Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-09-25
CAN'T SELL ITS
LEAGUE CHARTER
President Tearney Tells Spring
field Officials They Will
Have 20 Keep 1t.
"l'LL HELP YOU" SAYS AL
Prcxy Wants Old Job Back and Is
Anxious to Control Southern
Votes.

Al R. Tearney. alleged president of
sinking The thought of water is dis
tasteful to Al and he is now looking
around for a life preserver, which he
can grid about his loins thereby keep
ing his chin above the tide. Al is
dragging down in the neighborhood
of $1,000 per annUm from the Tri-Orb
circuit, and so far as his actual value
by service to the league is concerned,
the job might as we'll be given to a
stenographic product fresh from the
business college. The girl might chew
gum and waste a few moments shift
ing the hair-goods scenery, but she
would at least be on the job four
hours a day. Al doesn't want to pass
up that $1,000 or so which is clear
velvet, anC consequently is strong for
reelection. To start the invisible gov
eminent machinery, the Chicago alder
man has come out with the statement
that the Springfield club cannot sell
its franchise. Why Because he
won't let them.
| HIGHLY ORIGINAL.
| This is a new one. No matter If
club loses money every year, can't
pay salaries, and IS in continual hot
water, it cannot dispose of its fran
chise and must play to losing business
year in and year out just because
Tearney needs vote. That's what
Tearney thinks.
Last year the Springfield association
lost over $500 and in addition there is
a mechanics lien on the ball park.
Consequently the directors decided to
throw up the sponge and get out of
baseball, claiming that interest there
is 400 degrees below the freezing
point. Alfred o. Peterson, treasurer
of the club, consequently journeyed to
Chicago to visit with Mister Tearney
and discuss ways and means of dis
posing of the Springfield charter
Tearney then spouted: MY boy, you
can't sell that charter. 1t is reckoned
as one of the assets of the Three-I
league
AL CUTS NO ICE.
J 1t is true that the Springfield char
, ter or any other Three-I charter is an
} asset of the league, but when Tearney
says it can't be sold without his con-
. sent, common sense comes to bat
!. with the assertion that if Al doesn't
, have a couples of cares he will be
N pursued by the squirrels.
The Springfield club. or any other
club, can dispose of its franchise at
any time it sees fit, provided 1t has
: the approval of the majority of the
Three-I clubs. Whether or not Tear
ney approves of the sale doesn't carry
any more weight than the protest of
leading citizen over the high price
of bituminous coal. If Springfield
wants TO dispose of its franchise to a
city which meets the apprc val of the
majority of the clubs, that settles it.
NEEDS THE voTn
Tearney told Peterson that at the
directors meeting in October, he
tTearney) would appear before them
) and make an attempt to revive in
terest in baseball in Springfield. Why
; is Tearney SO anxious to keep Spring
field in the league. when it has been
proven that the club cannot become
a paying proposition because interest
in the game there is dead? Well,
Rollo, the southern cities on the cir
cult have always marked their bal
lots with a little cross opposite Tear
: ney's name in the annual elections,
and particularly Springfield Al wants
to control the southern end and get
back into the presidential chair next
year. lie knows that the various clubs
. are becoming weary of his lax manner
I of handling the league affairs, and is
/ therefore getting busy in his effort to
: round UP votes. He will preserve
baseball in Springfield, aid the hungry
: fans in their distress. keep a bum
baseball town in the league. and get
: another vote. Elemental. Watson, elc-
. mental.
t HANDED LEMON.
S The local club came out even last
/ season within $500" said Mr.. Peter
i son of Springfield, in discussing the
S Issue, but 1t is the old debts that
d are troubling US. We are fortunate, as
( in Bloomington they had an overdraf,
in the bank about $500, while the
: situation was equally bad In Peoria
5 We paid $4,000 in perfectly good mon
ey for what we supposed to DE a char
q ter that would be ours. Instead VIZ
seem to have gotten lemon; we were
p a fine bunch of suckers"
o There is now : movement on foot Il
e revive interest down at Springfield
d ana an effort will be made to raise ;
e fund of $4,000 to insure a 1914 BERT
Q Tor that city. Meanwhile, Mr.. Tear
Il ney will be found hunting in thc
y north woods, while his sister handle:
4 the business of the league.
=. Can be depended upon" is an ex
: preston we all like TO hear. and when
= it Is used in connection with Cham.
= pertains Collie, Cholera and Diarrhoe.i
: Remedy II NEAR that IL never fails