The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-02-15
SCOUTING FOR
TWO MORE CITIES
on;y 81. Club. 10 Stick in the Gem
trail Association and the Lead
ers Anxious to FIJI
Vacancies.
SEVERAL CONSIDERED
Dubuque, Davenport, Rock Island OF
Sterling, Illinois, May
Enter the
Circuit.
SEVERAL CONSIDERED

rs CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Feb. Is
That the Central association circuit
Tor 1917 will be an organization OF
eight clubs instead of six was as
sured when directors of the league,
in session here for the second time
this year, appointed committee con-
sisring of President ]. F. Ford as
) chairman, Belden Hill of Cedar
Rapids, F. G. Hansen Of Clinton and
j. G. Koenekes of Waterloo, empow-
cred to enter into immediate negotia-
lions with those cities which, 1t is
said, are anxious to obtain berths in
Race of Muscatine and possibly OF
tEmwa.
President Ford, Immediately fol-
lowing the Three-I league meeting,
scheduled for Peoria next Monday,
viii start out to visit Dubuque, Rock
Island, Davenport, Ottumwa and per-
haps Sterling, Ill In each city he
viii endeavor to lay his hand on the
baseball pulse of the community, and
should he find it throbbing in re-
Spouse to Central association invi-
tation the S. o. S. signal will be
flashed 10 the other three men of the
committee. They will concentrate in
the town in question, thoroughly
probe the situation and. finding
things to their liking, will do all in
their power to induce the city to
enter the Central association circuit.
Museatine Quits League.
That Muscatine will not be a
member of the Iowa loop this year
il assured by the fact that the
Nuskies have disposed of consider
able number OF their players to
waterloo and because hnanclers
there who have formerly been back
al that city's diamond pastime have
declared that they will not produce
the money necessary for another
losing campaign.
Ottumwa Is different proposition.
Baseball conditions there are
,eculiar. according to President Fora.
The southerners have team signed
in the name of the city. they
have in view a sufficient amount OF
cash to run that team through the
season, they say, they have prospects
for new ball park and yet the
decision to enter the league or stay
out entirely has not been made rms
-wayering attitude may be changed to
ana Of certainty by Central associa-
,ion directors once they get in touch
with Ottumwa boosters and fans. AT
least that is the hope that was ex-
pressed here.
Dubuque is Indifferent
DuhyInue's view of Central asso-
citation franchise is likewise more or
lass of a mystery. Men who have
gone to the Key city in an endeavor
70 uncover the baseball sentiment
there have declared that it is entirely
lacking. Others not bent on special
GRAND but inclining their ears to-
ward any sounds that SAVIOR OF the
diamond, are positive that club
could be put in the town. All these
minors. it is the plan of Ford and
his advisers, to investigate thor
oughE.
As for Davenport and Rock Island.
nothing definite can be known OF
them until after next Monday. Al
Tearney, it is said, has declared that
he win do anything for the good OF
minor league baseball, and, taking
him at his word. some Davenport
and Rock Island hackers believe that
he will release that territory from
rTbree-I rights and hand it over to
the Central once he is certain that
neither city will put Three-I team
in the field during 1917.
Sterling, H., Considered.
Sterling, H., is considered only as
a possibility in case an emergency
should arise demanding the instant
ACQUISITION of more territory. 1t is
not even known that a Central asso-
Gle tion proposition would interest
baseball men there.
Once the two needed cities have
been lined up, a meeting of repre-
sentatives from all eight communi
ties will be called here and plans
laid for the summer. A schedule
calling for 126 games. is favored
opening early in May, closing Labor
lay.