington or Ottumwa. The
northern towns, however, if taken in a
group, were about as good base ball
towns as those on the southern circuit
and perhaps next year they may be
even better. While Boone may have
been a dead one at times, and turned
out some very small crowds, it is
doubtful If many of the towns of the
league would have survived the sea-
son as did Boone, with so many man
agerial experiences early in the sea-
son.
The writer in the Burlington paper
says:
Sporting Editor Hawk-Eye: A large
number of people, who have the well
fare of the All Iowa Base Ball League
at heart, have viewed with anxiety the
action taken by the league magnates
in allowing the weaker members of
last years circuit to remain In the as
ISOLATION for the coming season. Many
influential fans believe that a grievous
mistake was made in not pre-emptor-
ialty ousting Fort Dodge and also
Boone and installing in their places
larger and better paying towns. In
fact, preparations are already being
made by the thinking men of the
league, for the time when in the nat
ural course of events TT. Dodge must
surely drop from the all Iowa circuit.
That this time must come, is shown
only too clearly by the Indifferent atti-
tdde of the Fort Dodge fans who thus
far have shown no evidence of being
overjoyed at the decision Of the league
which returned their franchise to
them.
eft Dodge and another northern
town, Boone, may well be called en-
tirely without the league circuit when
it comes to a question of mileage. The
former, situated in the northernmost
corner of Webster county ard the lat
ter almost as inaccessible, have always
been an onerous burden for the Iowa
League to carry. Large cities like
Keokuk, Burlington or Ottumwa might
have made up in attendance what
was lost in mileage, but at the close of
the 1904 season, Boone and Ft. Dodge
were financially in worse shape, than
any other towns in the circuit. Meager
attendance and the expense of keeping
up to standard suited only for towns
double their size, in the selection of
men, have in one season almost killed
the little base ball enthusiasm seen in
these towns last spring.
"This undercurrent Of opinion
thruout the Iowa league is grow
ing. Many of the fans, thinking of the
strength that town the size Of