Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-09-24
Judgments
- UMORS that an upheaval is
- due in the Western league
n and that Frank lsbell, owner
W e H. n. Mninae cliih mill

~ UMORS that an upheaval is
- due in the Western league
n and that Frank Isbell, owner
~ OF the Des Moines club, will
probably succeed Frank
Zehrung as president OF the league,
continue to circulate freely around
base ball circles. Inasmuch as 1t has
been impossible, to discover anthem
tically the starting point of these ru-
mors, Western league magnates don't
know whether joker is loose or
whether somebody is trying to sub
marine the league. The increased cir
culation OF the reports that Icy IS
scheduled to become the leagues
executive is what mystifes the mag
mates. When the FIRST report came
out last summer Isbell laughed. They
would have me pay too much money
to shoulder all the grief that goes
with that job" declares the Des
loines man. The other club owners
Falso laughed. They would much
rather have Isbell franchise owner
than a president, and, of course, he
could hardly be both. That should
have spiked the rumor instantly. But,
instead, it seemed to give it life until
now it is heard from all sides. The
prediction that the Western league is
due for an upheaval can be granted;
it probably is. But no criticism SUIT
fciently severe to warrant his ousting
has been heard Of Zehrung-most. OF
the magnates agree the prexie has
done very well---and it's not likely Is
bell would be given the job, anyhow.
So Il looks as If somebody were try
Ing to kid somebody, or start an in
ternal row in the league.
St. Louis scribes are taking the
hammer to the Browns. After the
Browns made their sensational squirt
toward the top OF the ladder Messrs:
Otto Stiffel and Phil Ball, owners of
the club, came to bat with number
Of sportsmanlike offers that should
have put 100 per cent more night into
the Tones crew. Ball offered num-
Der Of bonuses. He bought each man
on the team new suit OF clothes.
Stiffel bought every one a new hat.
They were given half of the receipts
from exhibition games played. And
then, the Mound City scribes charge,
the Browns began to play ball like a
bunch OF temperamental impressarios
who didn't care whether school kept
! or not, as long as they, personally,
Mad good time Not an old story.
It's happened before. The more a
club owner does for a ball player the
more, it seems, the ball player wants.
And Gie wants to give less. Messrs::
Ball and Stiffel should have learned
lesson when they ran the Federal
league club, but apparently their en-
thuSjasm blinded their Judgment,
While It's tough on Ray to lose his
chance to go to the majors, Omaha
fans breathed sigh Of relief yester-
day when the Cleveland American
league club announced it had can
celled its draft on Ray Miller. The
loss Of Ray Miller would be a sad
blow to the Rourkes. He's about the
best first sacker that has played
around Omaha in many year. He
stands second in the league batting
and he has the almost superhuman
knack of scooping low throws out Of
the dirt. And while he is no ten
second man for speed, he's mighty
handy man to have on the bases and
he's good run-getter for the simple
reason that he is always alert and any
momentary miscue by catcher OF
pitcher, or any other player holding
the ball, means that Miller will annex
another base. And while we grant
that it is hard on Ray, it's Omaha's
gain. because it means Rourke will
have the best first baseman in the
paioop again next year.