Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-07
HIGII-PRICED TEAMS.
Effect of Augustus retirement from
the League.

the League.
1t is announced that Augusta has sur
rendered her franchise in the Southern
League, and that her team is disbanded.
This announcement has thrown a damper
on base ball ardOr, and has given rise to
some fear that the league will 20 under.
Augustus fate is nothing more than
the logical sequence of very bad policy
which was adopted by several other cities
in the association, namely, that Of hiring
very high-priced players instead of get
ting men willing To play for less salary,
but who are, nevertheless, good players.
Every team In the league has suffered on
this account. In view OF the possible
disbandment of the league the Nashville
Banner prints the following, which is
certainly WORTHY of consideration:
alt is becoming more apparent every
day that the Southern League will never
become financial success under the eX-
listing high salaries paid. While it is a
conceded fact that tAe0atrOnage of the
game is propOrtiOnatey as large in the
South as anywhere, yet this patronage
liberal as it isis not sufficiently large to
Justify the expense incurred Dy the Vari-
Gus base ball associations in the southern
League. Something that Will keep up the
high standard which the game has at
tanned, aud, at the same time, reduce eX-
penses, must be done, il the league won d
continue. The most practicable scheme
that presents ltselfis the employment of
home talent, which could be secured for
half the amount paid now. This would
not only produce the desired effect, but
would doubtless receive better patronage.
sit is but natural TO assume that city
would take more pride in a team COM
posed of home material than one of stran-
gers. And then, too, it would give en-
plOyment to a good many young men, who
would only be too anxious to accept an
opportunity OF this kind. The several
Southern players in the league have dem
onstrated that there is as good material
here as anywhere; the only thing wanting
is development.
suppose the excellence OF play was
lowered little in the league, would it
not be equally shared by ali? The games
would be in as much doubt and the re-
suit awaited with as much anxiety as
now. 1t will be remembered that the
amateur games played before the fOrma-
tiOn of the league were as well attended
as the championship games are now, and,
if anything, there was more interest
taken in them. They aroused local pride
pride which cannot be taken in stran-
gers. 1t is well known that every good
player that is brought out in the South is
eagerly scooped by the North
ern clubs. Instead, then, of going
abroad to secure raw material
and then going through the pro-
cess of development, why not employ
home talent aud let the boys OF the south
reap the benefits of such training. Ii
| every Southern club were to enter into an
| agreement of this kind the receipts would
! be as large, expenses reduced OEe-halt,
interest in the game still maintained, il
not increased, and then we would have a
| Southern League in every sense. The
chief objection to be urged to this is that
the Northern clubs would still offer In
! ducements to the crack players OF the
! South ana take them away. but by en-
! couraging Southern players the supply OF
| good players would equal the demand"