Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-24

subject under discussion it has figured very
| prominently recently, but the indications
are that it will be more than ever prominent
| this year. As we all know, the majority Of
clubs in the new League have declared
against Sunday ball playing, but re just as
well understand that these declarations
have been prompted almost entirely by ex-
viction that it is wrong to play baseball on
Sunday. 1t is fact that many gentlemen
connected with the ball clubs want to have
their players play on Sunday, but fear OF
local sentiment prevents it
But this expedient move of not PLAYING
ball on Sunday may not last long. The tre'
mendous crowd that turned out at st. Louis
last Sunday to witness the St. Louis and
Cincinnati game has made wonderful i'm
preston on the minds of many magnates,
and some have come to the conclusion that
the clubs that play Sunday games will be
| the gamers As money is what all clubs
are after poor crowds on other days than
| Sunday NAV force all hands to play ball on
the latter day. The truth is that one Sum
day audience is worth several audiences on
other davs.
1t is not within my province to discuss
the right or wrong of Sunday ball PLAYING.
1t is fact that the greatest thinkers differ
on the question of Sunday amusement and
recreation, and dare say the morality Of
those who support it is just as good as the
morality of those who oppose. Of late
there has considerable Hypocrisy and
Pecksniffian sentiment come to the front on
this Sunday question in and about Pitts
burg. We have had and still have . few
bigots who had they lived in earlier times
have been in their glory lighting fires
in Smithfeld market to burn to
death good and brave people, or would have
been in their happiest mood when assisting
in the atrocious tortures of the Inquisition.
The spirit that actuated the fends of those
earlier times has been transmitted to our
so-called Sunday reformers," and they
Just 60 as far with it as they are able.
Hypocrites of this kind lived in the days Of
that good old divine, Robert Hall, and he
summed them up like this: "Saints W hen
abroad and devils when at home, and they
are more dangerous when saints than when
devils"
If Sunday ball playing is wrong these
hvpocrites will not stop it. because they
are not going the right wav about it If,
instead of invading mans fireside and
preventing his reading Sunday news
paper, they would grapple with palpable
evils, they might be of use and attain sue
cess
The Morality of Amusement.
The above paragraph reminds me Of a
communication 1 received the other day
from T. r. Trelaine regarding what 1 said
a week or so ago about amateur boxing and
athletics generally. Mr.. T. comes to the
conclusion that my advice, if followed out.
would have many injurious results But
he does not tell how, and with that very
important shortcoming in his epistle it is of
very little value, no matter how much he
NAV talk about Christianity.
I have never been able to see why good
Christian should not enjoy the wholesome
amusements and sports of life, and on this
point it is exceedingly interesting to find
how the opinions of Christian leaders them
selves have broadened. John Bunyan once
began to enjoy himself by playing "tip
cal" and he was subsequently SO tlled with
remorse that he could see himself suffering
ali the torments of hades. He really
thought that he had committed a crime.
Why, the Puritans, the prototypes of our
Law and Order trio, were vastly more con-
cerned in trying to extirpate theaters than
stop brutal badger batting, and other re-
voting pastimes. This was simply because
the Puritans had a notion that nobody
should feel gay and light of spirit, but that
Christian responsibilities should ever be the
burden of their mind. The brutality of
degrading sports and pastimes was nothing
to the Puritans compared to the pleasure
derived by individuals from theatrical per-
formances.
And that spirit still fingers here and
there. 1t is not Christianity, it is not
morality. 1t is simply the narrow conceP-
tions of bigots. The pleasure and the
physical development derived from either
boxing exercise or any other wholesome
athletic recreation is just as good for the
young in the pulpit as it is for the young
man at the desk. Both will be better for it
mentally and physically, and when athletic
clubs are formed the result will be better
still because one can help another. Selfish
ness will vanish as all will be inter ested in
one common object We don't want misan-
thropes and people who only live TOR them
selves An old couplet says:
This living for self cannot happiness bring;
This plan many times has been tried;
The man in the Bible who built the big barns,
Through selfishness sickened and died.
The Amateur Ball Players.
Next Saturday the season of the County
League opens, and that means that from that
day on until next fall we will have any
amount of amateur baseball playing in and
about Pittsburg. The prospects for the
are exceedingly bright, and, if e1-
pectations are anything like fulfilled, each
team will make money. An official of the
County League said to me the other day:
''Our League will be all right if the Pitts
burg League team shows well up in their
race"
There is indeed much truth in this state
ment, because experience has shown that
when our professional teams are making O
p oor show in their contest, the local enthu-
siasm descends to avery low ebb, and the
patronage of games naturally dies off If
our "big" team could stand well up in the
League race there would be lots of baseball
enthusiasm, and both professional and anna
teur teams would, therefore, receive amuch
better patronage.
1T has been reported that matters are not
as pleasant among the County League men,
bers as they might be. If this is true it is
to be regretted, and the officials of that
League should see to it at once that all mis-
are cleared up. The con-
test in the League promises to be closer and
keener this year than 1t has ever been, and
that in itself will arouse partisan feelings
more than ever. This will make it incum- |
bent to have all grievances remedied as
much as possible.
Those Veteran Pitchers |
Doubtless all the cranks and fans of the |
national game have noticed so far this sea-
son the wonderful good work done by the |
veteran" pitchers such as Mullane, Keefe, |
Clarkson and Calvin. There is, indeed, |
remarkable in the form displayed |
BY these men so early in the season and |
.fter all of them had been more or less pro-
lounced 'played out" There is something
n their work upon which those who like to
investigate methods of conditioning and
raining can with profit bestow some