Omaha daily bee., 1916-11-19
MOGULS CONSIDER
THIRD Big LEAGUE
Ban Johnson and Others Behind
Move to Stimulate Tagging
Interest in Base Ball.
OMAHA IN CLASS AA LOOP

That the powers that be in base
ball are giving serious consideration
to suggestion that a third major
league be organized, to be known as
the American association: that the
international league be changed and
that the Western league be raised to
IA classification, is news that Joe
Villa, a New York base ball scribe,
who probably knows more about the
inner workings of the big base ball
men than any outsider in the country,
makes known. The scheme is this:
Form an eight-club major league,
free from draft rule, to comprise
Toronto, Buffalo, Newark and Balti-
more in the east, with Indianapolis,
Milwaukee. Toledo and Louisville in
the west. The name of the new league
shall be the American. association.
The International is TO be retained,
with Providence, Rochester Mon
treat Syracuse, Albany, Utica, Bing-
hamton. and perhaps Jersey City.
The Western league is to be raised
to Class AA, with the circuit includ-
ing St. Paul, Minneapolis, Columbus,
Kansas City, Omaha, Denver, Des
Moines, and one other city, perhaps
St. Joseph or Sioux City.
Johnson Favors 1t.
1t is said this suggestion has al
ready been discussed by members of
the National commission, club own
ers and others interested. 1t is said
that Ban Johnson is strong advocate
OF the idea and that promises well,
for Johnson can do more in minute
than all the rest of the base ball men
in a year.
The big men of Organized Base
Ball have come to the conclusion
that something must be done to slim
ul9te interest in the game. The majors
had 4 prosperous season this year,
but there was an unmistakable re-
vival of enthusiasm in the big cir
cults due to the decease of the Feds.
Whether this revival of enthusiasm
will be permanent or was merely tenn
porary canEot be told. But the minors
are i'll bad way. They have all lost
money, the big minors and the little
minors, and some old and strong
leagues are going to blow up unless
a remedy is found Take, for i'll
stance, the Western league. it is
the oldest league in this part of the
country. It has weathered seventeen
campaigns. And prospects right now
arc for a return to a six-leaguc club
and three of those six clubs don't
promise much.
International in Trouble.
The International league had a most
disastrous season. All of the clubs,
with the possible exception of To-
ronto, lost money. The American as
ISOLATION was nothing to Drag about
and seemed to be boiling with inter
nal dissension.
And if things continue the Ameri-
can association, the international and
the Western, three of the five big
minor leagues OF the country, are
going to have more and more trouble
and there is no foretelling what the
end will be.
1t is believed the cities suggested
for the third major league are real
major league cities. Newark, Buff
falo, Baltimore and Indianapolis had
the Federals and didn't get enthusi-
site over the return of minor league
BALL That they would support ma
jor league clubs is the belief of most
base ball men. Milwaukee and Louis
vile have had previous experience in
fast company and it is believed are
ripe for a return.
That the proposed shift i'll the In
ternational league cities would be a
benefit is also the belief.
Omaha in its Class.
And we know it would help the
Western league. Omaha and Denver
are out Of their class in the Western
league as it is made up today. They
belong in a league with such cities
as St. Paul, Minneapolis and Kan
sas City and that is just the kind of
league they would be in if this plan
goes through.
1t is not likely the plan can be put
through this year, the time is too
short, but the big moguls are giving
it serious consideration, Ban Johnson
is pulling the wires diligently to bring
it about and there is an excellent
chance that it will be consummated
before 1918.