Evening journal., 1917-01-16
NIDDLETOWN FOR
INDEPENDENT BALL
Down County Says Afraid
County League Would
Be Failure
NOT ENOUGH MONEY
IN GAME THEY SAY

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL
MIDDLETOWN, Del, Jan. 16.-For
some time there has been considera-
BILE talk in this and neighboring
towns concerning the organization OF
a county league, to be comprised OF
such clubs as Penlyn, Newark, Della
ware City, Port Penn. Odessa, New
Castle, Newport and Middletown,
About a month ago several prominent
men in this town began to plan for
the organization OF such a league,
expecting to bring the teams Of New
Castle county in a closer relation
ship After a weeks investigation and
planning, however, the plans fell flat
and all thoughts Of organizing such
a league were abandoned. Few OF
the baseball fans of the county know
any of the causes for the abandoning
OF what seemed at the time such
good project.
There are several objections to a
county league, the main one being
the heavy expenses that would be
caused by such an undertaking. From
$50 to SIS al the gate would be re-
quired to support team in league,
and very few OF the teams mentioned
could clear near that amount Be
fore the season could be half finished
most of the clubs would be In debt,
and forced to resign from the league.
Rather than have such a state OF af-
fairs. the plans we're not = carried
through, It being decided that the
clubs would be better of playing in
dependent baseball.
Penlyn was one OF the clubs con-
sidered for the new league It Is
known that Wilmington is flooded
with baseball teams. and it would be
impossible for any county league
team to secure SIS gate in VIII
mingtOn. Newark was In the Del
Mar League several years ago. and It
was proved at that time that such
expenses were entirely too much for
a nine in the college town. Delaware
City did not have a nine last year,
so II is entirely out OF the question
TO expect a team IN that town TO have
a long life in a league, because the
expense OF a lot and grand stand
would be beyond their reach. Port
Penn. Odessa and Newport, although
all three are baseball towns, never
did play TO a SIS crowd. Last year
the average gate receipts at Port
Penn and Odessa amounted to about
s20-many times not reaShtng the
SO mark:
This town and New Castle appear
ed in the invest cation TO be the only
two Independent clubs in New Castle
county that would be able TO clear
expenses, and it is we'll known here
that Manager Walker is in favor OF
independent baseball. New Castle
with such stars as Madden, NayloI
and CarIin, would be a drawing team
and place, while this town, with such
stars as Finn, Vinyard and Segeiken
could easily clean up $40.
Last season the local nine played
TO SIS and 800 crowds all through
the season, and could do so again
this year. Although having a nine
only two seasons. the citizens OF Mid
dletown are baseball crazy, already
discussing the chances of a winninl
team with Finn in the box for 1911
II is more than likely that those II
Delaware City, who are now talkini
for a county league, will drop th'
subject. as soon as they have mad'
a complete investigation Of the finan
cial condition Of the clubs considered
Remember what happened to tn
Del-Mar League. three years ago
That league was composed OF bette
baseball towns than the new leagu
is expected to embrace. However
should a league be formed, the loca
club will try to make It a success.