The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-28
VAUDEVILLE AND
 BASEBALL MERCER MagnateS Are Planning to Get More Profit Out of Parks SHOWS ON BALL GROUNDS Keith and Proctor Circuit Is Said to Be Interested In the New Move
 ment Which Will Be Started
 Next Summer.
SHOWS ON BALL GROUNDS

Philadelphia November 27.-(speciai1- The new owners of the Philadelphia Ma tional league baseball club made no fur ther official announcements today re- garding their plans. but from reliable source 1t was learned that the baseball deal consummated yesterday was but the entering wedge for what will eventually prove very close alliance. if not anal gamation of the baseball and theatrical interests of the country. At least ons if not two theatrical men of national reputation. one of them B. F. Keith, of the Keith 6 Proctor circuit, are said to be interested in the purchase of the Philliss with baseball in minor capacity to the theatrical interests
 An outdoor vaudeville snow, known as "Hippodrome." Is planned for Phila- delphia park next year, starting in the spring and running until the fall This experiment was tried at Columbia park the old home of the Athletics. last sum- mer and 1t developed into such a money maker that the experiment was also tried at Forbes park, the home of the Pitts burg club, later in the season. Again the venture proved to be a success; so suc- successful in fact that big theatrical in- terests in the country have studied the situation closely and decided that the time is ripe for string of 'hippodromes'' planned on the order of a vaudeville cir cult.
 The purchase of the Pihillies is be- lieved to be but a starter for the bring 4.1r t-fA ANT1 tTT -I.-kw throughout the country and the using of their parks for such purpose. Whether theatrical men desire to enter the base ball field as a side issue or merely want to get control of the big baseball parks has not yet developed. It was admitted this afternoon, however. by persons close ly allied with the new owners of the Phillies that ''hippodrome'' would be started at Philadelphia park next spring and that this was expected to be the en- tering wedge for a national movement in this direction. The identity of the men who have put up the big share of the money to purchase the Phillies was shrouded in considerable mystery.
 The "men behind the financial guns'' are reported not to have been on the list of the board of directors announced by the new president today. While these men doubtless own some of the stock, 1t IS not believed Lney Are the ones Wno are financing the big end of the project.
 The names of two big theatrical men were mentioned as probably being largely interested in the deal One of these men was at the Hotel Majestic where the new president of the club gave a banquet this evening, but he was not among the guests. Several of MT. Keith's employees, however, were present at the banquet and one of them acted as toasrmaster of the occasion.
 That Manager Billy Murray win con tinue to flourish in his present capacity on his guarantee to assemble a Class A aggregation was another tip" which crashed through the corridors of local fandom.
 Still another report framed conditions under the alleged terms of which Inhelder Zimmerman Of the Chicago Nationals. will be brought here in exchange for Knabe second baseman Of the local club. The loud report that King. the Chi cago backstop. is billed to play with or manage the Quaker City team is still being trailed by high-toned echoes.