Connecticut western news., 1886-05-05
BASEBALL.
Facts About the National
 Game as a Business.
The Expense Attendant Upon Maintaining First-Olass Club.

tlrSG-OlaSS OluUs
 Twelve or fourteen years ago 1t was predicted that baseball would ere now be one of the things of the past. In those days clubs were organized on the narrow est monetary margins, mostly by specula- tive and irresponsible men, who, in many cases, when it came to paying their debts failed to do so, and at once declared that there was nothing in baseball, and that it would soon die out. But instead it has struggled along, year after year, un- til it is now the leading American sport, and is backed by some of the wealthiest men in the country. To-day there are thoroughly organized and fully equipped eight associations as follows: The Ma tional League, eight clubs; the American Association, with eight clubs; the South ern League, with eight clubs; the New England League, with six clubs; the Inter State League, with eight clubs; the Northwestern League, with six clubs, and the Gulf League, with six clubs. These eight organizations employ over 800 men, whose salaries for the season will aggregate $1, ,000,0 900 or more. The salary list alone of any frst-class club, foots up from $25, 900 to $40, 900 a year, and individual salaries, in some instances, have nearly reached $5, 900 season, and in many cases they have range from $2,- 500 to $3, 500 for the season. But there is no class of public amusement or sport which, when properly conducted, gives better returns than baseball.
 The travelling expenses of club. form quite an item in the expenditures, and generally foot up to $1O, 900 or more dur ing the year. This includes all railroad fares and accommodations at first-class hotels. Each club has about 12,000 miles to cover during its regular cham pionship season, not to mention how many more while playing exhibition games. Then there is the additional cost of keeping the grounds in proper playing condition, besides paying gate men, ticket-takers and special men en- ployed about the grounds. All these things are we'll understood by those who have studied the subject, and they know full we'll that large capital is required to properly conduct the business. The day has gone by when half dozen men can organize club, unless they can show that they are financially able to carry out their engagements during the season. A year or two ago fancy sala- ries were paid in great many instances, and players who happened to receive a little notice demanded such exorbitant prices that it came near running some of the clubs. To avoid any unreasonable prices by players, the leading organiza- tions have passed a rule limiting play CTS salary to $2,0Oo and doing away with the advance money system except just enough to defray travelling expenses at the beginning of the season. The paying out of a large sum of advance money during the earlier part of the sea- son proved great burden to most of the clubs, and the abolishing of that system has met with general favor throughout the country. A year or two ago good first or third baseman could not be en- gagged for less than $1 900, and from that up to $2, 200. A frst-class second base man could obtain from 5000 to $3, 900. A short stop with any reputation wanted from $2, 500 to $3, 500 year. Outfelders command from $1, 500 to $2, 500 for the season. The pitcher, who is a very i'm portant man in the nine, especially if he has any known abilities as twirler, would make modest demand of from $2,O0O to $3, 500 for his seasons work, and then he would want man to alter nate with him. There are some men who are really worth more than the $2,- 900 limit, and they should be paid in ac- cordance with their merits but there must be a line drawn somewhere, and the men who make unreasonable demands, simply because they happen to do we'll during season, should be kept down to the limit. For $s,0O0 for one hours work, six days in the week, for seven months in the year, is good compensation. -Neao York Man and Express.