New Britain herald., 1917-11-12
BASEBALL MOGULS
MEET IN LOUISVILLE
Formation Of Third League to
Meet Considerable Opposition

Louisville, KY, Nov. 12.-Prelimi-
nary to- the opening here on Tuesday
lof what promises to be the most mo-
mentous meeting in the history of the
National Association of Professional
Baseball leagues, Western league mag
mates yesterday held a perfunctory
executive session Of three hours, at
which they discussed proposals that
lhave been advanced for redistricting
minor leagues.
The meeting was attended by rep
resentatives of every. club in the
league. Those present were John Hol-
land, st. Joseph; Hugh Jones, Den
yer; Frank Isbell, Wichita; John Saw
age, Joplin; William Holmes, Lincoln;
Tom Fairweather Des Moines; E. J.
Hanlon, Sioux City; w. A. Rourke,
Omaha.
The Western leaguers decided not
to express any LOpinion as a body on
proposals for redistricting minor
leagues until the matter should have
been brought before the national as
ISOLATION. Several of them did, how
ever, as individuals express themselves
as favoring some move which would
strengthen minor leagues to meet the
stress of war conditions. Among these
"O4C L1dulOlI, 1SDell, 11OlIueS, fdlf-
weather and Rourke.
President E. w. Dickerson reported
to the magnates the league had ended
the baseball year with a substantial
balance in the treasury and no debts
This condition was so unusual he was
given rising vote. of thanks. His
report also revealed that the average
attendance for the year in Western
league cities was a little more than
$4,000, with Omaha leading in this
respect.
To Oppose Third Major League.
The proposal which seems likely to
produce the bitterest controversy is
the plan to form new organization
from parts of the American Associa-
ton and International league. The
proposed league would include Louis
VILE, Indianapolis, Columbus and To-
lfdo from the American association
and Toronto, Buffalo, Newark and
Baltimore from the international
league. The four clubs in each league
which would be left out in the cold
under this arrangement are expected
to furnish strong opposition to the
project.
Interests opposed to the formation
of, third league have announced
their intention TO night the project
even to the extent of putting new
clubs into seeding cities On the
other hand, Presidents Wathen, Nc
Gill and Bresnahan OF the Louisville,
Indianapolis and Toledo clubs, reputed
leaders of the third league movement,
are saving wood and saying nothing. |
They wear a confident air, however,
that would seem to indicate they be-
lieve they will be able to carry
through any plans they may have
formulated.
Would Suspend for a Year.
The suspension of operations in
several smaller minor leagues until
the close of the war will be suggest
ed Practically every organization,
from the big American association,
International and Pacific Coast
leagues down, suffered seriously last
season. Twenty-Five minor leagues
started the season and only about half
of them finished. Only five leagues
went through without changes in their
circuits.
The presidents of several minor
leagues in the Middle West are strong
ly in favor of. putting baseball on
the shelf for a year and possibly two.
They favor releasing all players and
starting anew at the close of the war
on a less expensive operating basis