Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-14
MAGNATES
WILL MEET TODAY
FATE OF PACIFIC COAST BASE.
BALL TO BE DECIDED
Morley Leaves for San Francisco.
Fans Desire Ball Team and Out
come Of Session ls Awaited
with interest

Manager James Morley Of the Angel
baseball team will attend q meeting Of
Pacific Coast league officials in San
Francisco this afternoon, and it may
be that some definite light will be shed
upon the diamond situation before the
day Ia over.
The local manages says he will listen
to everything the northern contingent
has to express and then give his own
views of the situation, which will be
to the effect that the Angel team is not
paying proposition and consequently
he desires to discontinue the manage
ment until some future date, or sell the
Seraph club outright.
So far as the Angel franchise Is con-
cerned. Morley will surrender 1t to any
one agreeing on price at which the
Seraph players would be appraised by
the national association. The local men
are worth a certain amount to the Los
Angeles management and they can be
secured for the stipulation agreed upon.
1t would appear from telegram re-
ceived yesterday by Morley from ]. H.
Farrell, secretary Of the national asso-
citation, that the fund which was to
have been raised has come to naught.
The message read:
Thousand dollars on hand Under
stand several leagues are arranging
benefits
Just what $1,000 would do toward ben
efting the Pacific Coast league is a
conundrum. Something stronger than
eastern support must evidently be ac-
corded If league ball with Los Angeles
as an adjunct is to be continued.
Great interest will attend the meet
ing of the league officials which occurs
today; as the outcome may decide the
fate Of Los Angeles baseball. 1t may
be that final decision will not be
reached at the first session of the board,
but settlement is bound to occur be-
fore the meetings come to an end.
The present moment is critical one
in the history of California baseball
and one that should appeal strongly to
every lover of the game. Since its in
ception the Pacific Coast league, has
possessed the reputation of presenting
the fastest brand of ball outside the
major leagues, and 1t will not only be a
disappointment but a certain blot upon
tie California game if the national
pastime is allowed to drift into oblivion.
There is scarcely reasonable argu-
ment why Los Angeles should not sup
port a ball team unless the local public
evinces a total disregard for the game
In that event. the sooner a cessation
occurs the better, as baseball without
enthusiasm embodies the essence of
dreariness.
1t is highly improbable, however that
local fans will ever be accused of
permitting baseball to disrupt itself be-
cause of insufficient support. There
Is too much of the red blood that de-
lights in a rousing exhibition coursing
through Angel City enthusiasts.
In the hey day of Los Angeles base
ball it would have been difficult to
find a more loyal body of FANS and
the Chutes bleachers fairly creaked 1in-
der the demonstration that greeted the
week day and Sunday contests.
There is no denying the fact, how
ever, that the national pastime has
deteriorated so far as popular interest
Is concerned, and for some reason or
other the wild enthusiasm that once
a glimmering.
Morley has been criticized for desir-
ing to discontinue the game On the
other hand, the local manager has
proved that he is losing money every
day that a contest occurs.
The situation appears to resolve itself
as follows:
Morley says he cannot make base
ball pay and is willing to sell his team
at appraisement by the national COM
mission. If the local manager Is unable
to direct the destinies of the Angels
without pecuniary loss, he can scarcely
be blamed for wishing to withdraw,
whatever may be said of his managerial
methods.
If Morley is unable to extract suf-
ficient remuneration from the Los An
geles public for the support of club
an excellent opportunity exists for
someone to prove what should be the
fact, that baseball can be placed upon
a paying basis.
Los Angeles fans want baseball and
should receive and support it. There is
strong reason to believe that the day is
not far distant when the doings of the
diamond will again be on par with
its former standard in Southern Cali
fornia.