The daily Gate City., 1914-02-08
MOLINE PROSPECTS
NOT VERY ROSY
Boosters Having Trouble in Raising
Pledges to Finance Club
in the Central AS
sociation.
CITY BASEBALL CRAZY
MarshaltoWn Fans Raise Over s4,-
600 in Less Than Week
Make Strong
Appeal.

WHetneT Or not Moline Will get the
vacancy In the Central Association
made by the withdrawal OF Kewanee,
is not yet known The city was to
have until today to raise the money
the season, and to make their decis-
ion. AS today is Sunday, they will
have until tomorrow to make up their
minds.
1t is understood that those in
charge of raising the money at Moline
are having some trouble. and the cash
is not coming up as readily as was
first expected it would At mass
meeting held Thursday night the
financial committee reported that ST.
1928 had been pledged to that date.
The committee had started out with
! the idea in view of raising $4,000,
which means that they we're about
$1,000 shy of their amount. Apparent
lily there are hundreds of fans in Mo
line who would be glad to contribute
to the fund if they were financially
able to do so. The difficulty en-
countered has been the lack of inter.
est displayed by those who are able
to contribute to the fund
Would Give Club Support.
i No doubt if the club were started at
Moline it would be supported, prob
!. ably better than any other club or
, the circuit The population of the
j city is largely made up Of factory EN-
:, Eployes who would take great amount
of interest in the club and attend the
b games in big crowds. Yet these mer
, are unable to contribute to the fund
necessary to obtain the franchise.
;. However, the Moline boosters vii
/ not give up without fight and 1t is
, not at all improbable that they will be
able to raise the amount in time te
i grab the vacancy.
Plenty of Applicants.
!. There will be no difficulty In clos
I ing up.the circuit even if Moline is no
t. able to come In. Marshalltown, from
: reports from that city. is going base
5 ball crazy and every effort is bein;
made bv that city to obtain berth
/ A delegation of fans from Marshall
! town called on A. s. Lawrence a
Il Muscatine, Thursday afternoon, an
urged their cause with this membe
< OF the committee appointed to inves
tigate applicants to the league. Tn
Y had q
s ready raised over $4,000 to finance
club should they be able to obtain
:, franchise. Such enthusiasm as thi
can hardly be denied and it is not III
J. likely that Marshalltown will have
club in the Central Association du
ing the coming year.
Will Not Have Clear Field.
However, even If Moline does su
render its option tomorrow, Marshal
n town will not have clear field in Il
race for the franchise. The invest
eating committee merely promise
u that Marshalltown would be "consi
cred" in the event Moline booste
should fall down. There are sever
!, other cities that will be considere
- along with Marshalltown. 1t is pc
sible that the matter may be settle
by calling meeting of the leagl
= directors and allowing the matter
be voted on then. This would gi
~ each CITY an opportunity to present
= the league officials all the strol
= - Joints of their cities and all the arg
- - ments in favor of granting the fra
chise to them. BY this method Il