The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-27
The Truth About the Ball Championship

We print in another column letter from
Mr.. JOHN WARD, the short stop OF the
Brooklyn Players League Club, the Presl-
dent OF the Brotherhood Of Players, and the
accredited spokesman OF the new associa-
ton which has appeared this year to strug-
gle for the glory. the profits, and the con-
| troll of the national game. The writer does not
appear to have reflected upon the founda-
tions Of his business with any greater
profit than he has studied THE SUN. His
statement that the latter ever contested his
leagues right to exist is as bottomless as a
| topless hat. We have not failed to empha-
size particularly the opinion that the
Players League had as good q right to live
and fight for the control OF base ball as the
National League had, but we have endeav-
ored always to sec that their effort was car
rled on without pretences for the present or
decisions for the future.
Mr.. WARDS theory that a national cham
ponship may still be a prize for the season
OF 1890 because his league is ready to play for
1t after the regular season is over. shows
that he has very limited understanding OF
what made the national championship what
1t was and OF the great and harmonious en-
thusiasm which watched with unfiagging at
tentlon for its decision from May to October
The time for such dash for the champion
ship as the Players League spokesman offers
is past We have had something better
and until we have as good again the Players
Lengue combination must bear the respon-
sibility for the public loss Of it.
The championship many years ago out
grew the limits OF the old-fashioned best
two-in-three contest by which the Athletic
Atlantic meetings used TO settle it for the
year 1t became the result Of long and
systematic struggle Of a league of clubs.
40 arranged that the element Of chance was
squeezed out to the very last possible turn.
And the reason why the base ball public
turned ont at the start OF the season and
at the middle and at the end with fervor
almost unvarying for tho whole OF 1t, was
that there was no doubt az to the field where
the great contest was to occur. There was
no uncertainty as to which league was fight
ing for the first honors. The National League
was known to be the best, to contain the
cream OF the profession. By general consent
tho result OF its competition settled In which !
CITY the premiership OF the national game |
belonged for the ensuing twelve months. |
The league next IN rank the American As |
ISOLATION, though full Of talent, WAS not |
really It's rival. After the regular season |
was over they were in the habit OF playing
for what they called the Worlds Cham
pionship but the public were satisfied that
supremacy rested in fact with the Nh
tlonal Leagne and this belief would
not have been disturbed even If in
the short series Of the autumn the
Association nine had CHANGED TO win,
Tho disadvantage to each organization if
there had been any disposition to dispute
this point, would have been very great. Tho
$40 annual games In which each National
club engaged would have borne the same
relation TO the exciting series which
actually took place that the preliminary
bouts for the right to compete at box
ing for instance, have TO the final tour.
nament. The entire schedules OF both or
would have been preliminary
only TO a brief struggle at their close, and
the public would have regarded hem with q
corresponding indifference As 1t WA