Arizona republican., 1913-07-15
PHOENIX PLAN
 COMES ID BAT
All His Words Mean is Watch the Phoenix 7 Team" - Predicts Good Game With MarOOns-On Park Measurements
CThe Phoenix Phan Speaks)

Il ne PnOenIN Pnan SDeakS)
 fIt seems the new Phoenix bal park is about to be disqualified be- cause it violates rule one as laid down by Aessrs. Spaulding, Reach etc. That rule says that the shortest
 distance between home plate and any fence or stand in fair territory must be 235 feet. But from PhoeniX's home plate to the right field fence the shortest of the three. it is said to be 260 feet But there is a section of that rule which the park does break-the one concerning home plate and the grand stand. Instead of nine ty feet-which is regulation, the dis tance is less than twenty-five feet.
 But a ball park need not stand or fall on such a small matter. If it is big enough to house a real Amer ican ball scrap it is good enough for this town"
 Anent the situation, the Phoenix Phan said last night:
 The committee has reported that the ball park is too small. And that it cannot be accepted on that ac- count. I'm for seeing the situation cleared by the purchase of the park by the citizens of Phoenix. I know Yates and his associates personally, and they are good, hard working men. But I think the association could give baseball a much stronger hold here if it could own and operate the park and team.
 Then again there are Phans who say the park Is too small, it's grand stand not commodious nor the field long enough No official measurement has been made of that much disputed right field fence. by the way, and all that can be found about it is opinion It is true however that the south two lots of the block are outside the field. In securing the lease, Mckinney and Yates were unable to get the whole block. lacking just that fifty-foot strip along sherman street If by any sort of dicker the management is able to get hold of those two lots, the right field fence can be moved back out of the reach of Glow and Hudson and all those other homer hitters.
 Speaking in an unusually earnest tone of voice-fOr him-the Phoenix Phan said last night:
 T don't see for the life of me why there should be any dissensiOn among my fellows here. The fact sticks up above all else THAT WE WANT BASEBALL. Out of unnumbered op- Dortunities to get baseball here, We have saved just about two, the new Phoenix park and the association, which is still toddling and not yet firmly on it's feet.
 My friend Yates remains now in control Of the baseball situation. understand that Mack is cutting loose today or tomorrow. and I'm sorry. But two fighting Irishmen in one partnership are apt to cross signals once in while Connie is yet willing to stand by baseball, and has the Wherewithal to do it. But the main problem is to interest the thousands of Thursday and Sunday afternoon fans Let me slip you a bit about the team.
 Starting with bunch of young sters the Phoenix team went through the darnedest flock of lickings team ever got. But each Walloping was lesson They say there's no teacher like experience. and I'm strong for old Miss Experience every time. She i drummed batting into as A;shy a ! gang of IightWeights as I ever saw, | until now they can grab hits off any l hurler in the country. But Phoenix i need not put her faith in these here [ present players. I'll admit that it is ! lovely to have a. team Of nome DOyS, { every one born and raised next your i door But it always takes few old 1 heads to make any team. l have , heard kicks about the dubby way somebody fielded his position. old ! Slim over there was just now hOller- ing that the team neds a new first baseman and new catcher and new set of heavers-Otherwise it is all right But I say. let 'em alone.
 Tn a month or so some big and little leagues will ring the final bell md there will be the biggest flock of auskies hit the southwest you ever saw. There is almost certain to be I first baseman to take Yates place f the manager wants to play from he bench And if Bark Barclay fails -o put on that old time steam-as le promises now to do-We can easily pick up a southeastern or state eaguer to take his place. l know Bark is not stingy, and if anybody Irifts along that can backstop better IS he can, he will do an Alphonse light there Still a team IS not made in a day The nucleus is here. and if you don't believe it just 70 out and see the squabble between f and the Maroons Thursday