The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1910-04-06
History Of E Blue Grass
League.

The Blue Grass League of Kentucky
came into exiStance in 1908 with George |
|. Hammond, of Lexington, as President :
and six cities in the circuit, Frankfort, |
Lexington, Richmond, Shelbyville, |
Lawrenceburg and Versailles. A schedule
of seventy games was adopted, and the
season was played through. During the
later part of July Versailles, which was
hopelessly at the tailend and Gin bad"
financially, sold its franchise.tO WincheS- |
ter, which city played out the season,
taking Versailles percentage. The
league played independent ball during |
the season of 1908, and was not under the |
National Agreement, but at the close of
that season it adopted a regular con-
,titution and bylaws and applied for
membership in the National Association
of Professional Base Ball Leagues, Glass
d, to which it was duly admitted. Dur
ing its independent career of one season
it was the means of creating intense
Base Ball enthusiasm throughout the
Blue Grass section of the State and de-
veloped several players who, the follow
ing season, were promoted TO the faster
company.
After coming under the protection of
The National Agreement, Lawrenceburg
sold its franchise to Paris, and the cities
thus composing the league, began pre-
pairing for a 1909 season with a zeal.
George /. Hammond was reelected presi-
lent; each club was required to deposit
$500 into the treasury as a guarantee
hat the season would be played through:
l salary limit of $500 per month was de-
jlared and the schedule of one hundred
ind twenty games adopted, beginning
April 81, and closing September Is.
The league opended most auspiciously
md played out the entire schedule.
every club made good money with the
possible exception of Frankfort and
;helbyville, and the league as a whole
vas fifty per cent stronger, in playing
trength than the previous year.
The 1909 race soon became nip-and-
uck between Winchester and Richmond
or first place, anda vacillating race be-
ween Paris, Lexington and Frankfort
or third, Paris finally winning out.
he Winchester team under the manage
nent of Newt Horn, of Nashville, Tenn.
inally succeeded i'll winning the PEN
ant, nosing ahead of Richmond in the
asst week, by the small margin of five
POINTS, her percentage being $50, while
hat of Richmond was .625.
Some excellent players were develop
sd in the Blue Grass League during the
past season, and it is safe to say that in
1910 the managers of the minor leagues
will keep their eyes on the movement of
the players of this league, for there are
some very fast youngster among them.
Of the 1909 players, Dawson, the first
, oaSeman of Richmond, was drafted by
Minneapolis; Golden, Richmond's star
pitcher, by Pittsburg, and afterwards re-
leased to Louisville; Goosetree, shortstop
for Winchester, and Burden her most
successful pitcher, went to Louisville;
TQakes. centerfelder for Paris, went 10
Norfork; while Digger, Paris best pitch
er, was taken in by Evansville,
Efforts were made at the annual meet
ing in November to have the league Cir
cult increased to eight clubs, but the di-
rectorS finally decided to have but six.
The season of 1910 gives promise OF
being the most successful of the leagues
existence. Each team has materially
strengthened and a close race is expected.
Its playing schedule of one hundred and
twenty games has been adopted and the
entire circuit is enthusiastic and eager
for the fray to begin. DIR. w. Q. Ussery,
of Paris, was elected president for 1910
and has assured the league directors and
the fans in general that he will make it
his special effort to see that the league
is equipped with the very best umpires
that can be had.
The Blue Grass, League has the dis
tinction of having broken the worlds
record in professional ball when Toney
pitcher for Winchester, on May 10, 1909.
in game against Lexington at Winches-
ter, pitched seventeen innings without
allowing the opposing team the sem
GLANCE of hit. Winchester won in the
seventeenth inning by score of 10.