The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-12-28
Rowland, Once Heralded AS the
Father Of Municipal Base
ball Idea
WON MUCH PUBLICITY
BY CTTY-OwNED PARK
Dubuque Plan Interpreted In
1918 As First Step In
New Movement
RY HARuLD V. WILCOX.

IL a reputable insurance company
were asked to write a policy insurlng
the duration of sporting celebritys
fame, the premium demanded would
exceed that quoted on the life OF q
Uhlan posted at storm center or the
present European unpleasantness.
when Charley Comiskey authorized
the announcement that Clarence Row
land had been employed 10 manage
the White Sox next year. The fact
was heralded throughout the country
with the universal comment that an
unknown. had risen in single leap
to one OF baseball's thrones. Rush
orders were flashed TO Chicago and
Peoria, requesting more Information
about this busher who had so sud
denly sprang into the limelight, and
tales featuring the histody and ideas
of this new chieftain we're considered
the big news of the week. And they
were big news, for the sporting world
had forgotten all about this man Row
land
Nevertheless, less than two years
ago, this same Clarence Rowland, OF
Dubuque, Ia. and Three-I league
fame, was heralded far and wide as
the father of movement that was
destined to revolutionize baseball.
Professional oall under municipal
Ownership was the idea credited 10
him, and the building of municipal
park at Dubuque for the use OF Row
lands Three-I league team was hailed
AS the initial step in this movement.
OF course, like many municipal and
government ownership plans, nothing
much ever came of the Dubuque idea,
but in the spring of 1913, it received
wide publicity and comment, and
Rowland's name was everywhere link
ed with IL.
Early In 1913, committee compos-
ed OF Eugene Adams, public spirited
citizen; j. j. Mclaughlin, an alder
man. and Rowland. owner of the
Dubuque franchise, went before the
city council and asked for $1,000 for
the grading of a downtown ball park
which was also 10 be a public play
ground and athletic stadium. The APP
preparation was allowed and work was
started on the site of what had for
merly been used as city dump
ground.
Rowland was to pay $500 year for
the use of the park, and during the
time that the professional team was
on the road the high school team
was TO have the use of the diamond.
Tennis courts and gridiron were
also TO be built. cinder track was
planned, and the whole seven acre
park was to be constructed much aft
er the average college athletic field.
In the negotiations that naturally
ensred, Rowland offered to build the
fence around the park and pay $3.50
"a year rental If he would be allowed
the advertising privileges. mix on
the. fence advertising" decreed the
city fathers, and then they decided TO
build their own fence and give Row
land free use OF the field
Municipal ownership OF the league
franchise was never proposed. so far
as Is known, but the municipal park
was interpreted by sporting idealists
as a step in that direction and the
idea was taken up and spread broad
cast carrying Rowland's name on the
wave of its publicity. That he should
so soon be utterly forgotten Is splen-
did proof of fame's high mortality
rate