Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-12

| attendance will be less. without very radical
change is made, and at the first little internal
war in the Association. which must come,
that organization will be rent from
While speaking on this point am reminded of
the efforts of the Louisville "elevatoys" OF the
| game to secure John l. Sullivan as the leading
character in the opening. Now, have nothing
| to say particularly against John L., nor against
| professional pugiism, but certainly l have
| very strong objections to any plan that identl-
me clearly on this point. do not oppose an
honest prize fight, but to make hero of prize
| fighting the most prominent figure in base
| ball event simply because be is notorious as a
prize fighter is what / object to. Baseball is
| the national game of our country. and there
| fore ranked among what we are proud to call
the refined sports. Although 1 have taken an
interest in prize fighting for very many years, l
don't think that anybody will rank it among
the refined sports of the land; indeed, it is an
| unlawful sport. Well, then, what l want to
point out is this: The Association representa-
tives in Louisville must be fine characters, In
deed, when they want to make the national
game popular by identifying it with prize fight
ing. l am only afraid that the Louisville wise
acres are correct type of what are to be found
in the American Association. OF course the
Louisville elevators of the game' desired to
attract large audience to their opening event.
but surely their method means that baseball
is subservient to prize fighting. The reverse is
true. although some Association magpates may
think different
The Local Amateurs
A few days ago received letter from a cor
respondent asking why the Allegheny Athletic
Association members were not getting down
TO work" The writer went on to read the as
sociation very pointed lecture on the direful
consequences of inactivity, and concluded by
signing himself: IA Member of the ssocia-
tion." Doubtless he expected the letter to be
p ublished but have fully explained its object
and that is all that is necessary. A few words
on the matter may not be out of place at pres
ent; don't mean words of out and out advice,
but merely an pinion or two. May will soon
be here almost before we get twice turned
round, and then everybody will begin to look
at this amateur organization ana that one to
see what they are doing and what they have
done. Then will come the question, how are
our boys standing? Well, now, am afraid
that the local boys" will not be in a position
to answer too gaIly After making some very
careful inquiries, have about come to the
conclusion that the local amateurs are not
hustling as lively as they might 1t may be
that the enthusiasm needs stirring up. There
are many reasons why the home association
should even be more active than any other. 1t
is its first real season, and many of its features
will be to some extent experiments. For in
stance, what has been done in baseball by the
association or its commltteef Is there team
outlined yet? and has application been made to
take part in the leading contests? Other Or
ganizations may be able to move slower than
ours at this period, because their '1ist' may be
full. But as have stated, the local organiZa-
ton has the work of laying the foundation to
do, and, therefore, will need more time than
Others There is plenty OF local enthusiasm
concerning athletics, but there Is a danger of
allowing it to lie dormant until the season is in
full swing. and then we will be very BADLY
left" 1t is rot too much to say that our anna
teurs should be up and doing now. There is
plenty of work to do. believe a great year for
afanr nrfG haS arriU Uad nd hat fhQ n1b in
will bestow a greater patronage on them than
ever before. The general indications are cer-
tainlS in that direction and this should prompt
the athletes to get everything into apple-pie
order as soon as possible. Work cannot be
started too soon.
Won Der Ahes Folly.
The ending OF the Baldwin case particularly
proves one thing, viz, that Won der Abe is
very stupid individual. Of course many people
have known this for long time, but the case
in question brings the fact more prominently
than ever before the public. The man never
had the semblance Of case against Baldwin,
and don't think that, probably excepting Won
der Abe, there is one man in the United States
who thought there was ever anything like a
case against him. Although Baldwin is free
once more the outrage committed against him
will not be forgotten by those who take an in
terest in baseball and love fair play. But there
is a very remarkable feature IN connection
with that case. The other day read in a st.
Louis paper the opinion of that very much
overrated man, Mr.. Comisky. on the actions of
Mark Baldwin. That 81. Louis parsonage was
quoted as saying that Baldwin sought to think
shame ef himself for being engaged in such
business as securing contract Jumpers for
PiJtsburg." Good gracious, but this is almost
enough to take ones breath away Just fancy
the shameful work of stealing" players.