The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-24

Now that Jess Willard has signed an
very probable he will devote little atten-
ton to the fight game during that time.
And at the end of eight months willard
cannot hope to be the man he is today,
just today he is not the man he was
when he licked jack johnson. 1t seems
history as the most inactive heavyweight
champion the ring ever knew.
Bob PEBBLES, the former oTpeka pro-
fessional golfer who was located in Kansas
City last summer, is now in Illinois, one of
his close acquaintanceS reports. Next to
golf, Bobs chief pastme always has been
wandering around.
Frank Isbell, the bald owl of the West
ern league. believes that the zehrung loop
will never attain the prosperity. it seeks
he is heartily in harmony with the ideas
advanced by Al Tearney, president of the
Three-I league. who thinks all minor CIR
cults in the west should be rearranged.
The Wichita magnate also believes the
expectations until Sioux City and Denver
are dropped and Topeka is brought back
in the fold. Also; he thinks that Joplin
should be retained and is of the opinion
that Hutchinson would make the league
good town
Altho it will be impossible to redistrict
the league this season unless something
unexpected happens e, isbelfs suggestions tons
to the Topeka fans who desire to see this
city back on the baseball map.
In this weeks issue of Sporting News
Isbell says: Il would like to see Topeka
back in the Western league, 1 would not
be in favor of Topeka under conditions
that existed in the past, but with. a down
town ball park l would consider it safe
business proposition. No small city can
be a baseball success with a park that is
not easy to reach from the business CEN
ter"
Isbell says John Savage never would
have been compelled to leave Topeka If
Continuing his idea of redistricted
league. he says: Il consider it more than
a possibility that not only Topeka, but
Hutchinson well will be in the Western
league in the near future. A circuit com
posed of Omaha, Lincoln, Des Moires, st.
Joe, Joplin, TOPEKA. Wichita and Hutch
inson would IN & 'eal groups for
ranging schedules and would save thous-
ands of dollars to the league in travelling
expenses. Such a circuit would make one
OF the most prosperous leagues in the
country, and I am for it now and all the
time l look for the club owners to get
together in the near future and quit Civ
ing all their receipts to the railroads."
IsbelPs suggestions the most Iogi-
cai that any Western league club owner
has made in a long time. The only thing
that keeps the Zehrung loop from being
a great success. and a prosperous enter
prise Tor all interested is the fact that
SO many of the club owners refuse to get
afraid that their prestige will be lowered.
Good business men have realized for years
that clubs with the big jumps the W. L.
clubs have and the big salaries most of
them have to pay could not hone to make
money under any circumstances And the
jumps this season are to be greater altbo
! Ii is generally believed most of the mag
mates have at last realized they are bank
rupting themselves when they pay ex-
cessive salaries.
As a result of their two defeats at the
hands of their old rivals of Missouri the
X u. basketball men are entirely out of
the running for the NJ. v. title this season.
Missouri now apparently has cinch on
the title aItho the Cievenger Aggies still
have an outside chance to defect them
The Aggies and Missouri will clash March
and Q.
The showing the K. L. quintet made this
sea son was a great disappointment to their
followers After starting out the season
in whirlwind fashion. they began SLIPPING
when they invaded Manhattan and never
seemed to regain their best stride af-e-
the Aggies defeated them two games. On
the other hand. the Ages got away to a
had start and have apparently been grow
| ing stronger ever since their first game.
To Unvei1 Statue at Mcpherson
Mcpherson, Kan, Feb 24.-It has
been announced that an equestrian
statue of Gen James B. Mcpherson,
commander of the Army of Tennessee