Tuesday 11 March 2008

Phils Leave Tri-City

Phils Drop Brave Working Agreement
[Tri-City Herald, Oct. 23, 1952]
The Philadelphia Phils announced today that the working agreement with the Tri-City Braves of the Western International League will be dropped.
Tho Phils have had a working agreement this year with Dick Richards, majority stockholder and general manager of the Braves. It was under this agreement that the Tri-City club was able to have such pitchers as George New, Bob Greenwood and Dave Brittain.
It has been known for some time hat the Phils had planned to drastically cut their farm and working agreement connections.
It was expected that they would drop three Class D teams from the chain. In addition to the termination with the Tri-City club, the Phils also dropped Grand Forks, N. D. in the Northern League; Salina, Kans., in the Western Association, and Miami, Okla., in the KOM League, the Associated Press reported.
What effect that will have on the move to purchase the Braves by the Tri-City Booster Club and the Tri-City Athletic Association is unknown here.
It it felt however, that the termination of the agreement was determined because of the uncertain situation now existing concerning future ownership of the Braves.
Richards, in confirming the agreement, and said if he takes the franchise out of here he
has another agreement lined up. He did not say with whom the new agreement would be or whether the Phils would renew the agreement with him at some other place.
In the move to buy the Braves, Mike Cronin, chairman of the Booster Club board has expressed considerable optimism over the pick-up in the drive. He announced that the total is now past the $10,000 mark and subscriptions were coming in faster now.
He urged everyone to mail their check in row. Money should be sent to the Tri-City Booster Club, Box 132, Kennewick.

Sports Notes
By Gil Gilmore
[Tri-City Herald, Oct. 23, 1952]
Dick Richards, general manager of the Tri-City Baseball Club, hasn't pulled the Tri-City Braves out of here yet and the Athletic Association is confident that he won't be able to do so.
The big obstacle, the association feels, is Richards’ unreasonable price tag on the Braves and the franchise. The association contends that a number of assets listed by Richards are really liabilities and they want them deducted from the purchase price.
After that is done the association will make a fair and equitable offer for the club. It will then be up to the present club stockholders; and the Western International League directors to reach a decision.
Harold Matheson, president of the association, said “If the ball players are worth $20,000 all right, we’ll pay $20,000 but if they are only worth $5,000 on the going market, we will pay only $5,000. We are not going to pay Richards $20,000 for $5,000 worth of ballplayers just because he asks for it.”
The association feels that if the fair and equitable offer is made and Richards accepts, then acquiring the money will be easy. One of the chief obstacles to the current drive is the exact amount needed is unknown. If that matter is cleared up, the association feels they will have little trouble raising the cash.
However, if Richards continues to hold to his present unreasonable figure, the association is still optimistic. They intend to hold Richards responsible for the two years remaining on the present lease which will cost the club's general manager $15,000. Under the lease arrangement, the club must pay the association a minimum of $7,500 a year.
That is one of the reasons why the association has taken over the dealings with Richards. The directors must protect the investment of the numerous stock and bondholders that own the park.
So the ball club isn't lost yet and the chances are good that it won't be. In any case keep sending your money in. It will be needed when a deal is made.

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