Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-01
FRANCHISE TO MASON CITY.
Mistake on Official Bulletin Leads to
Story That Award Was to Muscatine.


Because a mistake was made in a
bulletin issued by Secretary Farrell,
substituting Muscatine for Mason City
in the announcement Of the award Of
the GalesburE franchise in the Central
association, sports writer's over the
circuit have given much prominence to
the story OF Muscatine,s acquisition Of
4 second berth in the league, and de-
cision by the national association sec
rotary to Ned Egan. The award was
to Mason City. but the mistake made
in the announcement was taken to
mean that Egan had won his fight for
the franchise and would. as a result,
compel the Mason City fans to buy It
from him.
Officials Of the Central association
are hopeful of record breaking base
ball year, owing to the fact thet there
have been SO few changes in manages
ment over the circuit. Six old pilots
will start the season. and the new man
ager at Cedar Rapids will have an "oid
head" Belden Hill, as adviser. Mason
City is managed by man new to the
association, but the newcomer is old in
the game and experienced in higher
league baseball.
Another hopeful sign is the small
squads ordered to repeDt. Most of the
managers have picked their men and
are satisfied to call only such players
as they can depend on with few
extra recruits who come highly recon-
mended. Manager Ned Egan has called
his team to report at Muscatine on
April Z, and his squad will number but
nineteen men. Manager Richards, of
the Ansons. expects to pick his team
from squad Of sixteen or seventeen.
Frank Boyle, at Keokuk, choosing an
entirely new team, will have only a
comparatively small squad. Manager
Andrews will sign but few extra men
for the Waterloo team and, like Rich
ards. has his team now practically
settled upon. Manager Bey, of Mason
CITY, has been swamped with applica-
tions, but to date he has signed but
thirteen men and does not expect to
have more than nineteen men on the
roster when the squad reports. Belden
Hill, Of Cedar Rapids, always an advo-
cate of small squad. will follow his
old policy of signing very few more
men than are actually needed, and
Manager Hamilton will have few play
ers to discard. President Hayden and
Manager Dick Rohn, Of Burlington, will
have their squad weeded down to play
ing strength when they arrive at Bur-
lington for spring work. Hayden IL
said to have some choice men under
contract and expects to use several Of
them at Burlington, the others to be
sent to Hayden clubs in other cities.
The makeup Of the schedule has been
somewhat difficult because Of the intro
duction Of Mason City in the circuit.
and President Justice is now engaged
In determining the best solution. The
Jump from Mason City to Burlington
and Keokuk is the problem which the
schedule makers will have to consider.
The best way they can figure 1t, how
ever, It will result in an increase of cost
Of travel over last season.
The Muscatine fans have decided to
discard the team monicker, 'Muskies,"
and have renamed their hopefuls the
Foxes" the name probably being sug-
gested by the title long ago applied to
their manager, Foxy Ned Egan.