The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-04

The attendance at Boston. New York,
Philadelphia and brooklyn on Saturday
was largely in favor of the Players league,
but as Saturday in all Of these cities is
largely in the nature of holiday the fig
ures are not representative of the steady
baseball clientele. The steady gains made
by the League have made the Brotherhood
managers thoughtful, and l am told on
pretty good authority that they would be
only too glad to patch up a truce and
change their schedules were it not for the
fear that they would lose prestige among
their moro enthusiastic supporters should
they show any signs of weakening. There
is no doubt, however, that they will make
some changes in their circuit, if not before
the season is over, certainly before start
ing in on another campaign.
1t was publicly stated last week that the
League had made a proposition to the
Brotherhood that if they would change
the names of their clubs the League would
agree to change of dates IN most of the
cities during the second half Of the season.
l was told by a gentleman, whose name 1
am not 80 liberty to give, who is high in
the councils Of the Players league officials,
although not one Of them, that he knew
positively that such a scheme had iGdi-
managers. The League people, however,
deny the story in toto. One Of them told
me that he thought it would be q wise plan
for the Players league to change the names
OF their clubs, as he believed such a course
would benefit the game by increasing the
aggregate attendance. but that the Ma
tionaI league had made no propositions to
their opponents and would make none.
There is no doubt that the League men
would be pleased to sec such move, for it
would benefit them more than their oppo-
nents. The Players league is not likely to
take step that would give their rivals any
advantage.
There has been a tendency on the part of
some people, moro notably league men, to
attribute the failing of in attendance at
the games as an indication that our great
national sport is losing ground This is an
erroneous idea. Iii is very likely that the
public interest is not so fierce as it was
when the presence Of one team in a city
united all the enthusiasts in shouting for
that one team and inspiring strong local
pride in their achievements, but ! do not
believe that the general interest is one whit
less than in 1889. It IS true that theattend-
ance figures last week were small, but this
was due solely TO the bad weather which
reduced the contests in most Of the cities
to one-half of those scheduled and greatly
handicapped the attendance at those played.
From this out, until well into September,
l expect to note'that the aggregate attend
ance at the games Is larger thanever before
known in the annals Of the sport. One
thing Is certain, this talk of decrease in
interest" is not likely to increase and it has
no real foundation in fact
The visit Of the Chicago Players league
team to the east has created a feeling Of
anxiety in the breast Of that crazy baseball
enthusiast, Edward Everett Bell. This indi-
vidual has been made almost a national
character By his peculiar eccentricities on
every ball ground he visits. He is not
crank of the Digby Bell, Maurice Barry
more DeWolf Hopper or General" Dix
well order They are immensely popular
because there is nothing offensive or eccen-
trio in their makeup, unless it be DixweIl's
harmless "Hi, hi" which has TO certain
hxtent made him famous. Edward Everett
Bell is different. He is unique He only
talks about two things. One is the safes
he sells, and the other baseball He has
three fads. One Is long hair, the second a
blind devotion 10 the Chicago Brotherhood
team, and the other a plug hat.
p-ll'- - hat end u'hisl-ars lans yaans