Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-17
CAGE F|VES OPEN
SEASON TONIGHT
Eastern Basketball League
Begins Eleventh Campaign
With Eight-cIub Circuit
START HERE ON FRIDAY

The eleventh campaign Of tho East +
orn Basketball League is slated to get
under way this evening when Harris
burg plays at 'Coatcsville and Wilkes
Barre meets Scranton. Radical changes
nave been made in the organizat ton since
tho close Of last season and just what
! Kind of season is in prospect is diff
hcu.t to forecast.
For tho first time since it started. the
circuit will be composed OF eight teams.
This means Mt least three talenders.
which is not SO good. The jumps nrc
considerably further. which Is also not
SO good. but the moguls have decided
TO play on percentage basis. n rule in
/ force tho first year. which is not 50
bad. In fact. il should overbalanCC the
aforementioned drawbacks.
Taken all in all, there arc lot OF
rocks ahead for the men who have in
vested their money in the game and the
players are giving the managers no little
end Of worriment. Fellows who used
to receive big salary at $40 and SlT
per game now laugh at four or five
times the amount.
Play More Games
The layout this season calls for a
| total Of fifty six games. exactly sixteen
more than previously contested. and tho
season extends to April |. Some one
may get fooled on that day. but anyway
two games arc on the program Tint
evening when the season concludes with
Philadelphia at Wilkes Barre and Iiar-
risburg at Reading.
Three new teams are in the circuit
in Harrisburg. Scranton and Wilkes
Barre and il will not take long for the
moguls to observe whether their decision
to take in teamsA that cat UP nll the
profits in ,railroaa3 3arcs was or was not
good move. ~
Many faces xaMiliar to the fans will
be missing. including Johnny Bcckman,
Bat Holman, Ernie Ripch. "Dutch
! pehncrt, and now comes the announce
ment that big George Haggerty is the
latest TO join the ranks Of the desert
ers. The League has considered the
affair and passed legislation rcgnrdin
| said players. but for years it has taken
| the Sama course, failed to enforce said
legislation and been the laughing stock
Of the players.
One Team Here
But with all these drawbacks the
game will go on, large crowds will
! Just as keen. The local situation /,
indeed promising, although for the first
time there will he but singl" repre-
sentative in this city. Germantowr
was n member last season, but Dave
| Dennis Is out and there is no champion
/ to begin with.
The Philadelphia team has made one
good move in that they have switched
! playing quarters to the National \. {,
at Eleventh and Catharinc streets
/ where Manager William Myers will
! stage all the League contests. He will
! be olsily able to accommodate twice tC
three times the number that formerly
attended at Musical Fund Hall and the
spectators will benefit considerably.
The same hall was used by De Ncri
in the Philadelphia League and Man
ager Ambrose Dudley staged some his
tOrir clashes there. including the fnaI
for the public high schools title somr
dozen years ago, when more than 5OOU
fans were turned away. The Phillica
play on Friday evenings instead Of
Saturday and open this week with
Reading.