The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1953-10-29
Around ToWr gg
The Editor

This has been one of the quietest
weeks around town that have come
across in quite white In fact, the
only subject of conversation seems
to have been centered around last
Sundays meeting in Richmond, Va,
of the Board of Directors of the Pied
mont League, of which the Hagers-
town Braves baseball team is a mem
Der.
] was unable to be present at the
meeting and, frankly, l have been
unable to get any real information
about it, except through the Asso-
ciated Press and the United Press
stories published in the daily pa
pers.
Last week in my column, Behind
Home Plate" stated that doubted
that any definite information would
come out of the meeting and fur
Their stated that probably nothing
much would be known about the
future of the Piedmont League, as
well as other minor leagues, until
the major-minor league meeting,
which will be held this winter in
Atlanta, Ga, and apparently, was
right.
From the published reports of the
meeting it would seem that a definite
date has been set for the opening of
the Piedmont League season in 1854,
but that's about all.
There was no assurance that a
team had been selected to replace
the Roanoke club that pulled out
towards the end of the 1858 season.
There are rumors about this club
and that club-in fact, / understand
that there is a very strong possibility
that Lancaster might be the. eighth
club, but that, like all the rest, is at
the present time, nothing more than
rumor
Due to illness, Mr.. Raney, owner
of the Braves, was unable to attend
the meeting, but he was represented
by Rufus Edwards, his general man
ager.
talked for few minutes to Rufus
on Tuesday afternoon, but he told
me that at the present time there
was nothing he could say, although
he felt very optimistic that the Pied
mont League would operate next
year and that Hagerstown would be
one of the teams.
I have been bombarded with ques-
tons by many people during the
past few days, probably because l
have been strong supporter of or
gained baseball in Hagerstown, and
because of my strong support of the
Hagerstown Braves in particular
However, in all honesty, l have
got to admit that don't feel nearly
as optimistic about the future of or
ganized baseball in Hagerstown as
some others are.
A story came out of the Richmond
meeting that the Hagerstown Braves
expect to have limited working
agreement with Milwaukee in 1854
This seems puzzling to me, since the
National league club abruptly ended
its working agreement with the
Braves earlier this month and recall
ed every single player they sent the
team during the 1858 season. Further
than that, John Mullen, head of the
Milwaukee Farm System, told Mr..
Raney quite frankly, that he would
be unable to help the club in 1854
Finally, l am pessimistic regard
ing organized baseball in Hagerstown
next year. l just can't forget that,
despite the money and effort that
Gene Raney put out to give Hagers-
town the best possible ball club, the
support of the Hagerstown fans
steadily dropped after his first year
of operation, and | doubt very
seriously that, in 1854, they will sup
port his club any better than they
did last year - if as well.
Running a ball club is like run
ming any other business. When you
lose money year after year, you
finally reach the point where you
throw in the towel.
Nobody would hate more than me
to see organized baseball in Hagers-
town come to an end, but even chill
dren, when they begin to grow up,
commence to have some doubts about
Santa Claus
I'm not cry baby, but believe
in telling what l think is the truth.
$500 -