The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-18
The Baseball Industry.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal
Rolling-mills and manufactures are we'll
enough in their way, but any city aspiring to
prosperity and renown should have
ball club. Indianapolis has for some years
managed to squeeze along under the load of
disadvantage imposed by the absence of
base ball attachment; but now that public
spirited citizens have taken hold of the mat
ter and provided us with ball club COM
posed of competent players, whose abilities on
the field are only equaled by their urbanity
and careful observance of the amenities pre-
vailing in good social circles, they should re-
ceive all possible encouragement. BY this l
do not mean merely that our people should
strain point to attend and contribute to the
support of this noble industry by paying for
seats; something more is needed. 1t might
be well for the city authorities to grant
the club all favors possible; the
police commissioners should not
confine their generosity to the
saloons, but should promptly suspend all
laws bearing harshly on ball players. If
the players are not satisfied with this, pIb
lie meeting might be held and steps taken to
procure from the next legislature all the
privileges desired by this important indus
sirabie to have State baseball superintend-
ent appointed, who should be empowered
to inflict condigu and summary punish
ment on any incautious person who ven
tured to crticlse either the conduct or the
playing of any member of the sacred nine.
OF course, reforms OF this kind cannot be
accomplished at once, but if the newspapers
of the city can be induced to take hold
of the matter and keep it before the people
the effort will surely succeed. In all
great public enterprises unity of effort is de-
sirable and necessary, and the press is of the
greatest possible assistance. The apathy of
the press, particularly of the Journal in this
matter has been a source of surprise and
grief to those who are familiar with its
energy in other fields. If the managers of
the newspapers can only be made to under
stand the Importance of the matter there is
no reason to think they will refuse to aid in
the advancement of the work. Each pro-
prietor or editor of newspaper, in order to
satisfy himself of the worthiness of the cause
in which his powerful aid is desired, should
either visit the grounds himself when game
is in progress or send some authorized repre-
sentative, whose duty it should be
to place the most favorable construction
possible on what he may witness. Carping
criticism will only weaken the enter
prise, while a calm and judicial statement of
facts will not be injurious to either the club
or its managers. But the only hope of saw
ing this industry to our city is that the press
may be induced to mention the matter
occasionally. In times past the Journal has
always performed its full duty in fostering
local enterprises and l think, now that its
attention is called to this matter, it will
henceforth be found laboring zealously In
the front rank in behalf of this useful enter.
prise. You daily devote many columns to
railway news and commercial reports, which
might be largely reduced and occasional
mention made of this struggling industry.
A LOVER OF THE GAME.