Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-12
BEST SEASON IN
COAST LEAGUE
MAGNATES ARE ENTHUSIASTIC
OVER 1909 SHOWING
PREDICT BETTER BALL FOR SEA-
SON or 1910
Crowds Have Been Larger and Games
More Exciting Than Ever Before.
Fasteners Are Made to
Take Notice
BY A. e. DUNNINc

By A. E. DUNN1NG
1.-THE best and most prosperous sea-
son in the history of the Coast league"
statement of Henry Berry, President
Ewing, Charley Graham, j. w. Brooks
and Ed. Wolters, representing every
team in the league except Portland, re-
garding the season of 1909.
Better players, better brand of ball.
bigger crowds and further prosperity
this is the prophecy made by these
big moguls of the organized game west
of the Rockies, for the season of 1910.
Never in the history of the Coast
league have the books of the teams and
the league shown such satisfactory
balance as at the present time. Never
have the games been so literally pat
ronized, never have the teams played
with more snap and ginger. In fact,
when the accounts for the season of
1909 are cast up and the balances are
taken, it will be found that the west
ern organization has passed through
the most successful year in it's history.
Patronage Is Increased
his SedSOn IndTkS TIE dQNdlCeIueHI
of the game on the coast into a posi-
tion far more nearer equality with the
majors than ever BEFORE" was the word
left in Los Angeles by President Berry
of Los Angeles as he started north for
his conference with the league officials
on matters concerning next years
plans. "My books show an increase of
fully one-third in receipts above the
earning of last year. This shows that
the game is more popular, and at the
same time that continuous baseball in
Los Angeles has proved a thorough
success.
Senators and Vernon Strong
'It must also be considered that this
year we have had the most expensive
Fay roll since l assumed charge of the
southern team. Men like Beail, Koest-
ner, Daley and the other good ones
cost money, and 1 have stuck to the
policy of getting the best Though Los
Angeles may not win the pennant this
year, the Angels have given the fans
some great baseball President Pat
Powers, head of the Eastern league.
who witnessed several games here dur
ing Elks' week, spoke in high praise of
the increase in class shown by the
Coast league Letters 1 have received
from the east show that the magnates
from over the Rockies are turning this
way more and more. The sale and
drafting lists of the big leagues are
eloquent of the fact that the Logs from
the coast are being eagerly grabbed by
every team in the National and Amer
ican leagues which is adding to its
strength in preparation for next sea-
son. We will see a great exodus of
81 1nn nh cf1 Cnl-inO
next season they will figure prominent
ly in the stories of big league games.
But there are others to take their
places, and the Coast league will be
stronger and better next season than it
has been this year"
Changes Among Angels
There will be several changes in the
Angel lineup for next season Beall,
Delrnas, Koestner, Hosp and Orendorff
all will go to the big brush, and there
fore catcher, two pitchers, an infielder
and an outfielder will be needed.
The drafting season of the Coast
league opens next Wednesday. There
after the Pacific leaders will have fif-
teen days in which to lay claim to their
choices. Captain Frank Dillon of the
Angels has had nothing to say regard
ing the men he Is after. He confidently
expects to get good men to replace
those he will lose, however, and has
announced that next season the Angels
will present a stronger lineup than dur
ing the present schedule.
Sacramento and Vernon, the two pre-
cincts which the wise" outsiders
hazarded would be the weakest ele-
ments in the Coast league this year,
have proved up unexpectedly strong.
The Senators have splendid chances for
next season with new baseball park
in prospect and a number of changes
assured. Hogan's plans, as already
outlined in these columns, contemplate
a sweeping change In his personnel, and
this should bring better team work,
and faster, snappier playing. He figures
that he will finish in the first division
next year.
At Oakland the prospects are none too
good, though Bill Reidy has a splendid
staff of beavers. 1t is probable that he
will shift his present line up so ma
terially that it will be hardly recogniz-
able by those who have followed the
fortunes of the Commuters through
their slippery journey in 1909. San
Francisco, which is headed straight
pennantward with small chances. of be-
ing headed off, will lose several stars,
but the team is playing so much like a
machine that with a couple of good men
to fit into his infield, Mofler will be
able to proceed along the smooth tenor
of his winning way.
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