The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-07-01
SOUTH MICHIGAN
LEAGUE Is In
HARD STRAITS
Two of the Clubs Have Quit and
Another is Offered for Sale
Today
LANSING AND FLINT
CLUBS TO BE SHIFTED
Kalamazoo Owners Look For
Buyer-Mt. Clemens, Pt. Hur-
on and Charlotte Available
RY RALPH D. YONEEk.


The Southern Michigan association
is in a very bad way. One OF its
clubs has lost It's franchise, another
will lose II II todays receipts don't
warrant continuation of the elUp
and third is Offering its entire outnt
for sale.
The Lansing franchise is TO be
taken from the capital and given 10
Mt Clemens or Charlotte. The Flint
franchise will go to some other city,
probably Port Huron, unless the at
tendance al Boosters day today is
enough TO warrant a further trial az
the automobile city, The Kalamazoo
franchise, and entire outfit was pur
on the market this morning Dy the
KaZoo owners.
This puts three of the 10 cities in
the Southern Michigan down and out
All three OF them are in the second
division, but Flint and Lansing are
heading that division.
OF the seven clubs in the league re-
naming, two OF them are castoffs
from high class leagues. Toledo was
formerly in the American association.
This year when the association team
was moved 10 Cleveland, Toledo was
put into the Southern Michigan. This
was a very unpopular move in Toledo
and caused not only a depression OF
enthusiasm but out-and-out rebellion
on the part of the fans. South Bend,
never much OF a card in the Central
league, slipped into its class in the
South Michigan.
Flint and Lansing have been win
ming enough games to make them fair
attractions In the circuit and the
cause of their dropping cut lies solely
in the fans apparent unwillingness 20
support team. At Kalamazoo the
team is losing constantly. The fans
there want a team and are willing
to support IL, but they want a win
ner. They have had pennant winners
too recently to be satisfied With
! tail-end organization.
Manager Wagner has a pretty fair
bunch OF players at Kalamazoo, but
they fail to work together. They
have fairly decent individual averages
| but they can't combine their efforts.
Much dissatisfaction is found with
Wagner, and If new manager were
placed in charge OF the club, renewed
! enthusiasm might be secured.
However. according TO a dispatch
from Kalamazoo this morning, the
franchise, players, baseballs, bats and
peanut stands OF the club are for
sale Owners OF the club have de-
cided to sell If they can find pur7
chaser by the end OF the present
week If they can't find a buyer With.
in that time, they will surrender the
! franchise and let il be transferred. to
some other city. probably Charlotte.
Lack OF attendance at the games is
given as the reason for the decision to
sell.
! The action OF Port Huron and Mt.
Clemens in trying to secure some OF
| the abandoned franchises, doesn't
look any too favorable for the league.
at that inasmuch as both these cities
/ failed to put up the necessary coin
for even the Border league, a cheap
organization, which failed TO get
started this spring.
The Border league. which had a
more or less successful career last
season under the energetic boosting
OF Dick Jackson, couldn't get started
this year Three OF the six cities IN
the league we're all that could be
) found willing to. put up the necessary
guarantee. Pontiac even had some
salaries for 1918 that remained un
: paid this spring.
There are some live baseball town:
; In Southern Michigan that are max
; ing a stir in independent baseball, bqI
il is doubtful II they could support
real league club. Niles has NOR,
baseball enthusiasm per square FOO
than Detroit The natives can tel
You how many straight games the,
have won--the writer has forgotten
They won most Of these games be
cause OF fine pitching on the part o.
a certain Mr.. Kelly. who worked foi
Notre Dame under one name and for
Niles under another. This same gem
has now gone to the Pirates for q
tryout at Pittsburgh
. Hastings and CharlNttte are enthu
siastic burgs. They have a numbei
OF college players there and fight Il
out for local championships once OF
twice a week Benton Harbor and ST
Joseph together might support a bal
club during the tourist season wher
there are a great many Chicago peo
| pie there
job Printtnz Done Right. Time
I Printing Co.. John R-st