The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-12-28
S0MERS DESERVES
MOST OF CREDIT
Was Godfather of American
League-A Real Live
Millionaire
(By Gordon Mackay,

Philadelphia. Dec. 2s-Amcrican
league Dartisina are prone to pr;li@a
the men In the managerial and playing
llnes n have been instrumental in
giving such a tremendous boost and
impetus to the Junior major organiza-
tion and forget the puissant factor in
the establishment of this association
which has become an adequate rival
of the older and capable body.
It's all right to hand bouquets to
Connie Mack for his splendid mana
gerial ability, for his wonderful team
that twice has brought to johnson and
his colleagues a worlds championship.
It's fine to point with pride to Ty-
rus Raymond Cobb and others OF the
stellar class and ask where in the
other major league can there be
found their equal?
partisan is likely to face the strong
est factor that made the American
league possible-its godfather in fact,
Charles w. Somers. Philadelphia to-
day could not nave boasted of a
worlds championship team If Charles
somers had not been on h job. Bos-
ton would never have had a worlds
championship team if Somcrs were
not on the job.
Cleveland might have. been now in
the cold without major baseball but
Somers was on the JON. st. Louis and
Washington, both of these cities owe
something in their outburst of base.
ball enthusiasm and patriotism to the
fact-Somers was on the job.
Was Financial POOhbah
Charles w. Somers was the inan-
cha poohbah who helped these cities
into the American league. He is a
millionaire whose prefix to that title
risked his money with a recklessness
that would make some of the present
maenates look like chaps betting a
dollar on n sure thing in the Brook
lyn handicap.
Charlie Somcrs is not the man
whom You would select as "A million
aire. He is as democratic as the ocean
hreezes. a splendid type of man. has
a keen business brain. cannot be fool
ed either by friend or foe and is a
thorough sportsman. .
He loves baseball. He has had one
worlds CHARACTERIZATION Charlie was
owner of the Boston club-and he
wants another. Somers believes that
Harry Davis can turn the trick for
him-thus he secures Davis. Somers
will spend his money to get a team.
spend it j~udiciously. but he will
spend ii If they show him the goods.
But he wants to see the goods.
Somers' career in baseball is one
of vivacitS. viriltS and vicinity. The
latter word is meant to convey the
impression that he has been all about
the circuit.
Local Pride Started Him
He went into the game from a
ism. Sounds Fourth Of Julyic. Ell?
Well. here's the story: When the Ma
tional league felt that Il twelve club
organization was too big and too un-
wieldy Cleveland, which had a team
known AS the Spiders. with the Te-
h1o,r ~, Nn,r Af-A>~ --l A.
rest as its stars. was dropped, the
franchise going to st. Louis. The
Robisons. the late Frank DeIlaas and
NJ. Stanley owned h team II they
took the club. boots. batbags and body
to the Mound City.
This left Cleveland stranded. IT
was not to the liking of Naplanders
but they We're forced to stand for IL.
1t was some years later that the
American league began it's expan-
sion. Byron Bancroft Johnson, who
had been a. newspaper man and was
president of the American league,
came into Cleveland With the idea OF
starting a club there.
Ban was recommended to Somers.
Charlie had considerable money in
his wv right. while his father had
Il h%ogshead. johnson argued so well
that Somers. who vas Interested any.
way, aroused w. F. Kilfoyle and Henr!
u" tuHE ~ = " w
scheme and the Cleveland team was
started.
In 1901 the eastern invasion be-
gan. Ono night q tall. slim man me
in the Hotel Continental with certain
other men and there in a room plan.
ned the present Athletic baseball
team. Ono of these men was a bis
portly fellow-Ban Johnson. One al
the others n a short. slender
hustling chap, who said little hui
thought much-Charlie Somers.
That night the American league
VAS launched in Philadelphia. Som.
ers told its projectors that they could
have anything they wanted from his
money got it. During the discussion
the conversation drifted around tn,
other eastern cities that might b.
taken into the circuit.
Boston. Baltimore and Washington
We're mentioned. How to get int
Boston-tnat was the question. Som
crs slipped out Of the room, hoarde.