Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-18
TEARNEy TO AID
MINOR LEACUERS
~Three.Eye" Chief Asks Presidents Of
Small Associations to Confer
at Peoria.
SAYS no MONEY, NO BUSTERS"
Il Believe 1t Possible That There Will
he Baseball in Small Towns"
Al Declares.

Chicago, Jan. 1S.-Albert A. Tear
ney, president OF what is left of the
"Three-Eye" league, has started out
to save the minors. To show that he
is on the square about it, he stands
ready to contribute his bank balance
TO the enterprise.
In order to get the movement I'M
der way Tearney yesterday asked the
presidents of the Western and Cen
trail leagues and the Central associa-
ton to meet with him at Peoria at
some date about Feb. /. 1t is Tear
ney's plan to weld three or four
leagues into one or two, picking out
the best towns and providing compact
circuits.
If the other league executives, who
are t. w. Dickerson of the Western,
j. W. Ford of the Central association
and Harry W. Stahlhefer of the Cen
trail league, look favorably upon the
scheme, the "Three-Eye" league head
will guarantee there will be no oppo-
sition from his own organization. In
addition, and if eight other men Will
Join him. he stands ready to finance
one or two strong minor leagues just
for the good of the game.
II is expected that Peoria will come
to the front with considerable back
ing. President Jack Ryan of the Dis
tillery City team is anxious to place
his own team in a strong league and
he hims If is booster for the confer
snce He has promised to give the
magnates the time of their life, when
they get down there. Aside from that
Ryan recognizes, as do other Peoria
fans, that 1t wouldn't do to leave the
city out of organized baseball, especi-
ally as It was awarded the convention
Of the National association for next
year.
1t is Tearney's belief that unless
men of money take hold OF the affairs
of the minors there will be no base
ball in the bushes" next season. The
argument that Tearney advanced a.
the National association meeting a
Louisville, that Encouragement o.
the baseball map was necessity, Eel
on deaf ears then. Since then it has
been discovered that his advice was
the best the minors had received fol
many year.
minor leagues to have baseball mex
season." said Mr.. Tearney. 1T should
not be on the scale which obtained las
year, but there should be reorgan
ization all around The best towns
should be picked out and one or two
solid circuits formed, or more, If back
ers can be secured.
Il am willing to do my share in {
financial way if some others will go il
with me. say eight men. With TIL
proper organization minor League
baseball might even return dividend
Now is the time to get busy. TIT
owners In my league are ready to d.
everything In their power to help thu
project along, and I want to see thu
thing succeed from the viewpoint OF ;
fan if from no other reason"
That Tesrney's plan will have thu
moral backing Of the major leagues
IS certain, as the big league owner
are getting anxious about the future
supply of ball players. They probabl.
will ease down on draft conditions
and such. and possibly pay over mon
ey to the minors which Is now held II
escrow on account Of the unsettled
conditions.
Western May Get Peoria.
With Denver out of the Western
league. Dickerson's circuit could us'
city like Peoria to good advantage
The Illinois town is considered ,
cracking. good baseball spot and Their,
Is no reason why It should not be abl'
10 support class A team. Its geo
graphical location is such that 1t coul(
become a member Of the Western, Cen
trail or Central association with eQua
profit.
Besides Peoria there are severa
other good towns In the territory o
the four leagues. but in the past NJ
efforts have been made to make an!
Of them we'll balanced circuits.