The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-06-28
FIRST HALF OF
SCHEDULE ENDS
ON JULY FOURTH
Believed Change win Aid Nate
rally in Increasing Attend
ance Figures.

DECISION 10 Spit the pldyfuB sCo
son of the Mississippi Valley league
into two parts and providing for
post-season series to determine the
champion in event different clubs
finish on top at the conclusion OF
each half, has been made by Presi-
dent II. II. Sexton and approved
almost unanimously.
In a communication to The Argus
today. President Sexton makes for
NAL announcement of the change in
plans. He declares that consensus
OF the club owners is that the plan
will materially increase attendance
the latter part of the summer. The
first half of the schedule will there
fore end July and the clubs viii
start with clean states on July 8.
President Sexton's letter in full
follows:
"At a meeting of the league in
Cedar Rapids recently long dis
cussion took place as to the best
method of increasing the attend
ance in our several cities. Now
comes the suggestion, by wire, from
two of our cities that our seasons
schedule be split into halves, the
two clubs finishing in first place TO
play off a split season series for
the league championship. This
proposition having been submitted
by wire to all clubs has been ap-
proved almost unanimously.
81 therefore declare that the
schedule of the Mississippi Valley
league be played in two halves, the
first half closing with the games of
July and the second half COM
mencing with the games of July 5.
In the event that two different
clubs finish in first place said clubs
will play off the split season series
of five games beginning on Sept. 6
and closing on Sept. 10 inclusive,
two games to be played on the
grounds of each contesting club,
the place of the fifth game to be de-
cided by the toss of a coin. In the
event that rain should cause post
ponement of any of the first four
games of said series the date in
such city shall be extended to in
clude the next succeeding day. The
salaries of all players on each of
the conteSting clubs shall be eX-
tended automatically from Sept
to the close of the said series and
shall be their only compensation.
Said series to be played under the
supervision of this office and the
\ constitution of this league. All eX
NJ penses of the series, such as salar-
"A les Of umpires and official scorers
together with the travelling expense
of the league president to be de-
Quoted from the receipts of said
series before any division of said
receipts are made.
THE attendance in our several
cities has not been as large as we
had hoped for and will not meet the
expense of operation of our clubs
1t is not incumbent upon any in
dividual, or set of individuals, in
any community to stand the loss
of maintaining a professional base
ball clubs. Their duties and wor-
ries are arduous and numerous
enough in themselves. In my judg-
ment it is up to the business and
professional men of each city, to
the chambers of commerce, Rotary,
Kiwanis and Lions clubs and all
similar organizations to take a
friendly interest in their profess
sional baseball club and help carry
the burden. In these days of gem
eral business depression, with hosts
of men idle, the working man can
not be expected to patronize our
games with the usual liberality and
regularity. So, it Is the civic duty
of the class above mentioned and TO
the members of all such organiza-
lions TO lay aside the golf club, tie
up the automobile and give up a
couple of hours of his leisure time
on two or three days each week to
go to the ball games, thus demon
strating by his presence and the
payment of his admission fee at
the gate that he is interested in his
baseball club, in the reputation and
standing Of his community in the
eyes OF the sport loving public and
that he does want to see his city
continue as q member of the great
professional baseball family.
Next year promises a return of
good business, several splendid
cities in our very midst await
ing an invitation to join with us in
an eight club league. Let me urge
you, one and all, to take an imme-
diate and active interest in your
bah club and boost the attendance
during the second half of our sea
son, to such figures that We may all
be proud of the record"