Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-12-08

Here are how the votes are divided:
Central Association ....... 216
] Three Eye League .............. As
OF course this represents only a
small proportion of the lovers of base
| ball. The Argus would like to see ev-
cry man and woman who expects to
patronize the games here next season
registered in this contest before next
Saturday night, when the balloting
will end. Votes~will be received at the
business office of The Argus until s
o'clock Saturday night. The official
totals will be announced in Mondays
Argus.
Fans ought to be pretty well in
formed as to the baseball situation To-
cally. Rock Island is now the possess
or of a franchise in the Three Eye
league. transferred here unsolicited
by President Al Tearney of that or
ganization. The national commission
has officially approved the transfer.
The franchise that comes here is the
one surrendered by Springfield. The
transfer was made during the meeting
of the national association at Omaha
last month as the climax to an effort
on the part of local baseball support
ers to have abrogated the five-mile
limit rule, this law making Rock Is
land Three Eye territory and placing
the latter organization in position TO
prevent other professional leagues
placing a team in This city
Enforced Last Fall
II was enforcement of this rule that
caused withdrawal of the Ottumwa
Central association team from this
city after several games had been
played here last season. At the Omaha |
President Tearney made the |
transfer of the Springfield franchise |
to Rock Island with the understanding |
that he would withdraw his team from |
this city it, after a fair trial. it was /
shown that Three Eye club could |
not be profitably operated here.
Two years ago the Rock Island /
franchise in the Three Eye league
was surrendered when the men who
had been standing sponsor for profess
siolal baseball in this city decided
they had had about enough of Team
eyism. All of the financial obligations
attaching to the franchise were clean
ed up and the city dropped out of the
circuit without owing a penny to any
one. n condition differing somewhat
from that revealed in other cities
where franchises have been surrend-
cred. For instance. Moline last fall
was made a gift of the Danville fran
chise by President Tearney with the
that it was unincum-
bered. This fall the discovery was !
IL :
ried an Indebtedness of about $1,000, Il
and Moline is expected to settle.
Springfield in Hole
1t is reported also that Springfield
owes considerable money and that the
go with the franchise.
Thus it follows that. if Rock Island
decides to accept the Springfield gift
i will have an experience similar to
hat of Moline. President Tearney has
announced that he is coming to Rock
Stand to canvass the situation in ad-
rance of the opening of the season
with a view to organizing stock
to take over the franchise
In the meantime, assuming that Mr.
Tearney was in good faith when he
aid he would retire from the local
:eld if he found the situation uninvit-
ng. directors of the Central associa-
ion stand ready to place a club in
his city.
Various sports writer's over the cir
uit have been accusing The Argus of
ttempting to disrupt the Three Eye
eague and assert that its voting con-
est is part of such a campaign. The
barge is childish Rock Island has
rio al 81.
4 the Three Eye league. having been
ne of its founders and its most loyal
Importer during the many years that
he city maintined a team in the cir
uit
Will Not Stand for Tearneyism.
Rock Island people will not support
team in a league dominated as is the
hree Eye these days. They have pre-
iously given their answer to that
lestion. No more positive manifesto
on of sentiment here could be had
ian the voluntary release of the :
anchise two years ago. The directors
the Three Eye league have seen
to continue the TeaTney admin
tration. Rock Island supporters of
lseball, at least those among them
nom The Argus has heard express
emselves, say that If Mr.. Tearley 10
nducts the league affairs to the sat al
lactlCn of the cities that elect him TO er
G presidency. and evidently he &c
es. that is their business. but that TO
,ck Island, too, insists on the right I'll
select its own company. II is for ha
Is reason that the majority OF the no
as of the city just now prefer Cen err
II association team over one in the an
rec Eye ira