The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-03
-FOUR TEAMS FOR
COAST LEAGUE
Portland Fans Would Now Be
Satisfied With Layout
for This Season..
BY WILL G. MAcRAE.


This is the season of baseball awaken
ing Portland fans have long ago made
up their minds that the Pacific coast sea-
son OF 1907 will shrink to four clubs, and
they are satisfied so long as the Califor
mans keep up their end. The only thing
that causes uneasiness is the reported
wobbly condition. OF affairs in Los An
geies, and IL some good philanthropist
will assure us that he will incase the
weakened vertebra in a financial cast of
proper thickness. the fans here will be as
naPpy as q bush Lacquer dreaming of
the base hits he's to make
Fans OF this section of the northwest
nave. months ago. given up worrying
about Seattle. There is no bond of sym
psthy between Portland and Seattle I'm
sgIee OF tne 1etid atmosphere that has
emanated from Lucas. the toy president
OF the Northwest league, the only tick
magnate known to baseball of recent
GATE. ID; r Dugdaie. and Runaway Hall
The fool killer has been idle in these
parts or he never would have overlooked
THIS lovely bundle of moguls When they
conserved the grabbing of Seattle from
ne Coasters they had 1t figured out that
PORTLAND would come tumbiing after.
They fixed the first meeting of the out
law eanizatfon for Spokane. Then thev
listened for Judge Mercedes voice The
Juose dldnt even peep. and then. when
the gang of freebooters learned that
Judge McCreedie was in Seattle looking
oyer the situation they switched the
waited FOR cal from sf Portan aad S Sefn
ing doing again: so the meeting was held
but, like sick pup with the ricketts,. they
net: resoluted and adjourned to give
Portland time to make up its mind. Aft
er couple OF weeks waiting the hopeful
three gave up posing and organized. Be
fore they got through. however. they let
gap Tor Portland TO join them
How Seattle Stands.
In a vulpine way. the moguls of the
Northwest league are a farseeing lot.
They have doped il out, and they are
right. that Seattle is not baseball city
that is worth the while of the Coasters
to fight for. Before the city of inflated
population. 1orseless horse shows. be-
vas pretty fair bail town. Everything
is gamble in the Sound City, and base
ball mas been passed up. l accompanied
Judge McCreedie on his trip over there.
The scramble for money has detracted
the faithful from the good old pastime.
Around the rope joints where the fans
we're wont to gather and fan, the dope
book and the overnight entries have sup
planted the fan talk. Instead of dis
cussing the players. their strength and
their weaknesses, they are doping the
winners
While 7 am sure that should the Coast
league wish TO hold Seattle and go out
after local backing for the team, it could
be secured; ! agree with the plan that
asking for Seattle capital to run tht
team until things are Strengthened out
IL il hadn't been for the fact that tbs
racing in Seattle runs through the entir,
baseball season. Seattle would have beer
worth while trying for. but with the rae
ing game worked up the way they have
il there. IL means loss Of money.
Duzdaie, with his methods of surround
ing himself with light salary roll. may
be able to break even. He has a chance
and. with his ability to get better than ar
Hr-rr1 Il 1rra<~
at the head Of the league. the fat boy
ought to at least break even.i With two
teams there both would lose a pot a
money. Dugdales much-touted popular
ity would not save his exchequer In hi,
talk. Dug admitted this to Judge Nc.
Creede. The bit of satisfaction he fig
ured he would get out Of it was that tbs
Coast league would lose the most Quit
true, for Coast league team pays prsc
ucally double what Dug would.
Had Many overtures.
1t was really pathetic the way ths
Overtures were hurled at Judge McCree
die Dugdafe, spanking for the entir'
Northwest league, told the Portland mag
Northwesterners he could have anythins
he wanted. Just tell US what you want.
said Dugdale. land it's yours for the ask
When he was told that Portland woul,
not stand for Lucas. Dugdale replied
We'll. that can easily be fixed Wei
make you president or any one you wan
TO name" Shows how much they thinI
of the little president. doesn't 81? Al
that would be necessary to tie can t.
Lucas would be for Portland TO furnish
a string. F'inei
In a word. Portland does not want IN.
Northwest league. We may be forced int
il, should the Cal;fornians get a chill II
the region OF the ambitious and ditch Us
I think I speak for the local fans whe:
! say we will be satisfied with a four
club league this season. One thing il
sure, something has to be done and don
quickly. for nothing kills off interest Xix
suspense early In the season. It hurt
the game through the rest OF the season
Get busy down in San Francisco. Eithe
make Cal Ewing or Danny Long presi
dent OF the league and We will be salts
fled upon this end OF the line All "
s;ef xrnop having