, 1890-06-03

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 a holiday the fig
ures are not representative OF the steady
baseball clientele. Tn steady gains made
by the League have made the Brotherhood
managers thoughtful, and / am told on
pretty good authority that they would be
only too glad to patch up a truce and
change their schedules were II not for the
fear that they would lose prestige among
their more enthusiastic supporters should
they show any signs OF weakening. There
is no doubt, however, that they will make
some changes in their circuit, n not before
the season is over, certainly before start
ing in on another campaign.
Ii was publicly stated last week that the
League had made a proposition to the
Brotherhood that II they would change
the names Of their clubs the League would
agree to a change OF dates In most of the
cities during the second half OF the season.
/ was told by a gentleman, whose name /
am not at 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 n scheme had indi-
rectly been advanced by the National league
managers, The League people, however,
deny the story in toto. One Of them told
me that he thought 1t would be a wise plan
for the Players league TO chnngethe names
OF their clubs, as he believed such a course
would benefit the game by increasing the
aggregate attendance. but that the Ma
tional league had made no propositions to
their opponents and would make none.
There Is 40 doubt that the League men
would be pleased TO see such II move, for IL
would benefit them more than their oppo
nents. The Players league is not likely u
take a step that would give their rivals an
advantage.
There has been a tendency on the part o
some people, more notably league men, t,
attribute the falling of In attendance a
the games as In indication that our grea
national sport Is losing ground. This Is nj
erroneous idea. II Is very likely that the
public interest Is not so fierce as 1t wa,
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. II is true that the attend.
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
Iexpect to note that the aggregate attend
AuCe NJ lnt khlllts IN hIBtI ILAu tNtT DtIOTt
known In the annals of the sport. One
thing is certain, this talk OF decrease in
interest" is not likely to increase and it haI
no real foundation in fact.
The visit OF the Chicago Players leagu,
team to the east has created a feeling O.
anxiety in the breast of that crazy baseball
enthusiast, Edward Everett Bell. This indi
viduAl has been made almost a ~nationA
character by his peculiar eccentriciuss oil
h.1I $1,000 10 xt.lt. IL. l. --s
crank of the Digby Bell, Maurice Barry
more, De Wolf Hopper or General DIX
well order. They are immensely popula
because there Is nothing offensive or eccen
trio in their makeup, unless 1t be W
harmless Hi, hi" which has to n certain
extent made him famous. Edward Everett
Bell Is different. He is unique. He onl.
talks about two things. One is the safe
be sells, and the other baseball, He hA
three fads- One is long hair, the second
blind devotion to the Chicago Brotherhood
team, and the other a plug hat.
Bells plug hat and whiskers, long man
and glasses are a makeup that causes hin
eeaseless anguish when the small boys &c
sight Of him crossing the 'bleacheries" .
the ball parks. Two OF Bells fAds, tn
Chicago team and his long name, are IL
danger. hence his anxiety. In an evil mo
ment Bell wagered his long hair agains
VIC I-usci koabcS Ahhl SOulLske1 = mel
would win the Players league penAnt
The way the Brooklyn team hustled Bell
pets has really taken his appetite away
Mr.. Engel, who is also a crank of nationa
repute, has twitted Bell SO much about tn
defeats of Chicago that the long haire,
crank has lost weight at the rate of
pound day. Engel sweaus he will hRvl
that name, and the general belief amonl
Bella friends is that unless Comiskey'
braves take n tremendous brace the maj
of hair. hat and tongue will soon be a mer
shadow.
1t looks now to a man up a tree that tn
Boston, Brooklyn and Chicago teams o
the Players league are the only teams whit
are in 1t for the pennant of their organi
z~ation, with the Bostons a first choice. Blu
baseball is very peculiar, and in another