Connecticut western news., 1909-01-07

TWELVE TEAMS
 READY FOR 1909
IN HousAToNIC VALLEY LEAGUE
Not More Than Eight Can be Ac- cepted-Which Shall They be7- The CommendabIe Grit of Salisbury Material for "Fan" Talk.

The CommendabIe Grit of Salisbury
 Material for "Fan" Talk.
 Although the balls and clubs and uniforms and masks and gloves and chest protectors and other things per taining to the great national game of base ball were laid aside several weeks ago. the loyal and enthusiastic fans in the villages of the Housatonic Valley League have not lad aside their reool- lections of the games of last season. Many of these have been played over and over again in the various stores, offices and club rooms where the faith ful are wont to gather.
 But they're not living entirely in the past, not by a jug full. Plans are being made for 1909 and even at this distance a man with half an eye can see that the winning team will be located in Salis- bury, Canaan, Sharon, Lime Rock, Shef- field and Lakeville. .r.
 And of course it is exactly right and proper that each contingent of faus should place the winning team in their own town. ..s....
 But THE NEWS will now give them a new task. As we say above, last years games have been re-played. The win ming team of 1909 is located i'll each of the villages where a team existed last year but the question now is: "What teams are to compose the league?" The task is for these fans to thoroughly thresh out this matter and suggest Q six-team league from the many teams that have expressed willingness to join the organization.
 Last year it was only after 8 large amount of hard work on the part of va- rious people in Canaan and other viii lages that the Housatonic Valley league became reality. In some instances their requests of certain teams to enter the league were ignored, in others they were declined and by some other teams the matter was at first regarded in a Iukewarm manner and finally dismissed. There were times when organization seemed impossible but persistence finally won and six-team league was formed.
 We now learn that each of the six are ready to enter next year and that six more have signiied willingness to join. A twelve-team league with one game week is not to be considered and .oIa khoYn Ky fp also out of the question in league of the character of this.
 The twelve teams referred to are Sal isbury, Canaan, Sharon, Lime Rock Falls Village. Lakeville. Sheffield, Mil lerton, East Canaan, Norfolk, Great Harrington, Cornwall and New Milford. We will say. however, that we have no personal knowledge of such intentions on the part of Norfolk and Millerton but have been so informed by responsible parties.
 Now, ye eloquent and fluent fans, what are you going to do with twelve base ball teams in a six-team league? Will you select SIX and discard six, will you select eight and discard four, will you form two leagues or what will you do?
 Here's fooa for thought. It will pro- vide subject of conversation for many of the long winter evenings and when ball tossing time again arrives, the matter should have been so thoroughly discussed, sifted, strained and sorted that the league board of directors will need to spend but little time on it.
 It cannot be twelve. It must be at least six. Can it be eight?
 Before wiping that fountain pen we received for Christmas on the pen wiper we ditto, we must again refer to the game fight made by the team from Salisbury. These boys did not win game during the first half of the season still they kept at it and finished | the season and had better success during | the second half. Naturally they be- came somewhat discouraged and there were times when it required some Dutch | uncle talk on the part of manager Flood 10 keep the team together. But the point is that h face of all sorts of hard tuck they stuck 'er out and finished the season while Cornwall Bridge, which played in ordinary luck, dropped out after the tenth game.
 The fans in every village honor the boys for what they did. And hey honor them because they are ready Q jump into the fray of 1909.
 Wild Cat Claim.