Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-18
LEAGUE MAY NOT
Be ABLE To KEEP
BALL TEAM HERE
National Board Rules That the
Five Mile Limit Must
Apply.
THREE-EYE HAS THE CALL
Doubtful Whether the Central viii
Appeal the Matter TO the Ma
tionsI Commission.
Now we see it and now we don't.


Yesterday we saw baseball and to-
morrow or a day or two after we may
see IL no more. It's gay life.
Unless the Central association is
prepared to take an appeal to the ma
tionaI commission for a reversal of
the ruling of the national board of ar
Ditration the team which performed
so credifably here yesterday after
noon will again be turned loose on the
cold. cold world. and at present it
looks as If the Central would no. IN
dertake the fight.
During the game yesterday after
noon a message came TO President NJ.
r. Justice of the Central and TO NJ. H..
Sexton OF this city. president of the
National Association of Minor
Leagues. stating that the national
board, composed of nine members scat
tered over the United States, had
been polled on the question of the ap-
plication OF the five-mile rule TO Rock
Island and had held that the Three
Eye league can. under that provision.
mold Rock Island whenever it desires
to place team here. Ii is understood
that The vote was to on the propo-
sition.
Has Right CT appeal
This ruling is final so far as the
minor league body is concerned, but
the Central association, which, as
has been explained, has placed a team
here on its own initiative. has the
right of an appeal 20 the national COM
mission. composed of Presidents John
X. Tener of the National league and
Ban Johnson of the American, and
Garry Hermann of Cincinnati. Presi-
dent Justice, before leaving here for
his home al Keokuk last evening, was
inclined to believe that the Central
would abide by the ruling rather than
assume the expense of a doubtful fight
and would find some other city for the
club which is now here. The Central,
like other minor leagues, can i'll afford
TO enter a contest which can be avoid
ed No one in Rock Island seems in
clined to carry the matter to an issue
and so. at the present time, it looks
as though the career of the Central
in this city would be short.
Baseball authorities have made it
pretty clear. by formal rulings and
otherwise, that in order to hold a given
territory II must be occupied by the
league which claims it. The question
now is whether the placing of Three
Eye ;eam in Moline would be sufficient
to keep the Central out of Rock Is
land. Some are inclined TO believe
that it will be necessary for Tearney
10 put a team in this city If he hopes
to take advantage OF the verdict of
the national beard as it now stands.
The Central team probably will be
kept here till this point is made clear.
Stick Close TO Rules.
The situation this year in organized
baseball is peculiarly delicate because
OF the fight which the Federal league
has been making and the recognized
baseball authorities are inclined to
sit tight and hold fast TO the letter
of their rules and agreements as the
safest course to pursue. Considera-
ton of this fact is one which may
nave some weight in finally determin-
ing The course of the Central as to
whether to take an appeal. There is
4 disposition. also, to spare the higher
baseball authorities any unnecessary
worries at this stage of the game.
Inc five-mile rule was originally
adopted TO protec- major league clubs
from other teams playing in their own
cities and after it had been enacted
by the big leagues the minor leagues
also adopted it withou. regard to the
consequences. Originally the individ-
ual club was given the rights. but
later. in 1912. The rule was changed
vesting the rights in the league. Prior
TO the change the Davenport associa-