The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-06
THIRD MAJOR LEAGUE
IS TO Be LAUNCHED.
by GEORGE c. RICE

Another major league is about to be
launched. Plans have been formed and
most of the preliminary work has been
accomplished for the reorganization of
the United States league of last year
on safer and saner lines The tremen-
dous jumps between the east and the
west, which caused the heavy expense
last year. have been cut down to the
minimum, and the circuit is compact with
one exception.
Plenty of money has been promised to
see this league through the season. even
If the patronage is not sufficient to
meet the expenses. Some of the men in
terested in last years venture are in
on the new deal, but many of them lave
been dropped. The circuit will be Chi
cago, Milwaukee, st. Louis Kansas
City, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Pittsburg
and Cleveland.
The league is much more compact than
1t was last spring. with the exception
of Kansas city. The news of the cr-
ganization of the new league is not quite
ready for announcement. but it leaked
out today and gave away the secret
The names of the hackers of the ven-
ture are still unknown, but it is known
that the new park for Chicago has been
secured.
Gunther park will not be used and
Billy Niesen, who was. part of the
United States league last year is not to
be connected with the new league, which
has not yet been given name. The
grounds in Chicago are going to be To-
Gated at Elston avenue and Robey street.
Rumors have been circulating for some
time that new league was forming
in the west, and that many of the west
ern league magnates We're to be con-
nected with it. The denials came from
the club owners of the Western league
that they knew anything about IT. but
now the foundation for the rumors are
explained. 1t has been the Intention
OF the American association men to re-
organize and move into some of the
cities to be occupied by the new. league,
but the opposition of organized ball was
too strong for them
Barney Dreyfuss did not offer any
resistance to the United States league
in Pittsburg last year, ana It is not
likely there will be any more opposition
this spring from the club owners in the
big league cities
All of the big cities in the new or
ganization this time are considered good
baseball towns. With the exception of
chicago and st. Louis. none of them has
two teams. and the demand for basc-
has grown to such point that the back
ers OF the league believe it will pay
from the very start if they fix up II nom
conflicting schedule. In Chicago and St.
Louis the opposition to the two leagues
that now have teams here will not be
enough to cause any great slump in the
attendance at the Cubs and SoX games
The great northwest side is a city OF
itself. and the promoters figure enough
local patronage will be found in the
enighborhood of the grounds to pay the
expenses from the start
The United States league last year
had an unwieldy circuit The jump
from the far east to the west was too
long, and some of the cities were not
large enough to Accommodate one team.
The new league will be an outlaw
orsanization, but 1t will be conducted
along the same lines as the league of
last year. The promoters will not so out
or the way TO antagonize any OF the
other magnates and do not expect any
open warfare upon them ss
The experience gained last year will
be of value in the running OF the ven
ture this time While no great amount
Of noise has been made about signing
players for the different teams. it Is I'M
derstood managers have been chosen fol
almost every city. and that they are
quietly At work rounding up their men,