Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-04
THE LEAGUE TOO BIG.
Eastern Authorities Discuss the Pros
poets of the Twelve.Club Plan.
THE BALTIMORES IN THE CITY.
Warren Sports Find Wrestler to Match
Against Ed Reilly.
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS OF THE DAY
Cincinnati. ..........3 Washington.........O %
Louisville. ........4 81. Louis. ...........2

NEW YORK, July 3.-Now that the first
half of the baseball season is about ended,
baseball cranks and all people interested in
the game are talking about the 12-club
League. Opinions are divided as to its
against it in the East Large numbers Of
Eastern people have never taken kindly to
it, and good authorities claim that the four
Association clubs admitted will always be a
handicap on the others
That a majority of the magnates look upon
the 12-club League as failure is very evil
dent Those who are opposed to it are the
old League men, who have never turned
from the old principles of the organization,
but who have always been opposed to Sun
day games, the open sale Of beer on the
grounds and the like. The former members
of the Association and few others who
were largely instrumental in the scheme to
bring about the consolidation of the two
organizations last winter are not complain
ing. Thus the organization is divided
against itself. but the agreement drawn up
by the members at indianapolis is such as
to prevent the alteration of the present
plans without serious eruption and the
liability or series of lawsuits. The out
come of such Q move would almost certainly
ruin baseball
Nobody Can Help His Neighbor.
At present the clubs are Just hanging to-
gether and can scarcely stand many more
blows. Some of the magnates favor fight,
for they say that there Is too much senti-
ment and not enough common sense at the
bottom of the present combination. None
of the clubs Is making money enough to
bolster up weaker comrades, and it would
only be putting off the evil day to tempor-
ize until all the weaker clubs are bankrupt.
The old National League was compact
organization, and each club retaining the
big end of its own receipts, some of the
clubs made money. The American Asso-
citation also made money, or, at least, paid
its way and kept up its existence while
The 12-club League, BY following the e1-
ample of the Boston club and reducing ex-
penses, may last the season out, but the
chances are that the stronger clubs will be
weaned Of the incubus they have assumed
in the shape of the four Association clubs.
Captain Anson has already declared the r.
club League is delusion and snare. A
magnate declared month ago
that the League was loaded down with four
clubs that never would pay expenses. The |
Boston people have pretty much the |
League idea. and all will be ready to admit, |
'ooner or later, that the present League is
90 unwieldy and carries too many invalid |
,lubs. /
has Greatly Increased Expenses.
President Byrne, of Brooklyn, and all
he Association contingent, including John
T. Brush, of Cincinnati, declare that the
eason has been so backward that the new
cheme has not been given fair test. They
10 not hesitate to say that the 12 club
cheme has greatly increased individual
,lub expensea The continual changing
bout has been a great expense, and as the
ttendance in some of the cities has not
,een sufficient to pay the way of the teams,
he clubs have been compelled to put out
money continually, .-----..
This serious strain has caused the re-
luction of the players salaries. All the
ligh priced men have had to suffer, and
With few exceptions they have agreed to
he reductions They see that the crowds
re not large enough to enable the clubs to
,eep up their present rates and live
the season.
Unless there is rapid revival of the in
crest in the game the magnates hint at
mother move that will come heavily on the
,layers The exact nature of it is not
,nown, but that they may have to con-
ribute part Of their salaries toward defray-
ng railroad and travelling expenses, which
ave heretofore been free, seems likely.
The salary question is also receiving con-
iderable attention in all the minor Leagues,
everal of which are in a serious financial
ondition. Some of them have found it
even with limited salary lists, to
rop some of the n-playing clubs and to
istribute the players among the weaker
lubs.