Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-13
SPORTING GOSSIP OF WEEK
Topeka Team is Left Dangling Between
Two Leagues fer the Present.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION TAKES no ACTION
Or. shively Unwilling 60 Allow Kan
sas Capital to get Into Faster
Company, but May Yet he
Forced TO submit.


p Just at present the matter between the
Western league and the Western associa-
uon as regards which circuit Topeka will
appear in is up in the air. The meeting
OF the National association at New York
did not take action on the matter. ana
unless II can be put up to the supreme
court Of base ball. the National commits
sion. IT will likely be settled in the good
old way Of Let him take who has the
power and let him keep who can" To-
peka doesn't want to stay in the Shively
fold' and the good doctor doesn't want to
ct the Kansas capital get away. That Is.
not without quid pro quo. He would
be willing enough to let Topeka go IL he
could get Kansas City, Kan, instead
Word has come that five of the shively
teams are willing enough to see the deal
proposed by the Western league put
through. but another story has It that
seven teams are back of Shlvely. At any
rate. II seems unjust to Topeka TO keep
It In bush league when It has a chance
TO get into better company and is anxious
TO do It. Omaha has been up against that
proposition and knows just how it feels.
A few weeks will tell the tale.
d
Taking the interstate into the fold left
the rubber legs with no place to light. The
new Atlantic league is not likely to prove
very formidable. but WILL of course, make
some trouble, but not sc much as might be
thought at first As a matter OF fact, the
leaders Of organized ball are TO blame for
the whole condition of affairs. II they
would simply stick to their laws on the
topic, and black list any player who jumps
a contract rubber legltis would soon be an
unknown disease.
Papa Bill Rourke kept away from the
meeting at New York for the first time
since the association was organized. He
was represented by Norris L. O'Neil, presi-
dent of the Western league, who presented
the matter of the draft Of Topeka from the
Western association. Aside from this ELL
was interested In the case of Buck Conner,
who was drafted by Omaha and then sold
by Terre Haute to Toronto This deal has
some features that ought to be Investigated.
1t may develop case of cover up, and II
It does. somebody is going to get into
trouble. Toronto has no use for Conner,
and is willing to turn him over to Omaha
at slight advance on purchase price. But
II is the rights and wrongs Of the case that
are more Interesting Buck Franks hasn't
been heard from for several weeks. and
there's no telling where he is now. He will
play in Omaha next summer II he plays in
organized ball at all.
%
During the week Pas Headquarters at
the smokehouse looked like the evening
before the game. Ball players and fans
and boosters were busy there and ,the
whole place had an air of activity seldom
seen in midwinter. Among other things
Papa Bill is figuring on some improve
ments at the park. including changes in
the grand stand that will make it more
comfortable, and expects TO provide for
several thousand more people at the games
next summer. He is slowly putting to-
gether the team thai VIII wear the Omaha
uniform, and each day his smile grows
brighter. 1t won't come off any more.
%
: President Ban Johnson made a hit with
the fans when he decreed the umpires in
his league should use their hands in UNI
piring, for that remedies one of the most
aggravating features of the game. It was
hard on the nerves to sit on the bleachers
or in the grandstand and when ball was
pitched at a critical stage not to be able
to tell whether It was ball or a strike.
either because OF the inability to hear the
umpire or to understand what he said.
This rule will apply not only on balls and
strikes, but also on base decisions. Oft
times there has been a wait of several
minutes before the crowd could find out
whether a player was out or not. and this
was annoying The plan of numbering the
players, so all may know what is going on.
will also be most welcome. 1t is hard on a
fan from the west to go to Chicago, see
the third baseman pull of some startling
play, and never know until he picks UP
the morning paper it was only a substi-
tute who was filling in.
%
The annual stories of some OF the lead
ing stars quitting the game of base ball
because they cannot have a sufficient raise
in salaries are going the rounds. George
Stone is reported TO have said he will re-
main on his Nebraska farm unless he is
given a good raise. year ago he was
working for ST. 400 year and after a hard
kick he was raised TO S2.7oo. Now. as lead
ing batter in the American league. II not
in the entire base ball world he thinks
he is entitled 20 another more substantial
raise. He is reported saying that II