Troubles in Tri-City

Drive to Buy Tri-City Team Falls ‘Short’
KENNEWICK, Wash., Oct. 20, 1952— A community drive for $23,000 to buy the Tri-City Braves baseball franchise was far short of the goal Tuesday and club officials said they may take the team elsewhere, possibly to Eugene, Ore.
Mike Cronin, chairman of the Tri-City Booster club, said only about 10% of the $23,000 pledged has come in during the citizens' drive to keep Western International league baseball here.
Dick Richards, general manager of the Braves, and other owners of the club put it up for sale after the 1952 season, a disappointing campaign at the gate for Tri-City.
Richards said he might go to Eugene or some other city if the drive bogs down and the purchase price can't be raised. Cronin said the Booster club has called a special meeting of directors in hopes of turning more pledges into cash.

Richards' Price Way Out Of Line
[Tri-City Herald, Oct. 21, 1952]
It was decided at a meeting of the Tri-City Athletic Association and the Tri-City Booster Club directors Tuesday night to let the association negotiate with Dick Richards in efforts to buy the Braves.
The directors of the two groups met in the Tri-City Country Club.
Harold Matheson, president of the athletic association, said today that the association will make an offer soon.
He added, however. "It won't be Richards’ figure." Richards, general manager and majority stockholder of the Tri-City Braves is asking $50,000 for six shares in the club.
Matheson said Richards' price is way out of line. On the basis of $7,000 a share, Matheson said, this leaves about $7,000 to $6,000 unaccounted for.
The association president said the additional money Richards is asking is apparently for bills against the club. Matheson said he did not feel the buyers should be responsible for those bills.
Matheson emphasized "We intend to buy the club but we won't just sit back and take his figure." He added, "We will have the money."
Matheson did not have the exact figure for the amount of money turned in during the move to sell stock in the Tri-City area. Mike Cronin chairman of the Booster Club board was unavailable for comment today.
Matheson said, however, he believed the money total was up to somewhere near $7,000 to $8,000.
He said the money is coming much faster now.
Meanwhile, attorneys for the association and the Booster Club are contacting Robert Abel, president of the Western International League, to discuss matters with him.
Matheson did not reveal what move might be afoot in this direction