The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-10-18
WHEN BALLPLAYING PAYS
A FEW HINzs TO THE FOUNDERS
OF THE STATE LEAGUE.

~. L"
Advice Suggested by Experience = The
Clubs Mist BE Equal in Playing
Strength to Draw an Audiehce--Bow1-
ers, Athletes and wheeimcn.
The proposed State Baseball League
ought to be d success if energetic
thoughtful men are put at the helm.
This city we feel certain would support a
good club if the league race was close
This suggests a gentle hint to the found
strength of the clubs.
Let the League be the absolute govern
ing body, fix uniform salaries for the
positions and do not permit a club to ex
coed thes salary limit or evade it by gifts
to a player in addition to his salary.
WHERE II HAS BEEN MADE.
The natural disposition of club directors
n managers is to secure the best talent
Il organize the winning team.
That has been the fatal biunder in this
State; and in fact in many places where
the game would be O success ii the ann
bition of stockholders of some clubs a
not overcome their Judgment. They
wanted to nave the champion nine, and to
secure it bought the most expert players,
u paid fabulous prices for their ser
vices. They had the money and spent it.
Tit other cities in the same league or
association, not having the wealth, were
unable to compete with their rivals, and
interest in the game was dead, as the
team was looked upon as a losing nine,
Inc people will not TURF out to see q club
that has no chance of winning the pen.
nant unless they are playing close to the
nine from some adjacent and rival city,
whose games they will turn out to see.
On the other hand, if q city has n club
that is winning the people lose interest in
them as they reach the conclusion that
stay away. They are only seen when the
club that is nearest the home team in the
race for the championship arrives and
the number of spectators depends on the
position of the two clubs.
If the club is SO far ahead that 1t is not
likely to be overtaken the attendance
will not be very large. If it is a close,
uncertain fight then the grand and field
stands will be packed with people.
POPULAR INTEREST VARIES.
The record OF the attendance at the
games OF the National League and Amer
lean Association, II fact all other COM
binations of ball clubs will prove this.
La New York the drawing card shortly
after the season opened was the Boston
club and vice versa. Washington and the
cities at the bottom of the list lost money.
Toward the end of the season, when Chi
cH%O was Oup Ol Gl10 p6uudnG race, Uu0J
played to empty seats at home.
1t was the same with the Association.
The Brooklyn Clubs grounds would be
black with people when the St. Louis
club was to play, but when the clubs at
the left of the column appeared h stands
were almost vacant.
For o league to be a success it must be
conducted on q business basis, and no
club should be allowed to engage players
who outclass the other mines in the
organization.
If a league is formed in this State on
that basis and the result of the fight for
the pennant is in doubt, and The home
club has a chance to secure the first place,
then the people will turn out to see them.
The fact that the club plays good ball is
not sufficient if the people know that the
visiting club plays better ball.
The nome clu b must play ball equally
as well as the visiting club, and they
must be in close company with their OPP
ponentS in the pennant contest to attract
people to their grounds.
HOW TO GET Al CROWD.
If q club Is entered from this city in
the State League and the League prohib-
its fancy prices for players, strengthens
weak clubs and weakens strong clubs so
as to keep them even III playing strength,
then baseball will be q success in the
State.
1t is not intended that the League shall
have a lot of baseball sticks aud cast offs,
They must have men who know how to
play. An abundance of good men can be
obtained at fair salaries. This city has
several able men who can manage a club,
and on the conditions anne the club
would be a paying investment.