Norwich bulletin., 1916-02-15

Eastern Association a similar desire was expressed in most of the cities and that the association had been obliged to operate in 191 with six clubs and in 1915 the association fail ed to start because owners of the franchises in three of these cities re- fused to start with a six-club asso- ciation with certain financial loss staring them in the face. The speaker pointed out that after the Eastern As- sociation officials had been given a favorable decision in the spring of 1915, on the representation that the Eastern Association officials had all in readiness to operate franchises in all six cities, that 1t fell down and failed to operate at all, adding: "All practical baseball men familiar with conditions in that territory know that it will be impossible to operate in these three cities where the plants are owned by the people who want the merger. No one will build new plants The present owners in the three cit ieS have more than $50,000 invested, whereas the owners of two of the re- maining cities, New London and Pitts field, paid $750 each for league mem bership."
 Committees Report Accepted. In the absence of a representative of the Eastern Association at the meet ing and in view of a notification to the board under date of Oct. 21, 1915, signed by President O'Rourke of the Eastern Association stating: We have practically completed our circuit | for 1916. The Eastern Association, is obligated at Springfield, Hartford and New Haven for 1916 to new owners" and the further assurances by wire l from President O'Rourwe, received in San Francisco, under date of Nov. 8, | reading: The Eastern Association has | secured parks in New Haven and Springfield under legal obligations, | the franchise holder of Hartford hav- | ing grounds a committee of three was created, consisting of, Messrs. Bar | row, Murnane and Farrell, to inVesti- l gate the several claims and report to the chairman of the board with the | understanding that the board would
 accept the report of the committee as | final.
 1 This committee held a meeting in | New York on Dec. IT, 1915, at which
 meeting further arguments were pre- | sented on either side.
 1 The Eastern Association failed to produce at this time the legal organi- | zation required and noted in its re- port of Oct. 21 and Nov. 8, 1915.
 First Thought Protection of Property. 1 The proponents of merger were given to understand that the committed s first thought would he the protection it's club members could be ruthlessly dropped without adequate compensa- ton.
 Extensive Arguments.
 After listening to extensive argu- ments, the committee ordered that the Eastern Association present to said | committee on Jan. IT, 1916, satisfac-
 tory proofs that it had a local organi-
 zation in each city of it's circuit, stat
 ing the names of the officers and
 members of the respective organiza-
 tions in each city, location of their | hUS r1 de
 Final Hearing Held in New York. The meeting of Jan. IT was subse-
 quently postponed to Jan. q, when {
 final hearing was held in New Yorl
 city. At this meeting the Eastern as.
 sociation presented it's report, stating
 that it had granted franchises as fol
 lows: Pittsfield, Mass, J. A. Teller
 Hartford, Conn, J. P. Erwin and F. H
 Bigelow: New Haven, J. E. Canavan
 Bridgeport, J. H. Freeman; Waterbury
 J. Knorr and Harry German.
 Options Held Without Payment.
 Investigation disclosed that the Nev Haven park was held on an option fo which one dollar had been paid; tha
 the Waterbury park was held on al | option for which one dollar had beel
 paid; that the Springfield park wa | held on an option by J. A. Zeller, ant
 that the Hartford option was held b. J. A. Teller. The option in Hartfor'
 was questioned and the following com munication presented to the committee
 dated Hartford, Jan. 22, 1916: There has not been any option ol . Charter Oak park for baseball, but w . are open for a proposition from an. i responsible parties which would pay revenue to the park.
 (Signed)
 "J. A. PILGARD." Affairs in Hartford. MT. Erwin, however, presented {