The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-10-20
RICHMOND WILL
HOLD CENTRAL
LEAGUE BERTH
President Eggemeyer Prom
ises Fans a Team.if League
Is Continued Next Season
Circuit Is Changed.

If there is Central league of base
ball teams in the field next season,
Richmond will have team, or If there
is league made UP of Central league
teams, then if there is any chance at
all, Richmond will be represented in
that league.
Announcement Of the foregoing de-
cision of the Richmond directors was
Eggemeyer, when asked as to the
fate Of the Richmond Central league
baseball club.
At meeting held in Chicago earlier
in the month, several proposition were
made to the directors Of the league In
GLIDING the merger Of the Central and
Three-I circuits for the next season,
or until the present conditions are such
that two leagues may be formed again.
In case such merger Is made, the
franchises Of Fort Wayne, South Bend
and Dayton will be turned over to
Peoria, Bloomington and Davenport, of
the Three-I and Muskegon. Grand
Rapids, Richmond, Evansville and
Springfield Of the Central circuit will
fill out the circuit
Although this change in the circuit
will mean heavy added expense for
transportation, all three teams Of the
Three-I circuit are good baseball towns
and VIII easily be able to meet the In.
creased expense.
New Teams Are Strong.
That the towns to be included In
the proposed circuit will be able to
meet the added burden Of expense is
shown by the fact that Peoria had a
total attendance in the six weeks the
team was in the circuit last year OF
$4,000 while the total attendance here
was only $4,000 and the other teams
in the circuit of the Three-I league had
totals that reached we'll above the
10000 mark for the half-season the
league was in force.
There is still some talk, however OF
abandoning the league for next season
and the final decision on the matter
will be reached at a meeting of the
league directors to be held in Louis
vile, KY. on November 6.
If, at that meeting, decision to con
tinue the league is reached, the Rich
mond club directors will begin worh
on the team for next season and will
have first class team in condition fol-
the opening game. Already the club
has had offers from seven high class
men for the management of the team
including Rollie Zeider, of the Chicago
Cubs.
Army VIII Cut Players.
The playing standard of the league
next season, however, will not be as
high as in seasons past, due mainly
tn the drafts made on the ranks Of
the league by war conditions Thirty
one members of the playing force Of
the Central league are now eligible
for the draft and unless conditions are
changed will be called into service be
fore the opening Of the league season
next spring.
In addition to these. heavy draf
will be made on the minor circuits
by the major leagues to fill up thu
gaps In the big ring caused by the mil
itary needs of the nation.
The league however, while not a,
fast as formerly, will still be able t.
put up high class brand of baseball
and one that will beable to satisfy thu
fans. For the last three seasons, tn,
Central league has been playing
brand Of baseball that has been abov'
the Glass B minor standard and an.
depreciation in the standard maintain
ed during that period will only put tn,
circuit in the class where It rightfull,
belongs.