Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-12-31
BASEBALL OR NOT
THAT'S QUESTION
Rock Island, With Promise =,
THE Eye Team Next Year,
Is in Doubt.
SINCERITY is QUESTIONED
C'ty's Experience During tn. Va.
Unique, With Professional
Team for Six Days.
SINCERITY IS QUESTIONED

ROCK Island is one of the hes, -.
pail towns in the country Of Ire ",ao
In the face of this reputation fbis -
mas had only six days OF league -. ~
oaiI In three years. and in the Opinion
Vi locaI random. one AL Tearney. so.
call1i car of the Three-Eye Ieav~o
is responsible for this condition
Rock Island just missed secur;nu
FRANCHISE in the Central associate.
FeD- ~ at the annual meeting of ,hn
league ofhclals at Burlington. Sec-a
tary Farrell of the National assoois
ton wired to Burlington tina, IT,.
Eye league would have to place
franchise in Rock Island TO enforce
the five-mile limit ruling, but the tels.
| gram arrived too late, Just one bonr
| after the meeting had adjourned and
| the franchise was awarded to Marshall.
| town. The plan of placing a A
| franchise in Rock Island was defeated
by the spirited opposition of Belden
Hill of Cedar Rapids. President Jus.
tice was also a little ticklish about
placing club here only to shift into
territorial fight with the Three-Eye
league and pulled for MarshaIltown.
Nj. II. Sexton, president of the Minor
association, put up an energetic fight
for Rock Island, and failed only be-
cause Farrells ruling came too late.
About the middle of the season sew.
eral clubs in the Central association
struck a snag and their financial con-
dition was serious. The first week in
July Ned Egan announced his inten-
ton to place the Ottumwa team in
Rock Island. The new Islanders made
their first appearance at the Island
City park July Is, trimming Burling-
ton by a score of 6 to 0, before 1000
enthusiastic fans. The opening day
was observed with ceremony While
in Rock Island the Ottumwa team es.
tablished a unique record of winning
six successive games, although a tail
end team. Al Tearney protested so
vigorously at the placing of a Central
association team here that Egan was
forced to take his band to Galesburg.
the last game being played here on
July %.
The local situation remained IN
until the annual meeting OF
the National Association of Minor
Leagues at Omaha, Nov. IL and L.
Rock Island sent delegation 10 On
aha to see that this city was given its
right in the disposition of the terrific
rial question. Tearney was beaten at
every turn. Even such men of base
ball as Charles Ebbetts, president Of
The Brooklyn and Newark clubs, and
E. G.. Barrows and T. NJ. Chtvington
.ook the floor in Rock Islands behalf
When Tearney realized that his tight
o hold this territory without placing
| club here had failed he shifted the
Springfield franchise to Rock Island
consulting anyone here
George Reed, former manager OF the
Decatur club, was named to lead the
Natchmakers.
Must Please People.
The territorial controversy was SET
led on the basis of the following
tatement made by the Three-Eye mo
uls. becoming a part of the recorus
4 the minutes at the annual meetns'
I'VE, the Three Eye league, VIII e.
ablish and operate club IN the el'
f Rock Island, beginning with tne
pening of the 1915 season. II II Is
that the people OF saiu
ity do not want or will not support
Three-Eye club, We hereby agree
bandon said territory to the Ceh'iat
ssociation or any other league
But Rock Island is disposed TO queS
on whether Mr. Tearney ever Sc
ously contemplated placing a team
ere and the opinion prevails tnat
, succeeds in keeping Rock lsianu
1t of league baseball another year
: will be satisfied
The voting contest conducted "
he Argus. which closed Saturda!'
&c. 10. amply demonstrated the gen
al feeling of the fans of Rock isia"o,
ne Three-Eye league received
ties while the Central associalio4
IS given 1873 votes.
Thus the situation stands. Loca
ndom is looking forward 70 tn
omised visit of Al Tearney anu
Jorge Reed to Rock Island. ana a
ough the visit was promised over siA
,eks ago. neither has put in an ap
arance.