Evening journal., 1911-01-30
CAREER OF
THE BILLIES
History of WiIIiamSpOrt Base
ball From First Days of
the Tri-State
WERE ALWAYS In THE
CHAMPIONSHIP RACE

The passing Of Williamsport from
the Tri-state League and the acuuisi-
tion of Wilmington has brought forth
some interesting history Of the
record of the WilliamspOrt teams dur
ing thrir seven years OF membership
in NE organization. The record has
been compiled and printed by the
Wiiliamsport Gazette and Bulletin
and will be well worth winter read
ing for the baseball fans. The his
tory leads up from the Independent
baseball days, and tells of the start
OF the Tri-State. In part Il follows:
Away back in 1901 there were a
large number of professional, semi
professional and amateur clubs play
ing in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and
Delaware. They quickly found that
to exist they must stop preying upon
one another and they formed, later
on, an association among themselves
by which they agreed not to tamper
with each others players, not to play
with a club which contained a player
not honorably released by the club
to which il belonged and to fight
jumping in all its phases. This asso-
citation did not belong 70 organized
baseball and, while it played fair
among its own members. soon found
that protected baseball would not ac.
knowledge that they had any rights
u was this reading OF protected
leagues that drove them into the fam
GUS outlaw league which was known
and feared from Maine to California
and which paid back the big league
for their refusal TO recognize its con.
tracts by raiding the big fellows and
forcing every club TO pay more money
I'm salaries than they would have done
# they had not been so sure that the,
could do as they pleased with the it,
tie semi-professional association.
The FarnsWOrih Cup.
IN 1908 Mr. Farnworth. OF Harris
burg, offered what is now known al
the FarnswOrth cup. Instead Of put
ting It up for competition he selecte,
three clubs TO play for Il Onl!
two games we're played. the winne
of the first game playing the secon'
club. Harrisburg won the two game
and was awarded the Iri-Stst
champship by Mr. FarnswOrth. Thi
is the only time Harrisburg has hai
the cup and that Is how Il got II
Other clubs disputed Harrisburg
title but. Of course, Mr. Farnswort
had the right 20 make his own rules
and so Il stood
This incident gave rise to the or
ganization. IN 1904. OF the Tri-Stat
League, with Williamsport. Altoona
Harrisbrrg, York, Wilmington an
Camden as members. Camden coul
not stand the pace and fell on N
twenty-third game. Lebanon taking Il
place.
When the Tri-State League was firl
braced and when Mr. Farnsworth pt
up the cup for which Williamsport wa
not permitted TO play, Percy Steus
was manager in this city and ha
Donovan and Bevier as catche-s. an
Lush. Bressler andM alley as pitchers
Old ScoOplefs Scudder guarded frs
base. Louis Willig was on second an
Eddie Schultz held down the thir
cushion. Sandy Sandherr was IN
Fhortstop and Edgard Maitland
Dutch Clymer and one Of the pitcher
played the outdeld.
The First Year.
The first year in the Tn-Sta.
found Harry Barton and Jerry Done
van behind the bat and Rube BressIal
Johnny Lush. Roy Evans. Lefty Nc
Tween, Herb Jackson and McHal
doing the pitching. The last tw
were on the team only at the end q
the season. Bob Lindermann was tn
first baseman. Curt Weigand the SEE
ond baseman, and Mike Mowrey Ia
tHif1 udsrTTfdfi. Jid Charles Mos
who could play the position when b
wanted TO. was the shortstop, an
Maitland. Mullen and one of the pitch
PRS played the outfeld. This clu
tnished second.
In 1905 Walter Blair and Jerr
1ongyan were the catchers. wit