The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-05
STIR THINGS up
Thursday Nights Baseball
Meeting Brings Fans to Life.
Plans Made to Start Money
Raising Campaign.

AS a result of the baseball meeting
at the Commercial. club THURSDAY
night. plans have been made Tor the
launching of subscription campaign
to raise $4,000, and the success or
failure Of these plans will determine
whether or not Topeka Is to remai"
in the Western League.
Less than 80 people attended the
Thursday night meeting, but an or
ganization vas effected with J. VIII
Kelley as chairman and Charles JOS
lin secretary and the details OF tnT
problem were gone into by seVerai
speakers. -
Arch NJ. Catlin. president Of the oIo
baseball club, stated the sltuatioA
clearly and concisely. He told OF the
efforts that have been made to DISPOSE
Of the franchise and of the parties
who had been dickering for II, pu.
said that nothing definite had oeen
heard from any Of it's prospective pur-
chasers. Also. he said that IL some
thing were not done by Sunday. TO-
peka would probably be counted ou'
by the league directors at their scneo-
ule meeting in Chicago.
Things Look Favorable.
Mr.. Catlin also told much of the
private business OF the club and nAos {
every effort to make the situation as
clear as possible. Also he showed now
the short schedule, the salary IIIiit'
the elimination of the training season
and the rule against advancing trans-
portation to players would assure
reduction of between five and seven
thousand dollars this season, and now
this reduction would put the club on
a paying basis even if the CROWDS were
no larger than they were last season
Plans for raising money were then
discussed, and upon the carrying OF
motion that a committee be appointed
to formulate plans to be presented at
a business mems meeting at the club
today at noon. Chairman Kelley APP
pointed Arch NJ. Catlin, Robert Pierce,
r. c. Mueller, w. o. Anderson and
Charles Joslin members of the COM
mittee.
This committee met at o'clock this
morning, and as a result of today s
meeting. an earnest effort will be
made to arouse the business men to
the advantage of keeping the team in
Topeka.
In discussing this phase of the sit
uation. ]. Will Kelley said:
II am primarily interested in keep
ness 1 like to see Topeka get as much
publicity as possible. But. aside from
this. want to see the club stay here"
How a Team Helps.
Mr.. Kelley showed how a baseball
team is a benefit to the town in many
ways. 1t gives it advertising and pub
licity in every town where baseball
to Topeka from adjoining towns to see
the games, and it is only natural to
suppose that great many of these
people will spend money with the mer-
chants while here. 1t benefits the
railroads. During the course OF a
season the street car company will
haul more people than to the state fair
in two years. The hotels and restau-
rants profit in a direct way. And
then there are other benefits to be
derived that are too numerous to mem
ton. * s
1t seemed to be the general opinion
OF every one who attended the
Thursday night meeting that the team
should not be allowed to leave town
and most of those present expressed
the belief that every loyal business
man would contribute literally when
the true situation was learned and
when 1t was understood that it is a
life and death proposition with Tope.
ka in q baseball way.