Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-05
ANS)NS Capture
LEAGUE P[NNAN|
Continued from Page six)
CLOSES SUCCESSFUL SEASON.
Local Association Enjoys Prosperity
Team Best in City's History.

CLOSES SUCCESSFUL SEASON.
Local Association Enjoys Prosperity
Team Best in city's History.
The Marshalltown Baseball Associa-
ton closed the most successful season
in its history Monday, the association
having enjoyed a most prosperous
summer, and the fans being treated to
the best baseball ever offered local pa
irons of the game. The season was re-
markable in many ways. OF first i'm
portance was the magnificent fight Of
the Ansons turnout the season, with
a spirited fight at the finish for the
pennant.
Marshalltown won pennant for the
first time in it's baseball history, and
won 1t without violation of league
rules, altho, of course, there is not the
satisfaction in the victory that there
could have been had there been no
cause for protest Of games played by
an opponent.
The attendance for the season was
in excess of that of last year, when a
record of $1,000 paid admissions was
established.
The club closes the season in bet
fore
Boyle's winning aggregation has cost
less to maintain than the sixth and
seventh position teams of the past two
years.
Marshalltown won greater percent
age Of its games after the first month
of the season than did Muscatine.
Egan's outfit, we'll organized and prac-
tically the same team that fought for
the pennant a year ago, obtained in
the first thirty days tremendous lead
which was difficult to overcome.
Marshalltown battled Muscatine on
even terms in the games between the
two clubs.
The team established a local record
in winning games in the final innings,
after they were apparently lost.
Boyle assembled the scrappiest ag-
gregation that ever represented Mar
shalltown. and the team was never de-
feated until the last man had been re-
tired.
Marshalltown was fortunate in Sc
curing Frank Boyle as manager. He
has given Marshalltown the highest
class baseball. has carried his club to
the top without STOPPING to unfair
methods to win games, and has insist
ed on clean baseball from his men.
The players have been gentlemanly
on and off the field, and there was no
rough-neck element to mar the sport.
The men have shown good sportsman
ship and have accepted defeat with
good grace.
AS to the protesting of the games
won by Muscatine much has been said
and many have been inclined to doubt
the prudence of forcing Muscatine out
of the pennant race. Briefly, the situa-
ton was this: The association had
adopted a rule, framed for the purpose
Of keeping the expenditures of the
clubs within reasonable limits. to in
sure the life of the league. The both
ersome "five-veteran" rule. now in eff
feet was adopted at Burlington in jan
uary, 1916. and was a modification Of
the "four-veteran" rule in effect in
1914 and 1915. Every club agreed to
the rule and pledged itself to abide
by its provisions, knowing full well
that violation meant loss of games.
Manager Ned Egan, of the Muscatine
club, was in attendance at the meet
ing and was not opposed to the adop-
ton of the rule.
Egan, in fact, had been greatly in
favor Of the veteran rules, and a year
ago he saw that the rule was enforced
that he might go into second position.
By violating the rule it was pos
sible for Egan to assemble club
which should have romped away with
the league flag. No one questions the
quality of his ball team. But by do
Ing so he not only handicapped every
other club in the league, but threat
ened the life Of the organization. :.
There was a time during the season
when Manager Boyle was sadly in need
of catcher and an extra pitcher, but
he worried along with patched up
aggregation rather than violate the
rule or appeal to President Justice for
permission to carry an added man.
Boyle might have strengthened his
club at that time with veteran play
ers who were available. but he pre-
ferred to play the game fairly and take
his defeats as sportsman, rather than
give the other clubs cause to protest.
To those who would defend Egan's
action attention is called to the cost
of the Marshalltown and Muscatine
clubs. While definite figures are not
available, it is safe to say that Egan's
club cost in the neighborhood of $500
a month more than the local club, and
that at all times he was far in excess
of the salary limit for class d organ
izations, which is established by the
national organization, and not regulat-
ed by the league as are rules govern
ing veteran players.
Egan's frenzy to cop championship
had this effect: Other clubs could not
stand the excessive expense OF putting
in the field teams to compete with
Egan's high priced outfit. and being
unable to cope with the stronger oppo-
nent soon lost their following at houe