The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-08
..T0PEkA'SEkTE..
Cincinnati EnquIrerTells Of Tip
O'NeiIl,s Visit
And His Application to the
National Commission.
WANTS 2 MORE TOWNS.
Chairman Hermann Gives the
Western League Hope.
Thinks Present Rule a Trifie
Unfair to Strong Towns.

| says:
| Baked by new rule of the National
| association in their effort to expand
| into an eight-club league, the directors
| of the Western league have brought
| their case before the national commits
| sion, which has been asked to decide
| the after on its merits. With this end
in view, President Tip O'Neill, of the
yesterday and held a long conference
with Chairman Hermann or the sub
Ject. The Western, now a sfx-club
league, wishes to add two towns to its
circuit and is especially anxious to Sc
cure Topeka, at present member of
the Western association. The Topeka
club is anxious to make the change,
naturally wishing for the faster base
ball which is furnished by a Glass A
circuit. But the National association
recently passed a rule prohibiting any
league to draft a city from a league of
lower class, unless its own ranks were
depleted by draft of one of it's cities
by one of the major leagues. This rule
makes it practically impossible for any
club to advance to a league OF higher
standing unless it can secure the I'M
animous consent of the members of the
league to which 1t belongs.
The Western league, though a MEM
Der of Glass A, is composed of only six
clubs. 1t wants to add st. Joseph and
Topeka to its circuit, but the Western
association of which Topeka is a menu
Der, objects to having that good town
removed from its roster. This is all
right for the Western association, but
a little hard on Topeka, which has a
chance to advance to a higher rating,
and also on the Western league, which
is thus prevented from increasing its
circuit and becoming real Glass A
body, which it is now only in name.
Chairman Hermann is inclined tc
believe that the claim of the Western
league should be given more consid-
Grafton than it was accorded at the re-
cent meeting of the National assoc
ton. He says that when the national
agreement was adopted it was pro-
vided that any league could strengthen
its circuit by adding city from
lower class, upon the payment of
reasonable sum to the minor league,
and also settling in full for the assets
of the club in question. 1t seems that
a recent rule of the National aSsOcia-
ton conflicts with this perfectly fair
provision, and the question arises
whether the smaller fry in the associa-
ton have a right to retain cities which
have outgrown their present company
and have a chance to advance in the
baseball world. According to the
present ruling a city which Is once in
minor league must stay there for
ever. unless it can secure the unani-
nous consent of its fellow members to
advance.
This is just as unfair as it would be
to condemn a ball player to remain
forever in the minors. tsTssAf7
The national agreement" said Mr.
Hermann, was adopted to protect
the property interests of baseball
leagues and clubs. But that does not
mean that a league should be allowed
to force an unwilling city to remain in
its circuit to the isadvantage of that
city. The Topeka club is very anx-
ious to advance from the Western as
ISOLATION to the Western league, as is
perfectly natural. OF course, the
Western association should be -reim-
bursed for the loss of it's member, but
if that is done no obstacles should be
placed in the way of Topeka's advanc-
ing to league of higher class. The
present rule seems to me to work an
unfairness to good towns
Both the Western league and the
Topeka club have applied to the Ma
tional commission for relief from the
present National association ruling
Chairman Hermann has taken the
matter up with his colleagues in the
commission, Presidents Pulliam and
J Johnson, and also with Secretary Far
rell, of the National association. The
chances are that TOpeka's application
will be granted, and that the club will |
not be forced to remain in a Glass C |
circuit when it has an opportunity to
advance to Glass A. Tip O'Neill, much |
pleased at the result of his conference |
and confident that justice will be done
in the case left for his home in Chi |
cago at noon. He is a man of extern |
sive business interests who is in base |
ball simply from love of the game.