Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-20
NEWS OF THE SPORTING WORLD
CENTRAL WINS IN
TERRITORY FIGHT
Committee Holds Tearney to His
Promise at Omaha in Awarding
Rock Island TO Justice.
WILL SHIFT kEOKUK CLUB HERE!
Three-Eye May Now Be Forced to Re.
sort TO Six-Team Circuit-LOeal
Club to Hold Meet.

Club to Hold Meet.
Auburn. \. Y. Jan. 20.-Territo- |
rial rights to Rock Island, ILL.,,
have been awarded to the Central |
association. according to an an
nouncement made last night by
Chairman John ii. Farrell OF the
national board of arbitration of the
National Association of Profession. /
al Baseball leagues. i
The Three-Eye league claimed
the territory but the special conf
mittee OF the arbitration board to
which the case was referred, in
deciding in favor OF the Central
association. based its findings on
an agreement made by A. X. Tear
ney, president OF the Three-Eye
league, that Rock Island should
go to Central association if the
Three-Eyc did not occupy the ter.
ritory in 1915.
T. II. Chiyingt0n. F. r. Carson,
and Charles I. MOll composed the
investigating committee.
The above dispatch, eagerly await |
ed by local fandom. was received to- |
day. The committee, Messrs. Chiying-
ton. Carson and Moll has spoken.
Rock Island is now bona fide mem
Der of the Central association Base
ball league The committee in MAX
ing its decision lays its action at Presi-
dent Al Tearney's door, adhering to.
his promise at the annual meeting OF /
the National Association of Minor
leagues in Omaha in 1914, when Tear
ney's statement, that if he did not
place a baseball team in Rock Island
during the season of 1915, the terri
tory would be open" was made part
of the minutes of the association ses-
sion.
AS the Three-Eye did fail to place
a team here the past year President
Justice of the Central association i'm
mediately after the close Of the Three
Eve season wired reservation for the
territory to Secretary Farrell and sent
in the required amount to make the
deal binding. From that time on the
territory fight over Rock Island was
purely a Tearney-Justice affair.
.Tearney Negligent.
The real question should have been
decided at the San Francisco meet of
the National Association of Minor
leagues last November, when Tearney
should have made a fight to prevent
the minutes of the Omaha meeting be-
ing approved Tearney neglected to
give the matter his personal attention.
He failed to attend the San Francisco
meeting and also failed to appear in
Rock Island when the baseball COM
mittee visited this city. Instead he
named Vice President James 7. Hayes
of Davenport as his representative.
Apparently the committee did not
lay stress on the sentiment end Of the
question as it was found in Rock Is
land during its visit here, basing its
decision principally on the technical
end of it. In other words the commit
tee held that Tearney gave up all
rights to Rock Island territory when
he failed to place team here the past
season. Consequently Tearney can
hold no one to blame but himself.
Justice Is Ready.
When President Justice was in Rock
Island during the visit of the baseball
committee, he stated that in case the
decision was favorable to the Central
association he would have club ready
to shift to Rock Island in a moments
notice. but what club he would not say.
The general impression is that the
Keokuk club will be transferred to
Rock Island. At the annual meeting
of the Central association keOkuk was
taken in as a member of the circuit
for the coming season and $500 for
felt was posted that the club would
either finish or start the league season.
Justice will put team here gratis or,
if Rock Island wishes to own team
he will organize club.
The Central association clubs will
welcome Rock Island with open arms.
as this city Is considered one of the
best baseball towns in the middle west
of its size, and team here will have
considerable influence in bolstering Up
the circuit.
What is the Three-Eye league going
10 do without Rock Island? This is
the all important question that will
confront the Tri-Optic moguls when
they convene in Moline in the near fu-
ture. 1t has been generally admitted
that the return of Rock Island was
essential TO the continuation of the
tottering league.
At present Tearney has only six
clubs on hand, Moline, Davenport, Peo-
ria, Rockford, Quincy and Freeport
Bloomington has announced its inten-
tons of retiring and all efforts to re-
Yive Three-Eye ball there TO date have
failed In Peoria things are looking
bad So far the club has been unable
10 hold a meeting to elect officers be
cause of lack OF interest. The question
is can the Three-Eye exist as a six,
club league? AS far as can be learned
now there are no Illinois towns avail
able TO fill in the circuit. Springfield
Decatur and Danyille have no parks
and Galesburg turned Tearney down
fiat last season. Il is expected that