Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1909-02-11
RIGGS SAYS HE
 HOLDS FRANCHISE
Says He Will Put In Pennant Winner Team at Hot Springs and Give Hot Springs Fans First Class Baseball.

State Baseball League, is a visitor in the city, and called at the News office this morning says the Hot Springs News Mir Riggs states that he still holds the Hot Springs franchise, the local members refusing to purchase it from him, and that he intends to put in a team here which will carry off another pennant, as did the one last year.
 In response to the query. Did you sell the franchise to Dr. Forbes here?" MT. Riggs replied that the doctor had refused all propositions he made to him, and that the fran chise was still in his possession and would likely remain there now that the propositions he made to Dr. For bes were in turn unsatisfactory. Mir. Riggs stated this morning that he made the proposition to Dr. Forbes to sell him the Hot Springs franchise for $500 and he. Riggs, agree to pay all the indebtedness of the club pre- vious to April 30, at which time the league season last year started and ] on which date the league officials here took charge of the team. This offer, seemingly a fair one. was re- jected by Dr. Forbes, according to Mir. Riggs.
 Mir Riggs states that he made Dr. Forbes another proposition, viz, that he would sell him tho Hot Springs franchise and bring team here to play six games in order to assist the local people in raising that sum of money. The matter of settling up tho debts previous to the time the local officers took hold of the team, remain ing the same as In the former propo- sition. This offer was also refused, according to MT. Riggs.
 Dr. Forbes offered to pay MT. Riggs $550 for the franchise with the agree ment that tie latter was to pay all the indebtedness of the team before and after the season started last year, which indebtedness Is about $400. ac- cording to MT. Riggs. This proposition was turned down by Riggs, as he states he could not afford to accept such proposition.
 'I have tried to give the Hot Springs people here fair deal i'll this ,off Ao ff, to anything which is fair to me, so I will hold the franchise and put team in here which will take another pen nant," declared MT. Riggs. Here is the lineup of the team have already secured for next season, and there are several others who will try out for the team whose names are not now on that list" and MT. Riggs handed out the following lineup. which he says will be substantially the team which will represent Hot Springs in the Arkansas State League this coming season.
 Benham, left field; Smitheale, short stop; Cowan, second base; Lisles, third base; Naylor and Meyers, catch CTS; Fay, Wright, Hancock and Hei- glefort, pitchers.
 Regarding the alleged interests of w. w. Hurst in several of the teams in the State League, Mr Riggs de- clares that MT. Hurst does not own a single share of stock in any team, having disposed of all his stock after having been elected president, secre- tary and treasurer of the league. It has been charged that Mir. Hurst con- trols three of the six teams in the State League. but this MT. Riggs wig orously denies.
 "Jonesboro will take the place of Newport in the league this season" stated Mir. Riggs, "and I think Helena posers represented to the Helena Iso- pie that Hurst controlled the league, and they did not want to play syndi- cate ball, for which I do not blame them. That, however, is not true, and therefore think l will be able to get them in the league"
 MT Riggs declares that he will put in team here which will be pen nant winner, and that he will give the people of Hot Springs first class ball from the starting of the season to the fin sh. He will remain in the city several days yet and will arrange several little details yet unfinished l He stated tat he intends to pay all the inde btedness of the team of last season when the team this season plays ball. paying the first money re- ceived on the accounts He declares that he does not want the Hot | Springs people to lose anything on 1 his account
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