The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-17
AND
WINNIPEG QUIT
Two Good Cities Through
With Western Canada
League ~

1nesAlld, od6k., OCt. lime season
of the Western Canada league is once
at an end and an end that am
be called successful in the true
sense, as two of the teams found 1t
necessary to throw up the sponge be-
fore the finish. Strange as it might
seem too. it was none. other, thar
Winnipeg and Brandon that tlopped
first, though these We're the two that
did most of the talking at the open
ing OF the season as to what they
would do and as to what the other
clubs would have to do in order to
please them. However, they found be-
tore the season was many weeks old
that they were in trouble. and the
poor crowds that turned out in both
of these cities were a disgrace to the
great game. especially in Winnipeg, 81
city that boasts a population of 49,
OOO and lays claim to being a good
sporting town.
The trouble in Winnipeg lies with
the club ownership more than the peo-
pie. and If new men We're to take hold
OF n club in that city and would
open their purse strings wee bit that
town. would easily be one of the best
cities in the west for baseball. There
are thousands of fans in Winnipeg
but they must be encouraged a little
bit. something that has not been done
IN the past few years. On the other
hand it seems that the club owners
nave done nothing to encourage the
fans to turn cot. yet then they stand
up inc cry about poor crowds. They
have no one to blame but themselves
and their tight-wad policy.
Dog in Manager Policy
1t is rumored hat Ted Sullivan Of
fered to put some money into the
Winnipeg club and make things come
around, but there was nothing stirring
and 1t was also known that offers. have
been made from different sources for
the Winnipeg franchise, but it was
not to be-. The present owners want
spend money to improve conditions.
The latest I'M afloat is that the
Brown brothers, who own the Vancou-
Yer club. want to take over the Winni-
peg club and make it a far mfor their
club in the Northwestern league; a
fine state of affairs again in a city Of
Vancouver's size making Winnipeg a
farm. 1t is to be hoped that some-
thing or somebody will come along
during the winter season and induce
h present men in control of the Win
nfpeg club to let go and give some
real live men a chance to make Winni-
peg a good ball town. something that
would not be hard to do.
The team in Winnipeg this season
was formed at the eleventh hour and
the manager. Eddie Taylor. had but
three or four days to gather up a
team. He was fairly successful. how
ever and made. a very creditable show
ing h first part of the season, but the
Club forced him to part with some
of the players that were drawing toe
much money and killed off any chance
he might have had to finish in the
running. 1t was a joke to watch the
| foQm'c o4Arfc IN thu Lost fo-p la,. -
play and no n that understood the
real conditions could blame them for
their indifference. :.
Schedule Plan Killed Interest
The players in this league this year
were only of average class with few
exceptions yet they played good ball.
One drawback vas that thu schedule
play together for most of the season.
For instance. Brandon and Winnipeg
were paired off, then Moose Jaw and
Saskatoon and Edmonton and CAL
gary. and while 1t had the effect of cut
ting down travelling expenses. it also
cut the gate receipts, for who wanted
to go and see the same two clubs
battling together day after day. es-
pecially in the case of Winnipeg and
Brandon. where Winnipeg could al
ways whale the life Out Of Brandon ?
The same was to be expected in Sas-
katoon and Moose Jaw but both those
towns turned out fairly good crowds.
although Moose Jaw did trim Saska-
toon pretty regularly. Edmonton and
Calgary also drew pretty we'll. but it
is doubtful If any of the clubs made
much money.
1t is not likely Winnipeg and Bran
don will be in the Western Canada
another year. There are whispers that
Regina will take Winnipeg's place and
that Medicine Hat will be slipped in
where Brandon fell out. This would
make a nea little circuit and should
be a money maker. Regina is big
enough to support a ball team and II
Is time for some to come to the front
with the necessary coin to put the