MAKES STATEMENT

I wish to make it perfectly clear to the members of the city baseball league and their supporters that am not in the least opposed to the league, not I have been, although certain statements which I have made to league members in a joking manner and have been taken seriously and these statements, coupled with the refusal of the groundsman to permit a city league game to be played on the Celoron grounds last Sunday morning, have naturally served to create the impression that I was “knocking” the league. I was not in earnest when I made the statements, simply joking about the league as I would about everything else, and have no intention of nor inclination to injure the league in any way. On the other hand I am enthusiastically in favor of the league idea, believing it to be a splendid thing for the young men of Jamestown and have said so on many occasion and will do everything in my power to make it a success.

The groundsman who refused to permit the Allen Parks and the Myobs from playing on the Celoron grounds last Sunday morning did so on his own account and not through any instructions whatsoever from me, as I was not and am not opposed to the city league using the grounds in the morning, even when we have a game in the afternoon. When I learned of the groundsman’s actions, I was highly indignant, and it is a matter of sincere regret to me that the game did not take place. I will be glad to cooperate at any time with the officers of the city league in making the movement a success and if the league members wish to borrow any of our equipment, they will be certainly welcome to it. I want the league members and supporters to feel that I am with the league and wish it every possible success, and as an evidence of my good faith will gladly set apart any Saturday for an exhibition game between the pick of the league and the Jamestown team, the proceeds to go to the league.

Jack Harper
Manager Jamestown Baseball Ass’n
Jamestown, June 6