The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-05-03

closes, when they expect to be re-
warded by seeing the Cotton States
pennant brought home by the yellow
Piners."
The Hattiesburg team has started
OF under most auspicious circum-
stances. They have been at less ex-
pense than any other team in the
league, the prevailing idea being
! economy from the beginning, but not
to the extent that the team would
suffer thereby Other teams in the
league have tried out thirty to forty
men. while Manager Stickney has
brought less than twenty-five here.
These were brought from nearby
cities, so that the transportation ac-
count was considerably less than
other teams had to bear.
Then again, Hattiesburg may con-
gratulate itself upon the fact that it
has the prettiest and most convenient
little ball park in the entire circuit,
without cent of cost to the associa-
ton. Through the kindness of the
city officials and the Daughters of
the Confederacy, portion of Hamper
Park was also allowed to be used for
this purpose, and the grand stand, the
bleachers and the fence were built by
the Traction company, while the
grounds were graded and put in shape
by the city street commissioner. with
force of city convicts. The pre-
liminary surveying was done free of
charge by Mr. Oscar Bennett, and the
park, ready for use, was turned over
to the association without a cent of
cost TO them.
All this is very encouraging, and is
a good indication that the league, so
far as Hattiesburg is concerned, will
be success. The President of the
local association, as well as the
treasurer and all the directors, are
working for nothing, and are doing
as good work and as much of it as
If they were drawing handsome sal
aries for their services. They are all
patriotic citizens, took hold of this
proposition with commendable spirit
and zeal, and do not propose to be
discouraged by small things.
When the proposition OF reorganiz-
ing the Cotton States League was
first mentioned, there were those who
said it could not be done, while others
who were sports for the pleasure
there is in it, and who didn't like to |
admit that it couldn't be done, en-
couraged the movement. When it |
was finally decided to reorganize the |
league. these same knockers said |
there was no use for Hattiesburg to |
try to get into the game, and advanced |
as an argument in favor of this con-
tention the fact that Hattiesburg had
losing proposition in the old league,
that the team cost more money than
it made and that it would take too
much money to get the thing started
over, consequently there was no use
to try.
But as is always the case, there
were those in Hattiesburg who knew
better than this. They reasoned that
because the league had been a losing
before, there was no oc-
'asion for this being the case again,
and they Immediately began to get
busy, with the result that President
Millette telegraphed President Crow
Ter that Hattiesburg would be in the
league, and could be depended upon
o do her share towards making the
a possibility so far as
it to Mississippi circuit
vas concerned.
They knew the reasons for the hard
uck of four years ago, and profited
" their knowledge, In the first
lace, a good deal of unnecessary
money was spent at that time. Men
Vho were brought here to try out
anne from points as far as Canada:
Ugh salaries We're paid; the local as
ociation had to bear the expense of
repairing the bah grounds and build
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