Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-09-03

destiny. Tebeau was anxious only to pro-
tect his property rights In both the West
ern and American association circuits.
The Western decided on war, and placed
rival teams IN Milwaukee. Kansas City,
Minneapolis and st. Paul. This condition
continued for tho next two years, when
the treaty Of peace was signed between
the American and National leagues, and
the new era IN base ball was born. The
dual teams In the western towns were
withdrawn and the Western league
abandoned that territory 20 the American
association. In the meantime Tebeau had
placed a team in Louisville, after some
talk OF installing a second team In Omaha.
and when the war ended he was the
owner OF three OF the best paying fran
chises in minor base ball. Denver, Kan
sas City and Louisville. Not one OF these
franchises had cost him a penny but he
has since disposed Of Denver and Louis
Vile at prices that would be looked upon
as a fortune by the ordinary man. He
played in the outfield for Columbus in the
summer Of 1899, and his days as a player
were numbered. Twelve years later sees
him wealthy and the Colossus Of minor
league base ball
ROurke'a Honorable Part.
Pa Rourke was willing to take a fran
chise in the new American association
II he had been let in on even terms and
given a franchise for five years the same
as the others. But this did not suit
Tebeaus plans, who wanted 10 get Omaha
TO take the place OF Denver that he would
have had to abandon, II the Western
league had died. Rourke was asked TO
sell his Omaha holdings and put a price
on the plant and franchise, but his offer
was never met. II he had accepted the
one-year franchise, 1t would have ended
the Western league, and at the close OF
the first year he would have been at the
mercy of Tebeau, who has never yet shown
mercy to anyone. BY sticking to the
Western league. Rourke saved II from
destruction, protected the other team
owners, and incidentally saved Denver
for Tebeau and thereby made II possible
for him not only to get the profits OF
two more successful playing years, but to
finally dispose OF the franchise at hand
some price.
And now Tebeau is in a position where
he can start another war. He was taken
into the National Association of Minor
League Clubs after the treay of peace was
signed, but has always been a disturbing
element, for he had demanded privileges
superior TO the other members. At the
convention of the National association two
years ago a special class was created for
the American association and Eastern
league, in recognition of the fact that
they have circuits Of Importance sufficient
TO entltle them TO something above the
smaller leagues, but this was not accepted,
and last season the two were rated again
as class A leagues. The higher rating was
rejected because the American association
and Eastern league magnates have been
figuring together for several seasons on
the formation Of new major league cir
cult, which Is 70 be built up from the
larger towns OF the two leagues involved
and by invading the territory OF the pres
ent major leagues. This plan was to have
ben put into effect last spring, but the
move was postponed. That II Is not a
dream Is established by the fact that two
years ago Havenor of Milwaukee went
into Chicago and secured a site on the
north side, for a ball park. which he still
Rods. Pittsburgh is still open to invasion.
and so is Cleveland. The Tebeau dream
stil scars to the height of a major league
and the demands which the National COM
mission has just rejected were calculated
to give the American association and Dast
ern league, which Joined In the making of
the demands. quasi-maJor league standing.
NOW that they are rejected. will the
reoeauites have the courage to go to war.
or VIII they abandon their plans for in
Vading major league territory.
This is one time when Omaha can face
base oali war with equanimi.y, for the
outcome will be to advance omaha,s
standing In the base ball world.