New Britain herald., 1915-10-20
WARDS DEATH HARD
 BLOW TO FEDERALS
Passing Of Magnate May Effect
 Invasion in New York

brooklyn, N. Y, Oct 2O-The
 death of Robert B. Ward removes rom the Federal league one of it's staunch supporters. He was ever an
 actlve force in promoting the welfare ol the league, and on several occasions came forward with loans of money in
 tlde over the difficulties of clubs less
 firmly financially intrenched than his
 own. In view of the position which
 ne held, his death naturally entails
 consideration of what effect his loss
 Will have on the future of the league.
 It is probable that the responsibility
 that was his will be taken over by his
 brother, George S. Ward, who, while
 not so active as Robert B. Ward, was
 nevertheless an equal owner with him
 Tn the Brooklyn Federal league club They were partners in all of their business transact
 Robert B. Wards first talk of go-
 ing into baseball was in February.
 1914, when he was in Toronto on bus
 mess. At that time the Federal league
 was thinking of esta blishing a club in that city, and James A. Gilmore, the
 president of the league was there to arrange the details. A mutual friend introduced the two men, and the talk turned to a discussion of the Federal league. MT. Ward was impressed with the idea of esta blishing a club in Brooklyn, and, with Gilmore, came to this city to discuss the plan with his brother, George s. Ward. The latter however, was in Boston, and came here in response to a telephone mes- sage, but was entirely ignorant of the reason for his being summoned. There were number of prominent Federal league men at the Knicker- booker and when George S. Ward came into the room he grasped the sit uation instantly, and remarked, We are going into baseball" This shows harmony of action that makes it seem unlikely that George S. Ward would now withdraw his interests from the league.
 For one thing, the plant in Brook lyn, probably the most valuable of the Federal league, would be almost complete loss and George s. Ward re- fleets the optimism of his brother in believing that @ third major league may be made a paying business prop osition. His son, Walter Ward, has also been interested in baseball, being officially connected with the Colonial league. This was a league organized and controlled by the Wards, and it Is possible that this may be eliminat- ed in the readjustment following the death of Mr. Ward
 The Federal league about the mid ale Of the past summer announced that next season it would have a club | on Manhattan Island. Whether MT. | Ward was to be the owner of this or l not hls death may prove to be a damp l CT on such an invasion, as some of the l heavy money backing of the league, | no matter what may be the interest of | George s. Ward, has been lost.
 1t Is likely that some time in the | near future a meeting of the Federal l league will be held in this city to | olscuss the situation caused by the | death of MT. Ward
 All Of the club owners of the Fed l eral league will attend the funeral of | MT. Ward' which will be held from | ms country estate, Homewood, at New 1 tochelle, tomorrow afternoon
 James A. Gilmore, president of the Federal league, in speaking of the death of MT. Ward, said yesterdav:
 The death of MT. Robert B. Ward from the business world one of it's greatest assets and deprives baseball of a club owner who stood for all that was fair and clean. MT. Ward was a shining example of true American sportsmanship who entered baseball because of his love for the game, and his ambition was to ele- vate the standard of the national sport.
 MT. Ward possessed one of the most lovable of characters and won by his fair play, from which he never deviated
 The Federal league has lost one of it's staunchest supporters, but the fu- ture plans and policies of the organ iZation have been so completely for during his lifetime that they will be carried to completion in full. The entire league mourns his loss and extends heartfelt sympathy to the xl e.