The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-11-09
Reported Sale Of Three More keokuk
Players to Boyle at Marshall
town Causes Much
Talk.
CONDITIONS LOCALLY
Directors Make no Statements Con.
corning tho Future-Have
Plenty Of Time
Yet.

port that three of Keokuk's star play
ers OF the season OF 1915 have been
sold to Frank Boyle for next years
Arson team. The players mentioned
in the deal are Pitchers Watkins
and Penner and Center Fielder Lee
Beau.
The report Is confirmed from the
Marshalltown end, but not from the
Keokuk end President Irwin, in
whose hands was left the power to
consummate the deal with Boyle for
these players, is on his way to Frisco
with his bride and none OF the local
baseball directors have received any
word from him concerning the dis
posal o: the players.
There seems to be little doubt here
that the players. have been sold to
Boyle. but the full details are not OBJ.
tainable. One of the local baseball
directors stated this morning that
Boyle had made the Keokuk Baseball
association an offer for the three and
that Irwin had turned around and
made Boyle counter offer.
Now the question naturally arises
when 1t is reported that Keokuk's
best players have been sold. II Keo-
kuk is going to drop out Of baseball.
Central association papers have been
harping on this subject for the past
month.
They argue, why should President
Justice be SO anxious to hold onto
Rock Island territory IL he did not
think that Keokuk was going to drop
out. Some have even limited that the
Central association is going to be a
ten club circuit next year.
n ~ az ,vf 81 ~.
answered for good, a Gate City re.
tors this morning and received non.
committal answer. Keokuk is not
going to declare herself yet. The di.
rectors have until January to make
a statement and they are going to
take their time about 1t. No one can
say that Keokuk is going to drop out
or that the city is going to stick. The
matter still rests with the committee
OF twelve that was recently appointed
to make the decision. The sale of the
players would not be conclusive.
Now this committee has had one
meeting already and will have another
one shortly. At the first session moth
ing was said about the matter OF drop
ping out Of baseball. The session was
private one and nothing was given
out for publication. The other matter
was left for a later meeting
AS one OF the directors remarked
this morning, there is no one who
has the power to say whether Keokuk
is going to retain baseball or drop
out. 1t was remarked that II the an
nouncement was given out now. that
1t would injure future prospects. Does
this mean that the local association
still has card up its sleeve? No
statement is obtainable now and the
only thing to do Is to wait until the
card Is played
The following story from Clinton
paper aptly expresses the light In
which Keokuk is held on the Central
association circuit:
| Why is President NJ. e. Justice oil
the Central association. determined
that the Three-I league shall not grat
the Rock Island territory? This is a
question that has been bothering the
fans in this circuit for some time. es
pecially in the fact of the reports tina,
! all the cities now holding franchises
intend to be represented in this
league next year.
When President Justice forwarded
to Secretary Farrell his check to hole
the. Rock Island territory, he un
douhtedly believed a vacancy would
occur in this league. Had Pres,den
Justice been certain that all cite:
would continue. there would hav,
been no reason for holding Rock Is
land territory. There are only two
cities in the league where any uncer
tainty has appeared. These are Keo
kuk and Burlington. However, thu
annual wall about Keokuk not stick
ing another season was taken thi!
year with grain OF salt and every
body believed the pioneer baseball
town would stick. At Burlington tn,
announcement was made that the new
organization had closed a successful
seas son and there was no doubt abou
continuing.
But during the last few days Their,
has developed good reasons for believ
ing Keokuk will not be represented
in this league ncxt year. Just re
Gently the. Keokuk association ha
sold to Frank Boyle Of the Marshall
town club. three Of its best players
these being Pitchers Penner and Wat
kins and Outflelder LeBeau. In add
ton to these three. Hollocher ha
been drafted by Portland.
| n, however. Keokuk intends stay
ing in the league Rock Island terri
tory would be valueless to thi
league as 1t is certainty that tel
club league would not meet will
favor.