Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-10
FIVE WESTERN TOWNS LOSE
Sioux City, Des MOines, Lincoln, To-
peka and Omaha Finish Bad.
ToUG HLUCK RoURKE's PORTION
Forty-Three Players on List During
Season, over $4,000 Paid for
Men, and Final Loss of
$4,000 20 he Faced.

When the curtain went down on the
Western league season on sunday 1t left
five clubs with the certainty OF bal
ance on the wrong side OF the ledger and
with teams that certainly must be re-
built before another playing season starts.
Omaha, Sioux City. Des Moines, Bincoln
and Topeka all finished 10 the bad SO
far as money Is concerned, and neither
team looks good enough to go into an
other championship contest Lincoln and
Des Moines are looking for new owners.
Sioux City, Topeka and Omaha are sure
OF their owners, and are also sure OF the
effort to rebuild. Denver paid big this
season, the first time the pennant has
gone out there since the league was
organized in 1900 and Jack Hendricks Is
taking Joy rides in big auto, presented
him by the bugs OF the town. Frank
Isbell Is sever al shiilings ahead at Pueblo
and that is much better than IL he had
stuck TO Wichita, and Jack Holland Is
on easy street at 81. Joseph. And these
teams will not need much fnending to
make them good for another year,
Hard Luck Omaha's Part.
Omaha gets the harest bump Of any
of the losers, perhaps, for Pa Rourke 10
contemplating a balance on the wrong
side OF about $1,000 This is entirey
aside from the $4,000 he invested In inn
provements on his plant at the beginning
Of the season. 1t is mostly due to the
efforts he made TO get winning team
together. Omaha he'd forty-three players
on the roll during the season, and only
two Of the regulars who started the
season finished. These are Hall and
Kane, and In the quest for material
Rourke spent q little over $4,000, which
is some money for n minor league man
ager to put out during the season buyins
ball players. Tough luck followed him,
too. Take the case of scalon. as an
illustration. He was purchased outright
from the oalesburE team and came here
at time when an infielder was badly
needed but has been Of no service what
ever, having developed q case OF blood
poisoning soon after getting here, and
thus being out of commission. Just az
the team was getting into its stride and
a good finish seemed In view Pitcher
Demott was called away by his mother q
illness and Pitcher RhOades went lame,
leaving Omaha with three men for tue
box, Hall, Lotz and Robinson. The list
Of other misfortunes IL long and doleful'
Ends IN FirSt Division.
And at that Omaha finished In the
first division. ending the long fight with
a gallant rally, playing a crippled team
to the very limit, and settling 3 contest
OF three weeks against Sioux City and
Lincoln by winning. During the season
Omaha lost nineteen games to Denver
and won but four from the Grizzlies
| kNaga -
games from DsS Moinsz and lost bui
three TO that team. With the Othei
teams the break was about even.
Abrogast signed contract with Ps
RouYke yesterday by which he will TAKE
on the Job of managing the Omaha team
again next season. He viii return y
his home at Paris. Texas, TO spend tn
winter. Most OF the other players hav'
left town, and Pa 10 face to face will
the lob OF getting the material he pesdI
for next years team. He knows whe
he wants but he doesn't know jus
where 20 get II. He has the nucleus o
a team, with Kane NiehOff snd Justic
for the infield, with either Moore o
seanlon for second; Thomason for tn
outfield ana Arbogast behind the bal
Fentress Is there as a pitcher; Rhoads
ana Lota ought to be all right, and thi
makes the problem a couple Of 500
pitchers, q good catcher and two goo
outfieiders. These are to be had some
where. And they will be on hand Whel
the gong taps to start next season
play.
The league meeting has not yet bee
called, but It Ousht to be very soon
for several matters are pending tina
require attention. II Is not likely tha
any change will be made In the eireSi'
but new owners will appear AT DE
Moines and Lincoln.