The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-02
TO CLEAR UP AIR
w. l.. Club Owners Meet in DeS
MOineS Tomorrow.
Many Matters Must Be. Solved
if League Starts.

BY tomorrow night it is more than
probable that the thick. hot air the
Western league moguis have been ex-
haustinE will have thinned out and
settled down to such an extent that
the pasteboard purchasers will know
something definite. The franchise
holders are scheduled to meet in Des
AIotnes tomorrow to discuss matters
and to arrange a schedule if they can
Chain up enough cities to complete
their circuit.
Spencer Arthur Abbott who is try
ing to put Topeka back in the league
will represent this city, and, accord
ing to his statement, he will be load
ed for a lot of situations that are ex-
pected to arise. Abbott, goes to the
meeting with one of the best assur-
ances of any city of financial back
ing, Topeka having raised more money
thru the advance sale of tickets than
any other city in the league
Topeka Puts Up Most.
In fact. Topeka is the only city that
has really raised enough money to
guarantee and insure a team all sea-
son regardless of conditions and the
pledged his word TO local fans that
this backing he carries with him viii
not be used abused unless every
other city gives guarantee that II
can start with more than q dozen men
in uniforms and a few balls and bats.
When the ticket selling campaign
was first launched here, Abbott an
nounced that he would not go into
the league unless every doubtful city
a lso sold enough tickets in advance to
guarantee an attendance. But no
other city except Hutchinson has at
tempted to do this and now Abbott
pledges himself to LAY off unless
every other city puts up a guarantee
of $4,000 that it will finish the season.
Can All Do 1t.
How some of the cities are going to
do this is a matter that has not been
explained. 1t is the general belief
that the club owners who have any
amount of money invested in franA
chises, parks or stands would insist on
tbs league starting even if they felt
there we're ninety nine chances out
of a hundred of blow-up coming be-
fore the close of the season. With
this feeling there is certain to be OBJ
lection to the forfeit plan and Abbott
VIII probably have to revise his pro
.cStive policies again very likely.
The league abolished the forfeit
mcnt several years ago and ev-
cry town has trusted to pot luck that
.ings would be kept going. There is
s'i-cry reason to believe a majority
{ thescFJb owners will insist upon this
+ ain. altho they may compromise by
t.I3k king q paper forfeit agreement.
2 Sioux City has not yet fallen over
j, 'rself in an effort to land the Lin
cir franchise and the Ducky Holmes
Zeal seems to be hanging fire because
lie Sioux boosters have not shown
enough enthusiasm to make Satisfac-
tory park lease offer. Holmes has an
nounced that he will take his club to
Sioux City without any kind of finan-
ciaI arrangements and that all he will
ask will be support.
Savage Gets Boss.
How the league can have any as
su1ance that his club will be able to
keep going on this plan is one of the
matters that Abbott will be expected
mits that Sioux City looks like a
weak sister,
John Savage, holder of the Joplin
franchise, has announced that Harry
G. Spratt of St. Joe will run the club
while he is acting as secretary for the
Kansas City Blues. However, Savage
says he will be in close touch with af-
fairs and that he will be on the Job
part of the time.
Holmes Gets 500 Park.
Sioux City, Ia, March 2.-Negotia-
tions for the transfer of the Lincoln
Western league baseball franchise to
Sioux City were practically completed
here Friday Afternoon by Ed. J. Han
Ion and William Holmes, at a meeting
at which President E. w. Dickerson
of the league, was present.
Before the Lincoln franchise could
be sent o Sioux City it was necessary
to lease the local park from Mr. Han
lon who last summer took the Sioux
City team from Sioux City to st.
Joseph. Holmes is owner of the Lin
coin team and Hanlon owner of the
st. Joseph franchise.
Huskers Win rom Drake.
Lincoln, Neb., March 1.-The Uni
versity of Nebraska basketball team
defeated Drake university team in a
Missouri Valley conference game here