The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-01-27

The Northwestern league is dead.
After II years. most of them prosper
Gus, some of them turbulent. and one
or two disastrous. the magnates. in
their annual meeting. held last week.
changed the name as well as the COM
position of the circuit, of which John
McCioskey and "Oid Man" Lucas. both
we'll known in Missoula since the days
of the Union association, were the
prime movers in its early days.
Great Falls. after having held a men,
bership for two years. Is out In the cold
again. certain dubious transactions by
the directors Of the Electric city fran
chise having left bad taste In the
mouth of the league heads. Great Falls
| owes considerable money around the
| northwest as the result of a poor war
season and the owners of the club did
not care much about entering the game
again.
Butte May Stay.
| Butte holds it's franchise, having cx-
tended good support to class b base
ball during the past two years, and
having regained it's reputation as n
[
days of the Union association. when
little interest was displayed in the
teams managed by John McCloskey
Charles McCafferty. Jess Stovall and
Art Merkle. Whether Cliff McCarl will
remain nj the helm is yet to be learned
but If he doesn't there is possible
chance that Cliff Blankenship, always
much admired in Butte when leading
the Missoula Highlanders and later as
manager of Murray. will be asked t.
come north again and to take up th'
job. Butte wants an aggressive fighter
in charge of its baseball team and hgh'
is Cliff's middle name.
The return of Portland 10 class l
was the reason for letting Great Fails
out without any further parley. Judge
Credie, who owned the Portland
control over the team In the new
franchise in the Coast league. will have
control over the team in the new Pa
cific Coast International league nnt
promises Il fast team. Spokane. Seat
ale, Tacoma and Vancouver will COM
pletc the makeup of the circuit.
Twelve Years Old.
The Northwestern league was organ
lied back in 1905 with Lucas as presl'
dent, the charter members being Seat
tie, Everett, Bellnsham and Eancou-
Yer, John McCloskes being president
manager first baseman and grand higf
mogui of the Bellingham team. which
won the pennant. The next year Spo-
kane and Aberdeen replaced Belline-
ham and Everett, neither of which have
ever proved good baseball towns, ant
the league prospered.
In 1907 the old Coast league was re.
organized. and Tacoma was dropped
from the class A circuit, Tacoma and
Butte being added to the Northwestern
league. For couple of years things
ran serenely under the guidance of Luz
cas- but later Butte petered out, bad
weather and n losing team helping "a
break Russ Hall, who had control of the
mining camp franchise, and Butte and
/, Aberdeen We're dropped. For several
years the league ran along with four
teams, Seattle, Spokane. Tacoma and
Vancouver. Later Victoria and Port
land became members, 1911 being the
date of their advent, Portland having
a Pacific Coast and Northwestern
league team. both under the same own.
ership.
Montana Saves League.
A few years later Victoria and Port.
land quit the league. neither team hay
ling been either contender or mon.
ey-maker during the time they helt
! membership in the league, but thu
: circuit WAS saved from dropping bacl
to the old four-team category by. tn
: admission OF Butte, and Great Falls
land the two Montana cities made thing