Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-12
BASEBALL LEADER
OF EAST ARRIVES
PRESIDENT PAT POWERS OF
EASTERN LEAGUE HERE
TALKS OF GROWTH OF THE
NATIONAL GAME
Predicts Even Better Things and
Keeps Tab on coasters-GeniaI
Magnate Will Hold Marathon
in East in Fall

In the galaxy of baseball stars in
cluding a half-dozen of the names
known wherever the national game is
played, gathered in Los Angeles in the
ranks of the visiting Elks, is one who
is regarded as one of the grand old
men of the game. This is p. 4. C"PatD
Powers, president of the Eastern
league, centered in New York state.
and for years the president of the
national baseball commission, the po-
sition now held by his close friend and
ally, Garry Hermann, Pat" Pow
ers, Wefghty with his fleshy dignity,
quiet, self-contained and genial, sat in
the private box of President Henry
Berry of the Los Angeles team, yester-
day afternoon and watched the game
at Chutes. Between sensations he
talked interestingly of conditions eX-
isting in the east and the athletic af-
fairs in which he Is interested.
This is the greatest baseball season
the country has ever known was the
statement of Mr.. Powers, whose word
carries weight in baseball circles
throughout the country. "Never has
the game drawn such tremendous
crowds, and never has the support
been so steady. The major leaguers
are breaking all records this year, and
our own Eastern league is pulling a
big attendance at every game. l be-
lieve the national game, conducted on
a clean and sportsmanlike basis, as at
present, is on the upward path, and is
destined to even greater things.
IN the Eastern league the race is
surprisingly close. Just to cite an eX-
ample, when I left for Southern Cali
fornia, the Jersey City sport writer's
had written articles saying that if the
home team won both games of the
double header scheduled for that day
tnfn TN1p
didn't figure on losing. and the teams
split even, Jersey City losing one. This
sent them into last place, which shows
that the teams are punched together
and are making a hot race. Rochester
was In the lead the last l heard about
it."
Stay Will Be Short
In answer to a query as to the length
of his stay and the errand that drew
him westward Mr.. Powers stated that
he had dropped his work for a few
days to come west in the interest of
Garry Hermann. He will leave
Wednesday morning for a swift return
trip, for the Eastern leaguers are al
ready calling for him to come back.
II am not looking for players, par
ticularly, but, of course, have my eyes
open," said Mr.. Powers. I'VE always
want good men, and the fans and own
ers of clubs east of the Mississippi
have come to look to the Pacific coast
league for their promising comers
There is good material on the coast,
and there are many of your boys max
ing good in the east"
In addition to having held the posi-
ton of president of the Eastern league
for seventeen years and having been
associated with baseball practically all
his life, Pat" Powers is the father Of
the marathon game in this country.
E-e it was who brought over both Do
rando, the sensational Italian runner,
them together in a big race and packed
the polo grounds on a rainy day, draw
ing $3S, 900. Powers now holds Do
rando under contract, and the italian
who is on a visit with his people in
Italy, will return in the fall to race
in America.
A $4,000 Marathon, in which he aims
to develop long distance racers in this
country, is the plan of Powers for next
fall. He is arranging to get together
the best long distance talent in Amer
lea for the purpose of producing a
man who will be able to win from the
foreign representatives. AS past ex-
alted ruler of the Jersey City lodge of
Elks, Powers finds many friends
among the visiting members of the
order. He will stay only long enough
to transact the business that called
him west, but will go back with the
names of several of the best men of
the coast league teams filed away in
a secret memorandum for future ref
erence.