St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-15
Base Ball and Its Future.

Some five months ago hundreds of Clearly
ferent diamonds through this broad land to
start the balls rolling for the different champ
ionships, and the prospects were that they
would be kept rolling uninterruptedly and
merrily along. Never before had the base
ball horizon looked so bright and roseate.
NeYever before had such interest been taken
in the national game by all classes Of people.
Never before had so many base ball clubs
been in the field. Never before had so
many base ball players been under contract.
Never before were such large salaries paid
to the players. 1t is to be the halcyon season
of the base ball heralded in by the flourish of
trumpets and the question as to how much
base ball this country would stand, was to
be definitely settled, and settled in such
way as to show that base ball has been en-
tirelY over done this year. At the
commencement of the season there
were in the United States
upward of 100 professional base ball clubs
fully four times as many as there were five
years ago-in addition to the many thous-
ands of amateur base ball organizations.
This large increase in the number of clubs
caused a competition among managers,
which ran the players salaries up to what
would have heretofore been considered fabu-
lous sums to ball tossers. The salaries paid
players were so large that but few clubs were
able to make money, large number just
contrived to make both ends meet, and a
still greater number sank shekels on nearly
every game played. IN the National League
the Detroit and Cleveland clubs did not make
ovpnucns on their own Grounds and tha Hts
bandment of the Clevelands was for time
openly whispered among the knowing ones.
A levy on the stockholders is all that pulls
them through the season. In the American
association even good ball clubs lost money.
In the Union League the Cincinnatis and
Lucas ST. Louis wreckers made money, but
their profits were wiped out in attempting to
save their sister clubs, which finally
succumbed TO the inevitable and
withdrew. In the Northwestern
League club after club disbanded
owing to financial difficulties, even the lead
ers in the race for the championship pen
uaut being drawn out. The Northwestern
league has been snuffed out though st. Pual
made brave effort to stem the tide. Thus
il has been conelusively proven that there is
a limit TO the amount of base ball this
country will stand-iust as there is a limit
10 all things-and that the bounds of that
limit have been over-stepped. The national
game is about the only outdoor sport that
stands entirely on its merits. 1t does not
require pool-selling and book making to
keep it up. a good, closely contested game Of
base ball, with its varied incidents and
phases, is exciting and interesting enough
for most spectators without any OF the PERM
cious accessories in the way of betting so
necessary TO most outdoor sports. Yet, like
many good things, people can get too much
of it, and they undoubtedly have. What
is wanted is a fewer and better base ball
clubs. Then, with players receiving fair
salaries, base bali clubs will be q success,
financially at least. Base ball clubs are
purely business enterprise the same as
anything else, and players should not
demand from them enormous salaries
larger than paid in any other line Of business.
By so doing they make financial success i'm
possible, bring about the disarmament of the
club, have their salaries unpaid, and find
themselves without engagements. The
managers and players have IT in their hands
to raise for next season either the dark or
the bright side of the curtain which now
hovers over professional base ball in this
country. Which side will they disclosed