Norwich bulletin., 1914-12-17
FEDS WERE AFTER MINOR CIRCUIT
Outlaw Promoters Hoped Get Larger Cities of Eastern As sociaton and New England League-WOuld Have Land ed Hard Blow on Organized BaIE-New London Was Not Counted in on the Proposition

Among the numerous plans and changes discussed by baseball men last week while two leagues were holding meetings in New York and
 $4resentatives of many teams and leagues gathered in the corridors and the Waldorf and the Imperial was one that would have caused big 5ensa- ton in the baseball world if it had not died a-borning. The promoters went to New York with high hopes of inter esting other persons desired in the scheme. but they went home without accomplishing their end. The plan was to launch an outlaw league in the east that would have a working agreement with the Federal league and get the surplus talent from the outlaw organ ization.
 The plan involved a consolidation of two leagues and the elimination of the weaker cities in each. In fact. the elimination was to come first and those eliminated were not to be consulted in any way. According to William J. Slo- cum in the New York Evening Sun, the proposition, if it received enough support to result in the new league being formed, would have undoubtedly resulted in the breaking up of the New I3ngland league as well as the Eastern association, formerly known as the Connecticut league.
 It was the idea of the promoters to ldAS luS us CALlOO III C<LOh O4 0AAAEScAAC44 where the club owners also controlled the grounds. New Haven, Hartford and Springfield, three of the best cities in the Eastern association, were the ones desired in Uncle Jim O'Rourke's little league, Bridgeport was also wanted, but the fact that O'Rourke controls the playing field made that field an iTnpoSSibility, even if every thing else was favorable. It was known that O'Rourke. who is promi- neHt figure in the National association would never consent to any hueh plan.
 In the New England league the youthful outlaws would like to get control of Worcester, Lowell and Portland. Me Fall River and New Bedford were other cities on which the promoters cast longing eyes.
 Many reasons were advanced as to why the plan should be a success. In the first place it would bring together one of the strongest minor league cir cults in the country, and higher sal aries could be paid than in either of the leagues directly affected. Second- ly, it would furnish an organization to take the surplus players from the Fed eral league who would have no other league to enter The playing should be much faster than these same cities are getting now. At the present time the leagues are being held back by small cities which help to fill up an eight-club circuit and do little more than drain the leagues resources.
 The realization that such a pro ject if it failed might result disastrously to organized baseball men identified with the scheme caused the real pro- motors to remain iA the background A person not. identified with any club in organized baseball did most of the campaigning. But he had received aS- surance from the inside before he did any of his work. Just how the Eastern association magnates who were wanted in the plan regarded it could not be learned. But it was said after some of the New England leaguers had been interviewed that there was not a chance for the scheme being put in op- eration. Had any favorable word been given by the New England 1eaguers, the entire plan was to be put up to the