The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-03-13
MINOR LEAGUES EXPECT
PROSPEROUS SEASON
National Game Already Has Shown
Remarkable Recovery from Ef-
fects of World War

New York, Macrh 13.--In forecast
ing successful season for the minor
league baseball clubs Throughout the
United States and Canada, Secretary
John H. Farrell of the National Asso-
citation said few days ago II believe
the general prospect for 1920 in the
various sections of this country and
Canada was never better. The peo-
pie are turning to amusements and out
door sports for recreation in greater
numbers than ever before. Last year
the minor league clubs enjoyed their
most prosperous season in five years.
This era of prosperity extended to all
leagues in every section of the coun-
t.y and to the far off Western Canada
League in the provinces of Saskatche-
wan and Alberta. The minor leagues
have tiourished under the National AS
ISOLATION government as never before
In the history of baseball
According to the annual report read
at the convention of minor league
club owne. S held at Springfield, Mass,
last November 10 leagues employing
nearly $500 playels began the 1918
season and 13 of these finished their
official playing schedules. The Inter
national Northwestern League closed
down on June Z, but the New England
League paid its players in full for the
full term of the schedule which ended
September /, although the league clos
ed its season on August g
This year the pennant winning lea
CUES of 1919, Pacific Coast, American
Association International, Western,
Southern, Eastern Association Texas,
Michigan Ontario, Three-I, South Allan
tic, Weste Canada, Virginia and
Florida State are all ready for the
coming season. So are the New Eng
land and reconstructed North West
ern organizations and in addition
there is great activity in reviving or
reorganizing Others with every p.o-
mise of many OF them being ready to
begin play early in May Among these
are the Blue Ridge, Corn Belt, Cotton
States, Illinois-Missouri, Central AS
ISOLATION, Oklahoma-Kansas, New
Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Ne
braSka State leagues.
The National Association of Minor
Baseball Leagues which has been so
productive of good results and the well
fare of the national game was organ
lied just 20 years ago. AT the out
set it was composed of nine leagues
but three years later it had 20 mem
bers and in 1912 1t reached the top
notch of so league members.
I'm that year, those so leagues en-
bracing 1856 cities and towns in the
United States and Canada The
launching of the Federal League made
inroads on the minors as well as on
the major leagues and in 1915, owing
to this cause and the outbreak of the
European war, the membership drop
ped to 40 The three following years,
during which every corner of the
world was interested in the great
struggle being fought on European
battleflelds, there was only meagre in
tie est taken in baseball, but a revival
set IN last year with wonderfully as
surfing results and 1t is hoped by the
beginning of the playing season one
year hence there will be 80 leagues in
operation and that two years more will
find the National Association operat-
ing with membership equal to its
banner year.