South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-03-07
LEAGUE CLOSES
DEAL FOR BALL
PARK At TOLEDO
Pres, Frank Calls Meeting For
tuesday and Wants to Hear
From Local Men-Team is
Assured City.

Pres. James Frank yesterday closed
the deal for the baseball park at To-
ledo, thereby insuring that city for the
Southern Michigan league and throw
ing open the tenth franchise in the
league to South Bend.
In a talk over long distance last
night Pres. Frank said that he was
now waiting on South Bend men TO
act and that he was ready TO receive
applications for the local territory.
He announced that a meeting Of
the league directors would be held
next Tuesday at Toledo when the fl
nal arrangements will be com pleted.
The work OF appointing a schedule
committee and arranging for forfeits
and other league business necessary
before the team managers begin
building up their teams Will be taken
up
The Toledo park has been secured
said Frank last night. There are nu-
merOus details that have to be clear
cd up yet and these will require a few
days. The hackers Of the Toledo team
have not been selected although there
are several men who are anxious TO
conduct the team at Toledo this year.
Prospects Are Bright.
These rIatters will be settled in
snort order. The prospects are bright
and il is practically assured that the
Southern Michigan fans will be fur
nished with the real Class y baseball
this year. Several of the teams have
their men already signed and it should
he no trouble for Toledo and South
Bend TO get in line"
Pres Frank repeated his statement
that South Bend was wanted n this
league and was assured of a berth even
though the Toledo deal should fall
j. l. = Nnr
couldn't see how this would happen.
after the arrangements already COM
pleted
There is little chance OF the South
Bend franchise going begging as sew
eral local men are said TO be anxious
TO get hold Of the team. There has
been one indirect application for the
team and plans are expected TO be
completed whereby this man Will take
over the franchise.
The announcement OF Frank last
night that applications for the fran
chise were wanted from South Bend
practically ends "A fight waged the
last couple of years for Il team. The
city has been without baseball for
some time and IL IL thought that with
class Il baseball here this summer,
the fans will turn out in large num-
bers
Wanted Central Ball.
early this winter the chances look
ed bright for the return OF Central
league ball to this city but the desire
Of Sol Meyer to play at the national
sport robbed the city Of the chance.
I'D Smith. former manager of the
Grand Rapids team the pennant win
ner of the Central last year. had Sc
cured first chance on the Springfield
franchise in case il was sold along
with the Indianapolis team TO McGill
and Hendricks of Denver.
At the last moment Meyer decided
10 keep the Springfield club and when
Smith went to him he refused to sell.
He gave his reason as the desire to
continue in baseball. Meyer had plen-
~ of money and as he was bug on
the subject ne refused TO turn the
club adrift
The next chance was when the Cen
trail tried 10 grab the Toledo fran
chise. It was finally decided to drop
the matter and retain the six club
league idea.
since then the Southern Michigan
people have been after the Toledo
franchise. IL was landed without any
trouble when the question of securing
the park was brought up. This proved
20 he a stumbling block for some time.
bit it was finally removed and suit
ale terms reached.
ONLY two questions are now up be
fore the league. They are proper
backing for the Toledo and the South
Bend teams. According 10 Frank
these are not worrying him or the
league directors much and they ex-
pcct 20 he able TO announce a full list
of owners IN the league cities after the
meeting next Tuesday.
should the league roster contain ten
clubs II Will read as follows: Toledo,
South Bend. Saginaw, Bay City. Kala-
Iuazuo. Battle Greek. Flint, Jackson
Adrian and Lansing. III OEly eight
clubs make up the list Flint and Adri-
am viii be dropped. Tt has been stated
however. that these two clubs will not
give up their franchises without "A
tight. but IL is understood that under
present arrangements the league can
drop the cities for lack of a playing
agreement