Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-07
'CHANCE WILL AID
I GAME NEXT YEAR
East Mistakes Friendly Move for War
Cloud No Third Major League
in 1918.
MINOR CIRCUITS TO CONTRACT
Edward G. Barrow is Slated for Pres
idenc, OF the New Union
Organization.

Chicago, Nov. There viii be nj
third major league next year. This
was the positive statement made yes.
terday by man who knows. Instead
OF expansion there will be a contrac-
ton of the baseball map, and here is
where new organization. which II
the east has been dubbed third
major league" comes in.
The new circuit may or may noi
split the American association wild,
open. The chances are now that il
will not. The western club owners ia
the association will be appeased to
such an extent that Indianapolis.
Louisville. Columbus and possibly Te-
| ledo will he permitted to amalgamate
with the International league. II
place of the original American Assos
citation the cities which are left VIII
| Join with the stronger cities In tbs
Western league and form new Or
ganization,
Included in the new deal will be
general Encouragement Of National
! Association territory. with the conse-
3
! leagues. The start is expected TO he
made at the National Association
meeting at Louisville next week. when
it is expected that several charters
will be thrown into the discard
A story from the east yesterday
speculated on the formation of the
new third league" and the writer
came TO the conclusion that the new
organization would not be affected By
the draft. This may come, about. but
if it does it win only be considered
as a war measure and the other class
AA leagues will be treated on the
same basis if it can be shown that
economy dictates such a move.
The Pacific Coast league has already
/, declared war on the new arrangement
and President Baum insists that if any
league is exempted from the draft the
same rule must apply TO the coast or
ganization. However, there will be 30
quarrel along these lines. as organized
baseball is now busy trying to keep
the sport alive.
, For Economy Only.
y The compact between the Associa-
, ! ton and the International would be
; a measure of economy only. The re-
= arrangement would reduce transpor-
' tation cost and possibly increase the
e attendance There is. however, a
D more potent reason for the move than
a even economy
r During the last season the western
a club owners in the Association threat
ened to close up shop early in the sea
= son. The eastern end Of the circuit
: including indianapolis, Louisville
e Columbus and Toledo, was solidly
d against this and even at that time
: threatened to combine with the Inter
: national league. in which similar
: cnodition existed.
: Nov Owners Wathen Of Louisville
: and McGill Of Indianapolis fear a re-
e currence of this situation, and that is
e back Of the amalgamation. The two
e owners had the backing of BresnabaH
e of Toledo and Tinker of Columbus
$ These two are with them yet, but
u Bresnahan is in a tight place. He
doesn't control his own ball park. jos
/ and Mike Cantillon of Minneapolis and
Il President Timme of Milwaukee have
= the property sewed up. It thus be
. hooves Roger to step along gingerlv
VIII Not BE Outlaw.
The new league, which will prob
= ably be christened the Union, will get
y the support of the major leagues if Fl
: can show that it will help organize
= baseball. It will not be launched an
less the support is forthcoming. Th8
it will not run as an outlaw organizs
ton can be stated positively.
Eward G. Barrow. present head C
the International, is slated for thu
n presidency 1t is he who has eugj
1t neered the deal from the start anf
is with the tscit approval OF the cor
n trolling powers in the major leagues
10 He will contribute Toronto, Newark
IS Baltimore and Buffalo TO the organiza
r ton. He would like to substitute
"a Providence for Baltimore, but tina
% would add to the transportatiof
d charges something which they ar
trying to get away from.
~ The suggestion has been made tha
III Washington might be a member. :
the American League feels that q
some tir2e or other the Senators vii
have TO change their base. Washing
he ton, which did not make good ia In
en- major leagues, is not likely 10 prov
u more profitable in the minors, s
Ill there is little chance of this.
ed IRTISGER Is WRESTLING CHATE
st Henry IrSlingqr won the middle