Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-23
STATE LEAGUERS
ON LAST LEGS
OUTLAWS ARE CALLING FOR
HELP FROM COASTERS
INVASION OF SACRAMENTO MAY
BRING CRISIS
Complication Over Lease of Oak Park
in Capital City May Result in
Grahams Team Finishing
Season on Road

That the state leaguers are at the
point of giving up is again demon
strated by several communications re-
ceived by Henry Berry, president of the
Angel City Baseball association, who is
leading the fight against the outlaws,
and is being backed by the entire direc-
torate of the Coast league. Perhaps 1t
is a misnomer to call the trouble a
fight" 1t takes two healthy organi-
cations or persons to pick and continue
a quarrel, and the outlaws are in no
condition to force the issue. The facts
which have developed in the last week,
following the published account of the
impoverished, bankrupt and demoral-
lied condition of the California State
league indicate that matters could
hardly be worse in their ranks. 1t is
known that the magnates who are still
able, through private subscriptions, to
hold the fort, are anxious to make
peace on the best terms possible.
short, thickset, fighting parsonage,
with a jaw of iron gripping a big black
cigar, once sent out a terse sentence
which has gone down into history. 1t
decided a nations history. mo terms
except unconditional surrender" is the
applied gist Of the message.
Unconditional Surrender
This is the word which has been
passed along to the emissaries of the
outlaws, who are seeking admittance
into the organized fold. Letters and
kilograms have poured in to Berry
and the other members of the Coast
family since the publication of the real
condition in the State league. They
have come from players, managers
and magnates. Most significant of all
are half dozen communications from
hackers of the several clubs in the
State league, notably Fresno and the
partially revived Sacramentans. These
hackers are business men who are tired
of seeing their money spent on rowdy
ballplayers and in obtaining the poor
est brand of ball ever offered In Cali
fornia
In Sacramento, which for the last
year has been a pivotal point in the
controversy. western baseball history
may be made tomorrow. On this date
the Sacramento outlaw team, nom
descript organization which is a re-
vival of the former San Francisco
outlaws, is due to open its first at home
schedule. The grounds on which the
Coasters play are the only ones avail
able. Should the outlaws play on these
grounds and the Coast league team
follow, this would constitute the or
ganized team into outlaws. The Sac
ramento manager of the street rail-
.
which owns the park in which the dia-
mond is situated, refused to allow the
outlaws to play thereon, but President
Britton of the company, located in the
San Francisco offices, has, 1t is said,
acceded to the requests of the State
leaguers for permission to lease the
park when the Coasters are away,
since Graham has no permanent lease
on the field.
May Go on Road
This complication was set before
Charlie Graham yesterday afternoon at
Chutes park and the tall senatorial
leader declared in emphatic terms that
should the outlaws play at Oak park,
the home grounds, tomorrow, he will
take his team away from home for the
rest of the season and will play out the
schedule on the road. 1t is probable
that prompt action will be taken in the
matter.
This move on the part of the outlaws
indicates to what desperate straits they
have been driven. There is no room in
any city in the state for two flourishing
baseball organizations, and the Sacra-
mento fans are wise enough to have
declared for Coast league ball first, last
and all the time William Curtin, presi-
dent of the Sacramento Coast League
Ball Team association, is in confer
| ence today with the railway officials re-
garding the matter.
Frenso officials have asked Henry
Berry to come north to straighten out
the tangle for them. But standing by
his previous defiance, Berry will permit
no more Juggling of terms. 1t is now
quits between the coasters and the
State league, and within a fortnight
important developments may be ex
pected which should clarity the situ-
alton.