The copper era. (Clifton, Graham County, Ariz.) 1899-1911, 1910-02-17
Base Ball Discussion.


of fancy, and to commence figuring
on the prospects for the coming
season.
Mid-winter had scarcely settled
down over the country when we began
to hear vague rumors of organized
ball for the southwest, and a full
fledged "Cactus League" with pro-
lection, double umpires and all the
frillsallowed a Glass G or D League.
This of course was swallowed by the
loyal followers of the game in this
section as one of the usual pipe
dreams of a hot air dispensing sport
ing sheet in Ell Paso. Long ago the
Journals of the Clifton-Morenci dis
trict had given birth to the Cactus
League, and tho obituary notices
had subsequently been served, it was
still carried on as sort of a Comic
section to the weekly editions, Mo-
renci going so far as to publish the
League standings in every issue.
Now, however, the league seems to
be assuming some definite sha pc.
Messrs. Harbuck aud Kahn of Shreve-
port are named as the promoters.
Already Ell Paso, Bisbee and Douglas
are reported to have been lined up
for the new league by the hustling
promoters, and a regular league
meeting is called for February 9th.
1t was at first reported that Douglas
and Cananea we're greatly opposed to
the organization, but later that Man
ager Donovan had capitulated and
brought Douglas into line, tho
nothing is heard from Cananea.
Now Ell Paso or Bisbee is apt to fall
for anything in the line of sporting
dope, but if Douglas and Cananea go
through then there must be something
more than heated atmosphere behind
it,
Just what dimensions this league is
to assume or how many cities are to
be included in it's circuit is matter
of conjecture. One report makes it
an eight club circuit including Tue
son and Phoenix. Whatever the
scheme Messrs. Harbuck and Kahn
are supposed to have returned to
Shreveport, having completed all
/ preliminary arrangements.
AS yet the local camp has not been
preached on the subject of organized
ball, nor have we any inkling that
Morenci has received any overtures.
Maybe they consider us too fast for
the organization. Maybe we consider
ourselves so. At any rate Clifton
and Morenci managed to ride in a
class by themselves last year until
the close of the season when nearly
all the American and National league
teams had been imported to represent
the southwest in the Ell Paso tourna-
ment during Fair week, then we
turned our minds to other things.
Well whether it's to be league or
not, the time has come to consider
the prospects of our local team for
whether the club supporters of either
Clifton or Morenci would stand for
their teams becoming farming stations
for the Texas or other leagues. In
the past years Clifton has always
maintained a representative team.
The members of the club have always
maintained a respected standing in
the community as we'll as on the field.
But league or not it is not alone the
players that go to make up team.
Support is the keynote of sue
cessful club, be it amateur or profess
sional. While the ones who backed
the local team in past years have al
ways been loyal to the end, there has
been a general lack of euthusias tic
support that has worked against the
success OF the club.
1t is probable that baseball will
meyer be a money making proposition
here. The gate receipts of a game
are scarcely enough to meet the ex-
peuses. Generally less. However
this could be adjusted to at least be
an even break, with little outlay at
the start. We've always had a team
worthy of support. We will haYe
that same representative team again
this year. The popularity of the
sport here is shown by the number of
clubs that came into existence last
season. Seven clubs and at one time
eight in the two camps and all COM
posed of local talent. 1t is needless
to ask sis baseball popular here?"
Our second asset is a ground to play
upon, but there we stop. How many
times last year did the players get
out Saturday afternoon or Sunday
morning to roll the field and get it in
shape for the afternoon game, only to
play to a gate that scarcely paid for
the balls used, and crowd half of
which came round the end of the
fence.
We want d field. We need it. And
modern grand stand. Morenci has
at present the best ball field in the
southwest land it could be improved)
while our boys roam around in the
sand heaps like a lot of lizards and