The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-20

HTe Wiling W WlhuIeW, ~ ui tnos
lremains is for a formal meeting
(which President G. n. Morton no
fdoubt will call for Cleveland within
1.-THE next ten days. That having been
Idone, the league will dissolve and
the two portions will pursue their
eastern clubs have encounters"
1.-Two snags, One in, Canton and the
Iother Erie. Canton wants to retain
Its players for the new U. and z.
llgiving GAINESVILLE only its franchise
land right to play in the Central
Iyfhis Zanesville- Canton deal has
I'caused some bitterness in the Cen
lItral, the Canton owners alleging
THAT they were to be the victims
Iof a conspiracy. However, as
GAINESVILLE has a pretty good assort-
lsrnent of players reserved from last
I'season 1t would not be at all SUR
['prising IL GAINESVILLE would be salts
Ifed with a franchise minus players.
IThat would satisfy Canton, as the
|,owners of that club are anxious to
Eget away from the Central and into
the o. and p.
/ Erie also presents a difficult prob
lem. The Interstate league having
Ebeen reduced to four clubs toward
the end of last season, President
Frank Baumeister, who is or was
president of the Interstate, surmise
|that the league was defunct and
that he could place his Erie club
in whatever league he wished. The
|other club owners thought differ
entity, and declared they had rui-
ling from the commission backing UP
their attitude. Thereupon they held
meeting at Oil City, admitted some
|new cities and went ahead with
|new league. They also declared A.
Mr.. Baumeister did not have a club
In Erie the league would maintain
one there.
That assertion looks like joke
inasmuch as the Interstate went to
to the bad so strongly last season
that all the clubs could not finish.
Scme $4,000 is demanded by the In-
|.erstate for the withdrawal of its
territorial rights in that city. Maybe
the Baumeister interests will part
with that sum and may be not.
If Erie gets away from the Inter-
Estate and Canton breaks away from
the Central on acceptable terms,
the affairs OF the eastern end VIII
be satisfactory.
This peaceful ending Of the q.
and p. troubles is d. mighty good
thing for organized baseball. 1t is
certain that the league as formed in
past years would not have gone
through the season with profit,
while the new organizations give all
hands the opportunity they sought
of playing ball in cities which look
ed good to them. SGt.
The new circuits as. proposed now.
are compact, mileage Is sireduced and
all the cities have something in CON-
mon. That having something in COM
mon is big thing in minor league
baseball. Prior to the formation OF
the 0. and p. not one, person in a
thousand had ever heard of Marion.
|or Lancaster In Newcastle and
Sharon. The cities were too far
apart and had little or no business
interests between them. Hence, there
was little rivalry and the western
teams failed to draw in the cast.
hat pulled down receipts for both
ends OF the circuit and made the in
|vestment unprofitable.
The o. and p. will have Youngs-
town, Canton and Erie for Sunday
towns. -insuringu every team date
on thet day. The western end will
have Marion, Mansfield, Newark ana
Lancaster, giving all teams chance
to play on Sunday. The division OF
cities is ideal In this respect. Sun
day ball, while II is a matter OF dis
cussion pro and con from stand
point of ethics, Is not at all doubt
full from a money position. II has
kept lot OF minor leagues going
when lot Of six-day towns would
not. T
The Industries Of the cities in.
,volved in these two leagues are
such that many citizens have no op-
portunity OF seeing ball games only
on Sundays and holidays. When the
population OF city Is from 20 900
to 10000 and the league maintains
expensive clubs every available fan
counts. Cities like CLEVELAND can
get away all right with SIX games
"a week because OF immense popula-
ton, but in the minor leagues a.
chance to keep every team busy on
sunday means lot from d financiai
standpoint.
u is expencted that All the dim
'cplties and formalities Of the D.
and P. and Ohio Leagues viii be
cleared away within two weeks and
the managers can get busy being
sure of the prospects Plain Dealer.