The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-14
TO REVIVE THE GAME.
THE NEED FOR NEW LIFE IN AMER
ICA'S NATIONAL SPORT

THE NEED FOR NEW LIFE IN AMER
ICA'S NATIONAL SPORT.
The National League to Meet in CHI
caRo This Week-Whst the Base Ball
Authorities All Over the Country
are Talking About-Tne Outlook and
Plans for the Southern League.
The meeting of the National League in
Chicago this week will start the ball roll
ing for next season. There is no Disgusting
the fact that base ball has been on the de-
cline during the last year or two, and some
thing has got to be done to revive it. There
seems to be feeling in favor of doing away
with the two seasons aud too many clubs.
just what is necessary to be done and what
will be done remains to be seen.
In this comm ection a Philadelphia ccrrs-
spoudent, writing to the st. Louis NelCS on
the falling off in enthusiasm and patron
age, hit she nail pretty hard on the head so
far as decline of batting is concerned when
he said:
Base ball has also declined because what
were its most attractive features are now
but seldom seen. As the pitchers skill has
advanced, batting has become almost lost
art.
ITO place hit safely now is more good
luck than real skill. To see man after man
go up to the plate to be retired on strikes or
else be thrown out a weak inf1eld hit 10
more disgusting than interesting. Heavy
batting, which will keep the outfleld-
ers sprinting after flies and pile up
the runs, is what the public want
to see. To, day base ball is all battery
work. All depends upon the pitcher and
catcher. 1t is a game OF inshoots, outcurves
a a.1I khN d l. ~ h. ,tz -
declined. Amend the rules so as to give the
batsmen a chance.
do away with the professional pitchers.
Keep the ball moving lively, make 1t a
game in which every player will have
plenty to do, and base ball will again regain
the position of the leading and most OK
citing of all sports.
There are nine innings to game. and
nine men to each side. Making every man
on the nine pitch one inning seems to be a
plan which would solve the difficulty. Give
US the old-time smuggling matches with the
big scores, and there will be big crowds to
witness the games and plenty of money for
all concerned"
The men who make base hits, fly catches
aud runs in the spring, summer and early
autumn are, for the most part, IMPROVE
dent Particularly Is 1t the characteristic
of those who came up from comparative
poverty within few years TO be the COM
manders Of $4,000, s., 900 and s., 900 sala-
rieS. There are men who received SIS 600
each in base ball salary last summer who
will borrow money before spring to pay
their board bile. Very few OF the $50
with enough money saved to pay the
winters keeping. And yet these 100 men
have been paid in cash since April l not less
than 100000.
The chief drawback to base ball Ia the
south. according to Sporting Life. is that
the rivalry between some towns is a bit too
bitter, which naturally leads to personali-
ties and ugly talk affecting the integrity of
the game as played down there There Is q
good deal OF truth In what Sporting Life
says.
The Cleveland papers have had little to
say about base ball since the crushing
worlds series.
Ted Sullivan, who has been given the
Nashville franchise in the Southern League,
is already hustling for strong team. While
cunning after players in Cincinnati the other
day Ted said: THE Southern League last
season was very successful, but predict
even a more successful season In 1898.
Nashville will, in my opinion, be the ban
ner city of the big circuit, just as Atlanta
was last year. think we made a wise
move in adding four new clubs, as it will
add life to the organization and give au
evenly balsnced circuit"
The championship season In the California
League Ia drawing to a close. At the present
writing 1t looks as though Los Angeles was
destined to contest the final championship
with the San Jose team, the winner of the
first series.
There is considerable disappointment felt
in Knoxville, over the failure of that city
to secure Southern League franchise
The annual meeting of the National
League will be held in Chicago Wednes-
day. The meeting will be important, Of
course, as all league meetings are, but not
sensational. No change in membership will
occur, as the present circuit must and will be
maintained another year. Routine business
is likely to occupy the larger portion of the
attention Of the delegates
Some PittSburg philosopher says in truth
that nothing during ball game, no matter
st what stage, brings the spectators on their
feet bowling and shouting quicker than a
good long hit. enabling the runner to make
the entire circuit of the bases. The sinai lest
number Of home runs was made on the
Louisville grounds, 10, and the largest num-
Der on the st. Louis grounds, 62, as follows:
AT st. Louis. ...... 60 At New York ....... 80
AT Cincinnati. ...... so At Baltimore ... ~
Al Boston.,...".'-. 49 At Brooklyn ...... Il
AT Pittsburg $3.50. a. At Chicago. ........ /?
At Philadelphia. .... Al AT Cleveland .. IA
At Washington ..... Al At Louisville. 49,. 10
Total. ............. .....................4e 9
The number Of home runs made bv each
club at home and abroad Is a. follows;
At Home. Abroad. Total
Philadelphia. ..,..,........33 is 40
CINCINNATI. .....D 10 d6
~ LOUIS .''.-''''.'''''...52 ID Is
rev otk'''.... ..-....,.....26 IL DO