Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-09
NOT SURE, AFTER
ALL, THAT WE ARE
TO Get BASEBALL
Ned Egan, Head of ottumwa
Team, Left to Finally De-
eide the Matter.
HERE SOUNDING SENTIMENT
Saws He Wants to Be Sure Of a Wei
come Before Cutting Loose
From Present Contract.

II is not vet settled, after all, that
Rock Island is 10 have a professional
baseball team. The prospects really
are dubious. despite the fact that the
Central association directors yesterday
at Cedar Rapids voted to transfer the
Ottumwa franchise to this city
Manager Ned Egan of the Ottumwa
club Is now in the city making a final
canvass Of the local situation before
deciding as to bringing his club here
and Is anxious to get an expression of
the people who patronize baseball as
IN whether they will welcome him with
sufficient patronage to insure his team
finishing the season without a big de-
felt.
Mr.. Egan is in a peculiar position.
He is at present under a two-year con-
tract with Ottumwa which protects him
from personal loss. The association
owes 1880 to him and is willing to
turn the team over to him together
with half the $500 guaranty in the
league sinking fund to call things
square. II he accepts and brings the
team to this city he cuts loose from
his compact and must stand or fall on
his fortunes here.
OILuLuNd Is lOSlHB SOU q udy now.
Last year the attendance was $4,000
and this year IL will be less. Win or
lose. the support there has been poor
for the last two or three years and all
agree that a mistake was made in
starting in the circuit this season. Wis
iting teams are guaranteed $50 per
game. Fourteen men are now carried
and the salary limit is supposed to be
$1,i0O per month.
Says Pace is Fast.
For four years the city has had a
frst-class team, winning three pen
nants. Last year IL out of IS men
were sold TO faster company in order to
break even and a start was made to
build up a new team. Mr.. Egan insists
that he has gathered some fine mater
ial and that there should be no trouble
from now on in winning at least half
the games played.
We are really playing class B ball
Instead of class c." he said today.
Central association patrons get every
bit as good sport as those of the Three
Eye league and we have a better bal
anced race While the salary limit is
supposed to be s1,4OO it is actually
q great deal better than Ottumwa is.
Cedar Rapids will come close to 1O0,-
600 for this season and we have been
greatly handicapped in meeting teams
supported by such patronage.
Il can guarantee to Rock Island
grade of baseball which will do the city
credit. but of course want to have III j. |
ted support If come here. I don't want
TO be considered merely as an outside
promoter. shall expect the people TO
adopt the team and to pull for It and if
can't get assurance of that kind of
treatment shall not come and it will
oe up TO the league to find a home for !
The club elsewhere.
Is Getting Better.
1ottumwa is playing much better |
ball now than it did early in the sea
son- We have done considerable |
strengthening and are prepared to do |
more II patronage warrants. The play |
efs are all young, between 10 and % |
years OF age. and include some of the l
most promising material that / have
ever handled. The club is sure to be 1
winner In another season, at least, If /
Kept together and properly managed.
am not trying to grab a franchise /
IN Rock Island and certainly will not
" to give the people here something
eney 90 not want. What do desire is
10 md out and without loss of time
now the people feel IL will take every
eay rom now till July II when we ex-
peet to open here with Burlington, to
set the park in shape. ! would be out
VI pocket from the very start and IT
.ouid take an average attendance of
w al least to give me an even break
IoI the remainder of the season. II the
p~tfons OF baseball here do not want
ne 70 bring the team here / would
So" 49,
mere are 80 home games for the Ot-
.-nNa team between July II and Sep
s7tnoer 1, when the last contest on the
-. .one grounds takes place. -Four OF
u-em are Sunday dates. The season
fuses Sept. 7 with Ottumwa on the
Open With Leaders.
II Is planned. If the team comes here,
open with a band. a parade and the