The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-14
A LESSON THAT MUST BE LEARNED.

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A LESSON THAT MUST BE LEARNED.
The indianapolis base ball club finds itself
just where it might have expected to twelve
months ago. Two years ago the base ball
business-for it is business-was re-
spectacle, and correspondingly popular with
the people. 1t was well patronized
here in indianapolis and it paid; the ''boys"
played honestly and played well; drunkenness
was rare, and gentlemanly conduct was the
rule. Anxious to build up business, the man
ayers respected public opinion and observed
the law. The conduct of the sport was in
marked contrast with what it afterwards de-
generated into During the season of 1888,
before the decay of this amusement began
here the games were played, not only with
spirit, but decently; the decisions of the UNI
pire were respected, and umpires were fair i'll
their decisions because fairly and decently
treated. There was scarcely a symptom of
last seasons disgraceful bummerism, and
vulgar ''guyings" and threats of violence by
spectators were well-nigh unknown. But sue
cess paved the way to diaaster-the managers
could not stand prosperity. Seeing that
certain clubs in certain localities
drew large crowds on Sunday, they argued
that if Sunday games were introduced here
very gratifying success would be raised to
something more. So the project was put into
practice There was one thing, however, that
they did not appear to consider-they took no
account of the feelings and wishes of that
very considerable element of base ball patrons
who admired the game, but who could not
bring themselves to consent to the dissertation
of the Sabbath. Sunday games were insti
tuted in defiance of law and, as had been ex-
pected, they drew patronage-in fact, became
the most profitable of any. But the patron
age Of the remaining six days of the week
fell off so suddenly and to such an extent
that the average receipts were very much low
cred So that in the end, the venture was
disastrous. The Sunday gamesk killed those of
the week for two reasons; They alienated
those who respected the Sabbath, and kept
others away from the grounds on other days
because they could go on Sunday
The indianapolis club is suffering from the
same causes that affect similar organizations
elsewhere The esprit de corps, the make-upof
the clubs is not whatit should be. It not in
tl,,+ Oh
der-hitters should be metamorphosed into
gentlemen, simply because they are lifted out
of their element to cater to an amusement
loving public. 1t is a mistake to pay a natu
raj hummer a fancy price because his biceps
are well developed 1t is a mistake to pay
any kind of man four or five times as much to
play ball as he could earn in any other bust
ness. Just such errors as this, while render
ing financial success doubtful, if not impossi-
BILE, has reared a coterie of snobbish DULLES
Base ball managers have several things to do
before this athletic sport can be rein
stalled in public popularity. First.
they must respect the moral senti-
ment of the community in which
they operate. If Decorating the Sabbath is
prejudicial, it must be abandoned-just as it
must be abandoned here in indianapolis, if
the club would ever succeed. Next, hummer
ism and drunkenness must be eliminated.
Coarseness, even when relieved from absolute
vulgarity, cannot be tolerated. Base ball,
like any other business, must stand Or fall on
its merits. In itself it possesses the elements.
of very enjoyable diversion, and there is no
reason why it should not be made acceptable
to all classes of society. 1t must come to be
acknowledged however, that respectable
gentleman can play ball as well as bum
mer, and if the latter seeks an engagement,
he must consent to act as a gentleman if he
would appear before gentlemen and ladies.
The lesson of the last past season is plain
enough viii managers profit by it,