The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-12-18
BASEBALL TABOOED BY
| INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION

from VIM. A. Reed Of the Waterloo
Times Tribune:
My Dear Mr.. Sterne;
] can hardly express the gratitude
felt by the people of Waterloo toward
all those who were instrumental in
placing our city back in organized
baseball.
The people of Waterloo realize the
great benefits which accrue directly
and indirectly from baseball. 1t Is
the national sport and the city which
makes any pretension toward pro-
gress or is worthy of place on the
map Is usually represented by a base
ball team in some league organiza-
ton. What our people think Of base
ball is advertising for the city adyer-
Using because every morning paper
all over the country carry the name
of the city in the list of games won
and lost. Everyone almost In these
days watches the baseball scores and
a progressive city can hardly be
without baseball.
But there is another side to it and
one which is of more Importance to
US in Waterloo. We are an industrial
center. We have thousands of men
engaged in the trades and various
csllings. In their ranks are many who
love baseball as there are many who
love other sports. Unless city can
furnish amusements for Its people,
harmless amusement at least. then
that city is not quite SO good place
for some people to live in as some
other city which does furnish then
with the amusement they IKE.
You have often heard your youns
folks say that "Keokuk is dead"
have heard them say the same thing
of Waterloo. 1t is just a passins
thought. Momentarily they are dis
sappointed about one thing or anoth
! or Young folks must be considered
when you build up a community I
they can be kept at home the city II
| the gamer. If they emigrate to SOM
other town perhaps we have los
1 them because we failed to provid
them with the amusement that the,
required; that we have not give
them opportunity to spend ieN
profitably. Therefore we think base
ball Is for the good of all the peopl
in the city, and is not only a goo
advertisement but one of the thing
which help build up a city, not i
exactly the same way but in just a
A good a way as schools, churches, et'
i You will remember the fight whic
Waterloo put up to remain In the Gel
4 trail Association. You may have som
i slight knowledge of what it cost u
to get in the Three-I league and VIVA
4 1t cost US to stay there If you ar
not informed, / will say that fa1
estimate of the amount Of none
4 spent by Waterloo people to keep
some baseball league was in tn
neighborhood of $4,000 We woul
1 have fought again last year to pr
4 vent expulsion from the Three
league but when Davenport an
Dubuque joined with the south half
the league against Waterloo an
Rock Island, Rock Island and Waite
loo decided that it was no league K
4 us to be longer connected with. No
If Wa erloo people will spend the
money willingly and have their HAND
; in their pockets, anxious to sper
more just to have representation
1.-THE national sport, it must mea
something to a city to belong to
league baseball organization.
We are about to build a new plal
here. We shall need aDout SIX I
seven thousand dollars. Our board
. park commissioners has come fc
). ward without solicitation and offers
, us site upon which to play leag'
games in one Of the city parks, abs
: ,lutely free of charge.
This shows the spirit of our pal
commissioners toward the nation
game.
:. We have a local baseball organic
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