When the Four Men go out of town on business, it’s serious business. Why else would a Baron and a Tycoon take their lawyer and banker along on a business trip? This was the question, and criticism, of Mr. Mathias, a man who had only lived in Centerville a few months, immigrated from Des Moines to open a men’s clothing store and custom tailor shop. His daily stop to the Iowegian to complain and deliver a letter to the editor had grown to be quite annoying. When Ms. Winona first told Magnate Lawson of this man’s angst, her brother quickly wrote it off as jealousy.

 

“It’s pretty easy to understand his attitude,” the Magnate said. “The most opulent men in our community won’t give him their business, so he wants to destroy them. Good luck with that, eh?”

 

“Yes,” Ms. Winona said. “I told him that these men are childhood friends, and they served in the war together, but that only angered him more, citing pure corruption and greed.”

 

“Well, he’s entitled to his opinion,” the Magnate said. “What more can he do than gripe? Publish his letters. It might create a series drama and sell more copies.”

 

Ms. Winona chuckled. “Oh brother, you are a newspaper man to the bone.”

 

* * * * *

 

The Four Men did have serious business, related to the expansion of a meat packing plant, which the men desired to invest. But what they fancied more, as they rode through town, was stumbling across an activity that they’d only read about in the papers but never seen in person.

 

“Is that a baseball game?” The Baron said.

 

“I believe it is,” Stuffy said.

 

“Oh, we have to stop and see this.”

 

And they did. The entire matchup. It was more than the spectacle of competition, but the uniforms, the organization, the action, the fans watching, and the selling of popcorn and peanuts.

 

“We have to do this,” The Baron said. “We have to organize a league in Appanoose County.”

 

“But we know nothing about baseball,” Stuffy said.

 

“There has to be a rulebook somewhere,” Bushell said.

 

Tycoon Harrington pointed towards the field. “That fella calling the shots over there. He probably knows.”

 

“Yeah,” Stuffy agreed. “He looks like someone of authority.”

 

Bushell got his hands on a copy of Spalding’s Official Baseball Guide and the Baron was quick to read it. He was so taken by the game he saw and wanted to learn how to play. He studied the equipment needed, and a supplier in New York. He telegraphed an order, then went to work spreading the word through local merchants about organizing a league. The word quickly spread to surrounding communities, Mystic, Cincinnati, and Exline, and it became the number one topic of discussion. So much that the Baron made a call to Ms. Winona and they met for coffee at Jordan’s Café to discuss an article.

 

When it came time to find someone to run the league, a commissioner, the guidebook suggested, the Baron thought of none other than the Bargainman. He met with the Bargainman at his office and showed him the rulebook. The Bargainman was intrigued and went right to work with Bushell forming the necessary league rules, and agreed that he would also serve as an umpire.

 

After the word spread around town, Constable Howington made a call to J&K Market as to how he could get involved. “You’re an enforcer of rules, how about being the home plate umpire?”

 

Constable Howington was fascinated. “How do I learn about the rules?”

 

The Bargainman handed him the guidebook. “Here, read this. Learn it well. Memorize everything. We will be a team of enforcers.”

 

* * * * *

 

Tycoon Harrington was at his office at the Centerville Depot when he noticed three men get off the train. He had never seen these men before, and they had a particular air about them. A demeanor easily recognizable by a serious man. The three men walked inside Hotel 60, a depot worker carrying their luggage. They’re checking in, the Tycoon said to himself. I wonder what they’re up to?

 

A few moments later Mr. Mathias showed up in his buggy and stopped in front of the hotel. He met the three men outside on the sidewalk in front of the hotel entrance. A man from the livery led two saddled horses towards the hotel, and tied them to the hitching post. Two of the men stepped off the sidewalk, unhitched and mounted the horses. Mathias led the other man, a stocky man, dressed impeccably, to the buggy.

 

They rode away and the two men on horses rode close behind and on each side of the buggy. Something felt off about this. Harrington knew that Mathias was no friend to the community, a griper, a whiner, a boil on a man’s backside, but was this just a customer riding into town for business? Harrington knew the county and it’s citizens very well, and he’d never seen these men before. They wouldn’t come to Centerville for a haberdashery when Ottumwa was a more likely prospect. Maybe he was overthinking it, but the Tycoon had always trusted his instincts, and something felt off.

 

The Tycoon waited until they were out of sight and walked over to the hotel to see Meng. The two men met with handshakes, and Meng wasn’t surprised with the Tycoon’s inquiry.

 

“Yes,” Meng said. “They are very suspicious men. When the big guy checked in, the other two men just stood on each side of the door watching. One had a particular smirk on his face, and the other more deadpan. Not a good feeling about them. They remind me of the goons I used to see in Chicago.

 

“Interesting,” Harrington said. “That may be exactly who they are, and if that’s true, we don’t want them around here. Did he just get one room?”

 

“Two. And he asked for a chair to be placed outside his room.”

 

“Yeah, they’re goons alright. One sleeps while the other takes his post. But who exactly is this man they are protecting? What name did he check in under?”

 

“Jonas. And the other two men were Hawk and Oden.”

 

“I better get down to see Marshal Marshall. He needs to find out what these men are up to.”

 

* * * *

 

The Tycoon found Marshal Marshall and they went to the Marshal’s office to talk about what Harrington had seen. “I checked the passenger manifests, and he came in from Chicago.”

 

The Marshal wrote down the names and descriptions, and suggested he telegraph the Chicago police to inquire about them.

 

“I wouldn’t do that,” Harrington said. “Guys like that own the police. It will just tip them off. I would go talk to Mathias and see what he gives away, or maybe someone who knows Mathias might know what he’s up to. You know, men who go to his smoking parlor. One of them will certainly squeak.”

 

“Alright,” the Marshal said. “I’ll see what I can dig up. Once I have something I will find you.”

 

* * * * *

 

In the next episode of Centerville 1884: The Continuing Saga: Mashal Marshall digs up more info on these men who made their mysterious entrance into the city. Tycoon Strickling hears about them and has some information to share. Baron Anderson, with the help of the Bargainman, forms the Appanoose County Baseball League and teams start to form. The Daily Iowegian prepares a special sports page.