Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-10
n CONTINUOUS basebass next season

in Los Angeles seems fully as
~ sured by the action wednesday
night of Hen Berry and a small bunch
Of local wealthy business men, who
effected what might be termed a tenn
porary organization of the Venice club
which will be the fifth club in the
league and which will play in Los An
geles when the Angels are away from
home. Delighted at the enthusiasm
shown by these business men in the
proposition of continuous baseball In
Los Angeles, Berry leaves this AFTER
noon for San Francisco to consult with
j. Cal Ewing, league president, anu
Walters, the Oakland director, upon
the subject of an immediate special ses-
sion of the Coast league directors to
award the FRANCHISE to Venice, so that
the permanent organization of the club
may be effected and the management
may begin thus early upon the task OF
securing players to give the seaside
team a strong club next season.
1t is the idea of Berry that the fran
chise should be awarded at cnce, with
out waiting for the annual meeting
next winter, as II will require much
hustling to get a strong team together
for next season, and the men who Will
back the Venice club are too good
sportsmen to have tail-end organiza-
ton. In view of this fact, Berry VIII
go to San Francisco and talk over the
situation with Ewing, after which he
and Ewing and Walters will visit Sac
ramento and look into conditions there
When they return to San Francisco
they will be in a position to take
definite action, as Judge McCredie, the
Portland magnate, either VIII be IN
San Francisco to meet them or Will
vote by proxy in the matter of award
inc the two franchises.
Directors Are Favorable
All the league directors are favorable
to the proposition Of enlarging the
league circuit to at least six clubs, so
as to give Los Angeles continuous base
ball, and there will be no hitch In this
matter. If the conditions at Sacra-
mento are found to be satisfactory as
Berry believes Will be found true, potn
franchises will be awarded at the calleu
session of the league directors. Ed
Kripp, the Sacramento magnate who is
arranging to put the sixth club In the
league, has the money the nerve ana
the ability to make the Sacramento
club a sure go and is making his plans
along these lines, expecting the Coast
league to make good its promise OF the
franchise for that city.
There is nothing In sight to suggest
the possibility of failure in the plans of
increasing the league to six-club cir
circuit, but at this time it seems to be
the surest thing on earth that 1t will
be a six-club organization next season.
This expansion is favored because Los
Angeles fans want continuous baseball
and are willing to back the Venice
club, at well because the league
directors can see financial profit in the
plan to increase the size of the organ
ization Four clubs are too few, While
six clubs would give the fans greater
interest in the sport because 1t would
make more exciting race between
greater number of clubs.
Local Men Unidentified
The names of those who will back
the Venice club are withheld by Berry
and his ASSOCIATES because 1t is not
deemed necessary to give them out
until the franchise question is settled,
as this is the action upon which de-
pends the fate of the club. 1t is suf-
ficient, for the present, that Berry and
those most interested in the new clup
know that these men not only are
good sportsmen and worthy represen-
tatives of the business interests of Los
Aneeles, but also are wealthy and fully
able to carry out any plans they may
undertake for making the Venice team
a real factor in the 1909 pennant race.
1t may not be violating condolences
to say that Mayor A. c. Harper is one
of the leading spirits in the organiza-
ton of the Venice club and he is as
sociated with good business men OF
wealth and character who will be en-
tirely satisfactory. to the fans when
the time rolls around for announcing
the personnel of the club directory.
Berry will render all possible aid and
advice in organizing the club and in
putting it on its baseball feet. The
money is ready for backing the club
and IL Sacramento is accepted as the
sixth member of the league, continuous
baseball for Los Angeles in 1909 is
an assured fact.
Give Berry Full Credit
1t Is rendering to Hen Berry only
that which is his just due in giving
him fullest credit for the success thus
far of the movement to secure contin-
uous baseball for Los Angeles. putting
a team in at Venice and enlarging the
league so that the fans will have the
pleasure of seeing few new faces
occasionally. Hen has been working
like a nigger on election day and that
his efforts are to be crowned with sue
cess is no tribute to him, as he always
makes a success of anything at which
he sets his hand.
However, without the sympathy and
material aid and influence of Berry |
there would be no continuous baseball |
in Los Angeles next year. His oppo-
sition to the plan would defeat It, be-
cause he is the boss of Coast league |
baseball in the south and the other
directors would heed his wishes In the
matter. But Hen wants continuous
baseball. He is working for 1t and |
practically has secured it. When he
returns from San Francisco a week or
ten days hence he VIII be ready to
announce as a positive fact that Los
Angeles VIII have continuous games
next year, unless Sacramento backs
out of the deal, which is highly i'm
probable.
Will Raid Outlaw Clubs
II is not difficult to figure Just why |