The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-12
Grand Rapids Mogul Fears
Mileage Expenses Of Pro-
posed Circuit.
ATTACKS OLD LEADERS
Wants Two Michigan Towns,
Fl. Wayne, Richmond and
Two Ohio Cities Included.

Bert Noblett, part owner OF the
Grand Rapids club. has decided to
organize league Of his own, which
will embrace six old Central circuit
cities.
1t is pretty generally accepted In
Michigan that Grand Rapids and Mus.
kegon will not tie up with league
that has the following four terminals:
Peoria, Evansville, Dayton and Mus
kegon. Noblett claims that Ryan and
Eggemeyer have not figured closely
enough the mileage involved in six
or eight club league with these four
cities as the terminals.
Noblett has been lodging the Cen
trail league reorganization plans ever
since they were first proposed. For
some inexplicable reason he is gun
ming for Ryan Of the Peoria, and Egg
gemeyer Of the Richmond clubs.
Neither have fought Noblett. Both
have extended a cordial invitation to
the Grand Rapids mogul to get into
the league.
The Real Trouble.
1t seems that the original diagnosis
of the Grand Rapids situation is the
correct one. The city cannot support
a Glass B league team, and Noblett
fears the issue.
A Grand Rapids dispatch, received
here today on the situation says:
GRAND RAPIDS. Mich, Feb. 12.-
Bert Noblett will attempt to organize
league embracing at least six former
Central league towns. That Grand
Rapids will be supported in its efforts
to organize on a plan not hitherto
suggested is certain-at least in the
cases of three probable members OF
the league-SpringReld, Dayton and
Fort Wayne.
Carl Vandagrift, president-manager
of the Fort Wayne club, isn't making
any secret Of the fact that he doesn't
subscribe to Peoria's baseball or
bust" policy and doesn't propose to
plunge the finances at his disposal in
to anything that disregards previous
ly accepted principles which make for
successful minor leagues.
Local advocates of a reorganized
league can't understand the position
Of Richmond. which apparently is
ready to fall in line with Peoria,
Bloomington, Evansville and Terre
Haute, the only other cities that have
shown any desire to line up with the
league suggested at the recent gath
ering OF Central and Three-I league
club owners at Indianapolis.
Springfield Situation.
The following dispatch from Jack
Reid, sporting editor of the Spring
field News, setting forth the situation
in Springfield and Dayton says:
Peoria boosters have not visited
Springfield. Fred Hunter, veteran
first baseman, has been in commu-
nication with parties here (Spring-
field) and stated that he would pay
a visit some time this week. He says
lie has an angel who is willing to
back him. President Joe Tinker Of
the Columbus club, admits that he
will place club in Dayton If he can
secure a site for park. He adds
that Dayton and Springfield are the
two towns other prospective magnates
want to complete the league"
Noblett plans at once to inform
Peoria of the position Of Grand Rap
Ids with regard to the reorganization.
He also was to speak for Muskegon,
which apparently is ready to line up
with Grand Rapids and Fort Wayne.
With these three cities as starter
he is confident that he will be able
to line up possibly Springfield and
DAYTON and doesn't see how Richmond
could afford to overlook a franchise
in such a circuit Lima, of course,
is available for a franchise, although
the local magnate admits that he
would be satisfied to start with six
clubs.
Explain Situation
Baseball men, who ought to know,
have come out with the declaration
that a circuit modelled on these lines
is almost the only one approaching
class B standard, which these towns
can safely line up with. The reorgan-
ization, then. resolves into a question
of just how seriously 'e Tinker and
Fred Hunters angel" have studied
the mileage proposition.
Both will be advised of Grand Rap
ids plan Of reorganization. 1t is hard
ly possible that either are set to rush
headlong into circuit which probably
wouldn't have a chance to survive, in
spite of the great demand for the
game that seems to prevail in every
city that has ever been represented in
organized baseball.
It's a question of speed. If Grand
Rapids plans, as outlined by Mr.. Mob
lett, are going to enjoy the desired
success at Dayton and Springfield. and
possibly in Lima, which would be
available IL Richmond couldn't be in
duced to break away from the ILL.
nois and Southern Indiana cities in
volved in Peoria's reconstruction plan.
When the hackers Of baseball in
these latter cities come to their senses
it isn't likely that they will be averse
to giving up their plans to place fran
chises in Ohio. They have spoken as
far as Grand Rapids and Muskegon
are concerned. It is certain that they
will not be able to interest Fort Wayne
which should determine also the fate
of Richmond, II President Elmer Egge-
meyer Of the club there, isn't alto
gether so much of an enthusiast over
the prospects of success that he would
want to break away from his city's
greatest natural rival.
Peoria, Bloomington. Evansville and
Terre Haute belong in Three Eye lea
que territory and in the vast expanse
which the section affords they should
be able to interest at least two more
cities. This would give them chance