Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-08

The failure Of Fort Dodge to COM
plete the baseball season ~ resulting IN
severe criticism for the directors OF
that club from other cities in the cir
cult. The Dodgers assert that the
failure to continue was not due to
financial reverses but to the poor show
ing of the club in recent games. The
Dodgers have lost the last twelve
games played and directors, players
and fans are discouraged. The team
recently strengthened by the acquisi-
ton of five or six veterans from the
Three-I league, was capable OF win
ming place we'll up In the league. but
internal dissension is said to have
been responsible for the poor showing
With the Dodgers it is admittedly a
case Of cold feet" They could not
stand continued defeat and decided to
throw in the sponge. The criticism,
however is due to the hardness In
discovering that they did not care to
continue the battle regardless Of re-
suits Only week ago the directors
Of the Fort Dodge club. at the special
meeting held at Waterloo. declared
their intention Of remaining thru the
season. The opportunity was offered
at that time for the withdrawal Of the
club, along with Cedar Rapids, but the
Dodgers then were positive they de-
sired and were financially able to finish
the season.
Had Fort Dodge taken the course
adopted by Belden Hill Of Cedar Rap
ids, it would have saved money for
every club in the league, for the last
~ tho c1innmoSt
ones in poor financial season. Prac-
tically every club, If not all. has suf-
fered financial loss since Aug. !.
Ford Proves Good Organizer.
President Ford has shown himself
good organizer, especially in securing
a home for the orphaned Cedar Rapids
club and was ready to go out and find
a place for the abandoned team from
his own home town. But the directors
of the other clubs had had enough OF
the shifting of clubs and the uncer-
tainty as to where the next break
would come The continual hawking
of abandoned teams from town to town
cheapened the sport and caused the
fans to desert in the more stable cities.
Poor management, apparently. was
the ruin Of Fort Dodge. Sits seemed
unable to handle his men, and the Sit
uation was more perp1exing when the
Three-I veterans were brought into
the league Mokan tried his hand in
the direction Of the clubs affairs but
surrendered the reins after few days
Of worry. Beatty then was named anu
was expected to make better show
ing, largely because of his previous ex-
perience in the management of clubs.
But the team failed to win.
Lied's Case an Example.
Benny" Lied, good ball player last
spring. and one of the best prospects
among the younger players of t. as
ISOLATION, fell down miserably in his
fielding and hitting. Lied is lad who
needs encouragement, and when he feli
into a hitting slump his mates "kidded'
him for his failure to keep up his bat
ting average. Ridicule thus ruined a
good ball player and all but drove him
from the club.
So it went. The men on the team
failed to appreciate the situation and
could not pull together. Too many
wanted to boss the job, and those who
could not set about undermining the
organization. firm hand might
quickly have brought the team into
position, where 1t could have battled
any in the league. All that was need
ed, apparently, in the way Of bolster
ing up the playing strength, was q
pitcher or two who could win games.
The team was capable Of getting runs
and from early season showed that it
could hold down the score Of its OPP
ponents.
The Three-1 material secured prom
ised much. The newcomers were hit
ting the ball hard in the older organ
ization, as shown by recent averages.
Beatty was batting $3.50 in Tearney's
circuit. and there were others above or
near the 800 mark.
II the Dodgers are sincere in the