Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-03-18
BASEBALL DoPE
Occur d'AIene May BE without .
Team This Season.

I
the prediction runs that the city
win have no team to represent II
through the coming season.
Last year Occur d'Alene had one
Of the best baseball teams in the
northwest. It was a salaried team
AL teams that make any record
are-and was composed OF the best
players that the money in the base
ball treasury could secure. The
team was organized too late to be-
come a member OF the Trolley
league, which embraced all of the
Inland Empire. but the management
succeeded in securing engagements
that eqUaled those I'm this league,
and as many of them, and the team
succeeded In winning more than its
share Of the games. Forty-two
games were played that season, and
out Of that number the Occur
d'Alene team won 80, tied the op-
posing team in two and lost the
other seven. At the end OF the sea
son the team felt mighty proud of
its record, and so did the friends and
admirers of the team and game. and
they had good and SUFFICIENT cause
to so feel, because the team had met
and contested on the diamond the
best teams in this territory. among
them the Indians OF Spokane. A
great number Of the old players, the
men who participated in last years
games, are still In the city and VI
cinity, and there is some raw ma
terial that can be developed, and
good men, If 1t is necessary to go
out of the city to make up a team,
are plentiful and can be secured.
The baseball enthusiasts of the city
realize this and an earnest effort on
their part has been made looking to
reorganization of team. but so
far they have proved fruitless for
the lack of financial support. II Is
prevailing opinion among those
who have exerted such efforts that
further efforts along this line are
destined to meet with the same re-
suit. and they have lost hope and |
heart and have concluded to aban- |
don the idea of organizing a team.
The hotel and saloon men have been
the heavy contributors in the past
toward the support of the team, and
the remainder of the business men |
contributed in a small way. This /
has been due to the fact that the
former derived a direct and greater
benefit in a business way from the
games played, while the latter's
benefit was small and In an indirect
manner. The late Sunday closing
law, which is being strictly enforced
throughout the county, has placed a
different phase on the situation.
This law is being strictly enforced
In the city. as it is In most cities.
save few in the state, where a
more liberal spirit seems to prevail.
and the saloon doors are closed. The
closing of the saloon doors on Sun
day-the day when most of the
games are played-has meant the
of the trade reaped by
the saloons from the crowds that
came to attend and witness the
games. Under these conditions they
do not feel that they are able to
as they used to, and II
they contribute at all 1t win be only
in a small way. Those interested in
organizing the team have carefully
eanvassed the situation and, as
above indicated, have met with no
and support and
have abandoned any further effort
toward organizing a saIaried team.
An amateur team may be organ
zed. but this is very doubtful The
Did organization has almost enough
equipment to launch a new team.
but an outlay of $3.50 would be nee
sssary to even start an amateur
cam. A team Of this character
would be composed Of men who
would be dependent upon their la
Dors through the week for a liveli-
hood. This would mean that a game
,ould only be played with such a
cam on Sunday, and that practically
III practice would be eliminated.
The other towns in the Inland EN-
'ire and in the surrounding country
rave met and are now perfeeting
baseball organizations. and the pros
'ects for some interesting games and
splendid season seems good and
fright. Occur d'Alene. OF all
owns" as a player expressed II to-
lay, seems destined to be without
! team. either amateur or saIaried,