The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-12
FUTURE OF BASEBALL
Prospects of a Pacific Northwest
League Next Season.
SALARIES MUST COME DOWN.
John 9. Barnes Epftaph for the De-
funet Lesgue-Gossip Of the Sport
Amateur Games.

Inc iutuic va PROFESSIONAL baseball IN
the Pacific Northwest is the subject of
considerable amount of discussion. The
eroakers have proclaimed its death, while
the enthusiasts are equally as certain that
o league will take the field again next
spring. However this may be. it is certain
that the game cannot be supported in this
section on such an expensive scale as was
attempted this season. Towns averaging
less than 5000 in population cannot main
tain teams with salary list too big for
towns of three or four times their size.
The continuation Of baseball on the North
Pacific coast may depend on consolidation
with California, and there may once more
be separate league. but the days of high
priced ball have passed.
The salary evil has always been the
greatest enemy that minor leagues have
known. An Unsuitable desire to outstrip
all competitors has led to a reckless disre-
gard OF expenditure that has always meant
ruin to follow. And the lesson drawn
from frequent disasters seems never to
have been sufficiently taught to those who
should have profited by it. Every year
leagues start out with the avowed inten.
ton to keep under reasonable salary
limit. Soon some club, which is dropping
to the rear or is running a neck-and-neck
race for the lead, decides to strengthen.
Then the others, fearful of being left be-
hind, also begin to gather in stronger and
more costly talent. The scramble grows
hotter and hotter, until the salary lists
grow to ruinous proportions, and the col
lapse comes sooner or later.
The history of the Pacific Northwest
League is splendid example of what the
growth in salaries brings upon baseball
associations. In its first season, 1890, this
country was on ''boom," salaries were,
generally speaking. kept within reasonable
bounds. and the clubs prospered. Last
year money was not 80 plentiful yet
salaries grew higher. There was salary
limit, but little notice was taken of it.
This season the salaries took big Jump
upward. At the start each club put
bigh-priced team in the field
and later in the hunt for winning talent
the cost grew higher and higher. The
most costly material outside of the big
league was engaged in cities of the fourth
or fifth class, and the crash was bound to
come. Mathematical calculation could
not help but show the folly of paying such
salaries as were paid to Earle, Giliiland,
Hatfield, Baldwin, McNabb, Griffith,
Beard, Tebeau, Raymond and others, but
the race for the lead was on, and business
judgment was crowded out in the struggle
for supremacy on the ball field
John ). Barnes in a recent letter to the
Sporting Nems made the following sug-
gestion for an inscription to be put OH q
tombstone in memory of the Pacific North
west League: SACRED to the memory of
the Pacific Northwest League. Born at
Tacoma, WASH, March l5 1890 Died at
Tacoma August 81, 1892. If her salaries
had been $1,000 per month instead of
5000, she would have lived. She was all
right in her way, but she didn't weigh
enough" The epitaph is a most appro-
pirate one, coming as it does from the man
who was more responsible for the estab-
lishment of high salaries in this league
than any other ten individuals connected
with it.
There are now surviving in the United
States but four minor leagues of any i'm
portance and two of these are on the high
road to ruin. One of the two is nothing
more than meteor in the baseball TRINA
ment. which will very shortly burn out.
1t is the little Montana State League,
which with four cities. averaging perhaps
1870" i"haoi'ai'S each, ~ paying Ioiu
$500 to $500 month in salaries. They are
mining towns where money flows like
water from the sporting element, and
the funds necessary to run the teams
is furnished by the dead game sports"
going down into their pockets. Such
state of affairs cannot last. The South
ern League, after lying dormant for a
couple of years. started i'm this season with
very cheap lot of teams. as far as salaries
went. Gradually however, the lesson was
forgotten and the most of the teams now
cost twice as much as they did few
months ago. The outcome is not difficult
to guess The California League, although
it still hangs on, has been compelled to
take up retrenchment in salaries. The
Eastern League is made up Of large and
wealthy cities which can we'll afford the
comparatively moderate salaries that are
paid there.
To sum I'M the situation the Pacific
Northwest can have baseball another sea-
son If the different towns put in teams
that will cost not over 81 900. or at most
Sl3o. about half of what they were this
season. The people have been educated
M to baseball, and after the present po-
ht!cai excitement is over the demand for
the sport will no doubt assume very large
proportions. Backing for the teams will,
no doubt, be forthcoming, but nothing
but economical management can make
The game permanent here.