The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-10-31
Waterloo, the Pennant Winner
How BoyIes Team Won Three Snaights from Burning
ton and COPIED the Iowa League Bunting in 9O7.
LBy E. R. Bales in Des Moines Reg

ton ana SoppeI the iowa
[By E. r. Bales in Des Moines Reg
lister ana Leader.I
With a worlds series just compile
ted, which was in every respect the
greatest in the history of the nation
al game, establishes as it did new
records in every branch of the sport,
1t is not out of place to call attention
to a series staged on the prairies OF
Iowa not many years since, which, al
though lacking the glamour that sur
rounds worlds title, was in many
ways more remarkable even than the
struggle just completed in Philadel-
pLia.
The stake at issue was only the
championship of class ID" league,
but it was fought out as bitterly as
though the premier honors OF base
ball hung in the balance. Slight at.
tention was given it at the time and
few outside of the immediate locality
in which it was staged realized just
what an important niche it might fill
In later years in baseball history.
Waterloo. Ia, furnished the back
ground for this great series, the re
suit of which is yet modern history
having occurred on the 10th. 18th and
18th OF September. 1907, little more
than four years ago. The opposing
club represented Burlington. The
pennant Of the old Iowa League. o
which both were then members, since
transformed into the Central associa
ton, was the stake.
Superb Pitching Record.
Measured by pitching standards
alone the series easily surpasses any
records now in existence and records
three successive performance which
taken collectively, probably nevel
will be equaled. In three games play
ed, one of which went into extra in
nings, not only did the Burlington
club fail to get runner across the
home plate, but their combined Ell
forts In twenty.nine innings of play
registered but two safe hits OF o.
the Waterloo tWlrler6.
The record Is a marvellous one
judged by individual performance OF
collectively. 1t created sensation IL
the circuit at that time, but was Civ
en- little publicity in the outside world
The Iowa League that year wal
made up of Waterloo. Burlington, Os
kaloosa, Marshalltown, Ottumwa ant
Keokuk as the Iowa members ant
Quincy and Jacksonville in Illinois.
Frank Boyle was manager OF tn
Waterloo club that year, as he ha
been since up 20 near the close Q
he last season, and Ned Egan. nov
manager of the Ottumwa club, was i
charge at Burlington. The two wer
old rivals for league honors and bot
ranked among the craftiest general
in minor league baseball.
Burlington Team Sluggers.
Burlington was possessed of har
hitting. fast combination which, ur
der Egan's clever handling, secure
an early lead in the race for the goI
Talon. Up until long past the middl
of the season the race looked all b,
over with Burlington an easy WHINE
Boyle, in the meantime, with pra
ticaIly new team, part OF which ha
been secured in midseason, was plu
ging along as best he could, winnin
majority of the games played, bl
scarcely enough to overhaul Egan
club far out in the lead.
He was working every minuut
however, and In the middle of tn
season the club began to display son
OF the evidences of his efforts. Ra
material had been transformed mi
the contamination of successfl
managers ambitions, baseball m
chine which moves and thinks in pc
feet rhythm and with the flaws o.
liberated through team work
Just at this stage Boyle perpetrate
what his critics stamped as an irr
trievable blunder. He traded horse
in midstream. Kephan, hard hittin
outfielder, who had made himself e,
tremeiy popular with the local fan
by his clouting ability, was sent /
the ThreeI league In exchange 70
Curtis and cash consideration.
1t was risk deal and threatene
for time to divorce the patronag
of the fans. The new outfielde
sprang into instant favor, however, O.
his initial appearance on the Water
loo grounds by slamming the frs
ball pitched to him over the fenc
for circuit drive and the manager
judgment later was vindicated 1
many ways.
The pitchers were in grand forr
and Immediately after the reconstruc
ed outfield had accustomed itself t
the change the team struck its gal
and displayed wonderful form through
out the balance of the season.
Waterloo Starts Winning Streak.
A winning streak started
on it's upward climb after Burlington
Progress was slow, however, a
Egan's men were going at rapi
pace. Toward the first of Septembe