The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-28
AID Club Takes Hold of Baseball
Agitation.
Determined to Have Team in
Western League.
THAT CITY NEEDS 1T.
Members Tell How Ball Team
Advertises a Town.
Dick Cooley Is Mentioned as
Candidate for Manager.

ST. Joseph, Oct. 2S.-One hundred and
twenty-five rabid baseball fans whoop-
ed it up for the game at Wednesdays Ad
club luncheon, and the outcome of all
the enthusiasm was the formation of q
we'll defined plan to organize baseball
association in St. Joseph, obtain pledges
Of annual donations for a period 81
years by merchants and business men
generally, and attend the annual meet
ing of the Western League of Baseball
Clubs prepared to offer a fair price for
a franchise, and to break into the
league with cold chisel, if necessary.
1t was the first appearance of Vice
President ]. c. Wyatt as the successor
to R. c. Wheeler. who has removed to
New York, and he presided with all the
enthusiasm of an old incumbent in Of
fee, first introducing G.. L. Zwick.
Zwick viewed baseball from a bust
ness standpoint. Twenty million dSl-
lars was spent in the United States last
season in supporting the great game
and the franchise of the New York
Giants today is reputed to be worth $2,
100000. When he spent his vacation last
summer in western Colorado, everyone
was talking baseball, he said, and the
Omaha, Kansas City, Wichita, Topeka
and Oklahoma City teams were men
toned often. ST. Joseph was missing
from the list under discussion, he re-
GREETED.
There is no question that west of
the Missouri river, even to the Pacific
coast, is legitimate st Joseph territory,
and there is no way by which it can be
advertised SO we'll and so acceptably
as by a baseball team Zwick said.
md the applause Interrupted him for a
minute.
There had been too much DISPOSE
ton to put the solution of the town
baseball difficulties UP to the street
railway company or an old baseball
promoter. he said. and then he out
| lined his scheme for securing support
of the business interests. Firms and
individuals should pledge annual dona-
tions, he said, and charge the amounts
up to advertising, not look for direct
returns. Then a baseball association
should supervise the handling of the
funds.
st am not a fan, but it is a fact that
st. Joseph slips back every year it is
without a team" he said.
H. n. Byrne spoke briefly, saying
thai st. Joseph should be represented
81 the ennual Western league meeting,
that competent manager should be
nSagod and that everyone should
unite Q support the venture.
They Checred Cooley.
John Patt said the stock company
idea of support worked we'll in Cleye-
land where the fans bought books OF
tickets every year to give the manage
ment funds in advance, and he en-
phasized the necessity of giving St
Joseph good players and a good man
ager and keeping them.
I'VE were at the bottom seven years, ,
he said, land IL we get rotten deal for
seven years, then we want a good
deal"
He mentioned Dick Cooley, Ducky
Holmes or Rourke as possible candi-
dates for the managers berth and tbs
crowd cheered each name.
Harry Block was the last speaker
and his remarks again aroused the
guests enthusiasm. He said that tht
question of summer entertainment ir
st. Joseph was serious, and that a base
ball team would serve in a measure as
a solution. There was too much of q
general disposition among ST. Joseph's
citizens to plume themselves without
great reason on their progress. he re-
! minded the club members, and it wa.
time that more steps should be takeI
forward. The business end of the base
! ball agitation should be handled By
representatives Of the commercial or
CARNATIONS, he said, and included
among them should be the AID club.