Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 246, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1917 — BALL EXPECTS EVEN BREAK [ARTICLE]

BALL EXPECTS EVEN BREAK

Loss of St. Louis Browns Believed to Equal Profit Made Year Ago— New Players Bought. The St. Louis Americans, during the season of 1916. made a profit of about $25,000. The loss of the club during the current season Is expected to equal that figure, making an “even break” on the two years. Phil Ball, chief owner of the club, whose ambition it has been to give St. Louis a winning team, has spent about $600,000 in baseball since he first invested in the St. Louis Federals. This sum of course includes his losses. He says he will stay in the game, however, and already he has spent $27,000 for new players-for next year. Among the new players whom the" St. Louis club has obtained are Kenneth Williams, Pacific coast star; Earl Smith, star hitter of the Western league, and Grover 'Lowdermilk, one of the best pitchers in the American association.