Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-31
WESTERN LEAGUE
HAS BAD SEASON
Omaha Is Only Club in Circuit
That Winds Up Year
Without Deficit.
AND 1917 IS UNCERTAIN

Omaha fan was we'll pleased will
the results, the other seven cities o
the Western league and the league it
self didn't fare very well during 1916
And one could hardly call the pros
poets for 1917 glowing.
through three mighty hard years The
last three seasons, but the 1916 tern
was an exceedingly tough one. Witt
the exception of Omaha every club
in the league dropped money and Pa
Rourke isn't likely to buy any wal
brides with the dividends he paid
himself
Attendance all over the circuit was
woefully poor. Not a club in the
league drew total paid attendance OF
100000, mark that should be reached
by any Class A club. Omaha drew
about 10000 persons at home, blu,
Lincoln, which ranked second, barely
slid over the $4,000 mark
Wichita Quits.
The Wichita club toward the end
Of the season was compelled to turn
its franchise over to the league be.
cause of lack of attendance in the
Kansas jobbing town. John Savage
at Topeka announced at the conclu.
sion of the season that he was through
with the Jayhawk capital Jack Hol-
land at St. Joseph, Ed -Hanlon at
Sioux City. Hugh Jones at Denver
Frank lsbell at Des MONIES, all lost
money. 1t was very bad year hnan-
cially.
The usual internal Western league
row arose at the end of the year, Ed
Hanlon of Sioux City accusing Frank
Isbell of Des MONIES OF being trou,
ble-maker. This little fuss, however
has not assumed any serious proper
tons as yet.
The Western league as it stands to-
day facing the new year is very I'M
certain affair. OF what the Western
league will consist when April rolls
around is unknown. The magnates
don't even know themselves. John
Savage has said he will not continue
to operate club in Topeka. The Saw
age franchise might be transferred to
Colorado Springs, which is open terri.
tory, but the club owners fear the
city of millionaires will not support a
club any more properly than Topeka
Really desirable territory is closed
Topeka business men may make ar
effort to retain the franchise, but a
the present time no one knows jus
what disposition will be eventually
made.
Wichita is just as uncertain. TIL,
old club directors are through; tina
much is certain. Frank lsbell ma,
be able to take over the club ant
operate it in Wichita. He may not
And there the matter stands.
May Be Six Clubs.
The league may again be made ;
six-club affair; it may continue as a
eight; nobody knows, not even tn
magnates.
In one respect 1916, as far as tn
Western league is concerned, held it
own. As large a number of Western
athletes graduated into faster com
pany this year as any previous year
Almost a score of players have beet
sent to bigger leagues. Some of them
however, have already been sent back
Omaha sends the largest number o
players to superior leagues. Eigh
Rourkes went to major or Class Az
clubs. They are Catchers Kruege
and Marshall, Pitchers North ant
O'Toole, First Baseman Miller, Short
stop Kilduff and Outhelders Smitl
and Thompson Kruger went to tn
Giants. Marshall returned to St. Paul
but the Saints have already shipped
Bobby to Beaumont in the Texa'
league. He is the only advancing
Rourke to be sent back again already
Lou North goes to the St Louis Car
dinals, while Marty OToole returns
to Columbus. Columbus also grabbed
Ray Miller on the draft. Kilduff goe:
to the Giants with Kruger, while
Earl Smith is a Chicago Cub anc
Shag Thompson was recalled by Con
ME Mack.
Denver Sends Three.
T., Denver sent three men to the major
leagues. Pitcher Clarence Mitchell te
Cincinnati before the season started
Johnny Kelleher to Brooklyn and Ber
DYER to Detroit. Kelleher has beer
returned by the Dodgers after shor'
trial.
Lincoln sent East and Stevenson
to the St. Louis Browns. East has al
ready been returned
Pitcher Lambeth went to Cleveland
from Topeka and made good from
the jump. Tony DEBATE, the flash,
Kaw shortstop, goes to the Cardinals
Lefty Thomas, who went to Wash
ington from Des Moines, made gooC
last fall. Shortstop Hartford goes tc
the Chicago White Sox from the
Boosters and Paul Musser was drafted
by indianapolis. The White Sox took
two men from St. Joseph, Jourdan
first baseman, and Kirkham, outfeld'
er. Kirkham, however, has already
been returned. The White Sox also
tried to get Catcher Gray, but Gray
got the national commission TO de
clare him a free agent. Topeka sent
Pitcher Hail to Kansas City. Sioux
City sent Callahan to the Pacific
Coast league.
Thus the Western league did hold
its own in the number Of players il
sent to the big show, but in other
respects it fell behind.
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