The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-03
BUG WARMING UP
Fans Are Showing Interest in
League Team Plan.
Shows Necessity for
Forming Local Company.

Interest has commenced to wax
warm among the baseball bugs over
Topeka's entrance in the Southwest
ern league. They are beginning to
realize that John J. McCfoskey, owner
of the franchise which the league has
transferred here, is offering the city
its first opportunity and most feasible
plan to get back into the national
pastime since its experience with the
Western league and many promises
of support are now being received by
the Topeka manager.
"A good baseball team will do away
with dull Sundays in Topeka during
the summer" said one fan, today,
and when the Sundays are dull To-
peka IT'S a reputation of being a dun
town The league may be a little
small but Topeka can be the big fish
in the little pond On the other hand
I imagine that Hutchinson, Pittsburg
and some of the Oklahoma towns will
make US hustle In this league I car
see a return OF some of the good old
days we had when Topeka was
member of the old Western associa-
ton Then. too. If we find the league
little small it can be changed next
year SO as to take in one or two towns
which I understand would like to pull
out of the Western league, and posi-
bly, could include SaIina."
What this bug expressed seems TO
the local baseball followers. In a
nutshell they think Topeka now has
an opportunity to get league baseball.
with a chance to have the caIiber
raised as soon as demanded. and are
preparing to rally around MeClostzey
and help him put his proposition over.
Why of Local Company.
There Is nothing under the chip.
McCloskey says, in his plan to form
a local stock company to take over the
Topeka franchise or the reason for it
n baseball club cannot be formed and
kept going, especially at the start.
without money. There must also be
considered in this case the matter of
obtaining and improving a park. So
far there has been no intimation from
Cap Wells that he will part with his
lease on Western League park for
being considered, but in any event it
will require some real hard coin to es-
ablish a home for the club.
AcCloskey says. it is his desire to
capitalize at $4,000. All OF it may
not be needed, he admitted. but is sure
that $4,000 viii be needed right off
the reel before the team can start the
season. In the event that Western
League park is taken over under the
present proposal. that means IS GEO
with at least 81 900 more for repairs
The grandstand's must have rev
roof the fence needs attention. and
i the field is in bad shape. Another
$1,000 will be needed to be put up.
With the league as a forfeit in case To-
peka. does not finish the season Two
sets of uniforms viii cost $780, Nc
Closkey says he will have to buy a few
young players, and estimates that
81, 500 or more may be needed TOR
that purpose Then to meet the ex-
penses of the training season and put
the team into shape for the opening
~ a
more, and by that time the original
$4,000 used as a. starter will look
woefully small.
Big Demand for Players.
But on account Of tAe demand for
young play eFs and the prices being
paid for them, McCIoskey says fran
chIseS are much more valuable now
than formerly and he Z believes the
Topeka franchise can bes made highly
desirable property. Only a few days
ago the Dallas franchise in the Texas
league, sold for s155,0O0 cash without
any more than the players going with
the deal. As compared with other
members Of the Texas league. McClos-
| key says Topeka il better baseball
town than either Beaumont Wichita
Falls or Galveston. McC1oskeys also
calls attention to the fact that Jimmy
| O'Conneu- after one years experience
with the San Francisco, club in the Pa
ciffc Coast league. was Nrecently pur-
chased by John McGraw, of the New
York Giants. for $4,000 Also that
Detroit recently paid $4,000 and gave
eight players for Johnson and Pillar
of the Portland, Ore, team in the Pa
| eific Coast league.
As soon as McC1oskey can cali
upon a few more followers of the game
| and some of the business men who
may be interested in a team from an
ADVERTISING standpoint for the town. q
meeting probably Will be called when
the matter of forming the stock COM
pany will be taken up.