The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-16
nOFER SUPPORTED
BY SPORT WRITER
Facts Of the Case Given Concerning
Efforts d quincy Man e
Gather Together Win.
Ming Tsan,
THE MERTENs CASE
Quincy Man Did Not Want 10 be Held
up for Extra Monsy-Is Try
Ing 70 Secure Addition
Al Men.
THE MERTENs CASE


At last some one has come to the
rescue of President Harry Hofer Of the
Quincy ball club It Is the sport writ
er Of the Quincy Wing who writes in
the following words concerning the
situation there tand touches upon the
recent Mertens deal:
It Is easy to criticize hut 1t is hard
to run ball club and In an eight
club circuit there is but one chance
in eight to pick winner, In the
other seven of the eight paid managers
have been given large donations by
the cities they elect to represent and
each year the same old leg pulling
stunt is the order OF the day. It takes
money to run ball club and most
towns realize that it is worth the price
and help the game along. In eight
towns the majority OF the fans go
down into their pockets. In only one
can 9 pennant winner be enjoyed In
only four Of the eight can first d.
vision team be gloried over. Quincy
has been given ball for fifteen years
by Harry Hofer. Mr.. Hofer is q
Quincy man, his every interest is here
and his whole heart is in the success
OF Quincy and Quincy's baseball club.
This year he elected to run the team
on its support by the fans instead Of
going out with subscription list as
Is customary In the other cities in
minor league circles. He picked a
team that he thought would be able to
give q good account of itself. The
club did well the first part Of the sea-
son and chances seemed bright Tor
landing close to the top but adversely
struck the team and things began to
break badly for the local management.
Efforts We're made to strengthen the
team but 1t Is hard to get players III
mid-season. But to say that anyone
really believes that President Hofer
did not and is not still doing every
thing In his power to mend matters Is
to reflect on ones intelligence. It is
Of create rinterest to Mr.. Hofer than
to anyone else to have winning team
for when he doesn't he is the one that
loses. And he and he alone Is the one
who pays the salaries, assumes all
risks and the many heavy expenses Of
which the public know nothing and
shoulders the responsibility. That
Hofer Is trying to do the best he can
to bolster up the team and give Quin.
cy fans good baseball can be proven
by visit to the local telegraph and
telephone companies, where he has
spent between 800 and $3.50 during
the past few weeks iii HIS strenuous
efforts to land players. Pitcher May
well, secured from the Topeka team
is expected to report at any minute.
AS stated previously, Hofer is the
only home manager in the circuit and
Louis Cook, a Quincy youth, was
selected to captain the club this sea.
son for the reason that Hotter was
glad to give local talent a chance IL
possible. Cook has done his best
and deserves the support of Quincy
people, not only because he is q Ouin.
cy youth. but because he has really
had valuable experience and learned
the game under one OF the ablest
baseball men in the United States.
Hui OF Illinois university, whom any
big league city would be glad to secure
at any price If he would 60 into pro-
fessional baseball.
The Mertens Deal.
The insinuation has been made re-.
Gently that Hofer has been niggardly
in the matter OF financing the club.
He has been subjected to much I'M
deserved criticism In the Mertens
matter, where he objected to being
made catspaw for men in higher
baseball circles and robbed right In
broad daylight with his eyes wide
open. But even in that matter he has
decided to make the best Of conditions
under the circumstances and submit
to being held up in preference to be-
Ing subjected to criticism at home.
The facts OF the Mertens matter are
simply that the big outfielder was
drafted, that is he was taken from
Quincy without Hofer's consent and
certainly against his desire In the
matter, the sum paid for him being
three hundred dollars. After travel
ing around half the states in the un-
lon and through number OF leagues,
he was finally offered back for minor
league service. the price asked being
$3.50. In view Of the fact that there
only remained half OF the season left
in which to play him before ne could
once more be drafted at 5000 and in
view OF the fact that Quincy was en-
titled to him for $500 before any other
class "D' club could purchase him or
play him under any kind of deal, 1t
is not remarkable that Hofer did not
like to be held up for $780, However
he would have cheerfully paid it IL he
Continued on page g.