The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-01-28
Little Over Half the Required Amount
Has Been Subscribed up to
Noon Today by the
Committees.
POOR OUTLOOK HERE
Big Men Give Little, While Little
Men Give Sig, is Report of the
Soliciting Bodies at
Work Today.

After working with might and main
for two days, the committees who are
endearoring to make baseball sure
thing for Keokuk reported at noon
today that they were still 81, 800 short
OF the $4,000, which they were trying
+ to raise and have asked for another
day in which to meet the require
ments
peculiar thing in connection With
the subscriptions. this year is the fact
that the men, who have always been
enthusiastic supporters of the game
and who have always donated gener-
ously TO the club and have the means
TO support IT Literally. have fallen
short OF their usual subscriptions,
while the men who have given from
two 10 ten dollars. have responded
molly and most OF them have doubled
their former subscriptions
Just why this state should occur
cannot be told. but according TO The
men in charge. it is q fact and is the.
Mair1 reason why the total amount is
so hard to get. Al these men who
formerly gaFe literally we're counted
upon for just about double what their
subscriptions hare been and the loss
OF this can mean only one thing
keokuk will not have baseball this
year. II these men can be prevailed
upon 10 add still further TO their sub
scripIions, then the game can be con-
tiaued. with the possibility that in
after years, there viii need be no
popular subscription Isis circulated
AS matters now stand. it looks very
lad 70. baseball in this city. Every
possible means has been used for Sc
the city. it is said, have refused to-
contribute Both these men have, IN
former years. been among the heaviest
subscribers and the loss OF their
financial aid and support TO the asso-
citation is one OF the hardest blows.
According To the baseball heads. the
team this year. viii OF course make
big try for a pennaut in the Central
Association. but il IS hoped that
manager can he secured from among
the many applicants who viii be able
to bring in bunch OF young players
and develop them In this respect
alone, lies the future salvation OF base
hall in keokuk. Many men say that
the time has come when they must
not be looked TO for the support Of
baseball and either the team man
ager must make good by selling bah
players, Or the club must go under
private ownership. 1t is generally be-
lieyed that the matter is becoming
too much of a tax upon the citizens
and that a better attendance could be
secured by private ownership sys-
TEN than by asking men to give TO the
game.
Many business men, who, although
they never refuse subscription. are
prejudiced against the game here be-
cause ii is not run in a business-like
and dignified manner, Their argn-
ment is that they would not put mon.
ey into q legitimate business as they
are asked to in baseball. when they
knew it was to be a sure failure Tn
TIL the club is placed upon SOUND
business basis, with some one maj
responsible for its success or failure
with any loss that might be incurred
coming from his own pocket, keokul
will never support baseball as
should be supported. BY this, it j
not meant that the game cannot be
success this year, because the genel
al impression is that Keokuk wi
support baseball, so far as attendant
is concerned, during the coming yea
better than it has ever done, but S
far as having any money left in II
treasury at the end of the season
concerned, some man must be place
in charge, who has all the quaiifc
tions that has made Tom Hayden al
Ned Egan and Bert Hough SUGGEST
as baseball magnates.
The manager who comes to keok'
must have big league acaualntan
in order that he may have an insi
track with scouts over the countl
who may be able TO pick up prom
ing ball players. He must have be
in baseball sufficiently long TO be al
to direct his players in the insi
workings OF the game. And he mi
have the ability TO handle his me-
one thing that has been consplcuo
by its absence in all Keokuk manage
In number of years past
Under these conditions, some
them modified, Of course. Keokuk c