San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-05-11
NO LEAGUE FOR '99.
THE LONE STAR STATE WILL
HAVE ONLY AMATEUR BALL.
San Antonio as a Ball Town and
the Many Admirers of the
National Game-The Crack
Amateur Team of 1891.
Written specially for the LIGnr:

Written specially for the Light:
The baseball problem for the season of
1923 has been solved in the Lone Star
State. While the crankS of the north,
south, east and west are enjoying first
class exhibitions of the great American
national game, the many admirers OF the
sport 10 the largest state of the Union
have TO content themselves with only the
reports of the games which appear in all
the large dailies of this country. 1t is no t
unsafe to assert that there are mlny
baseball enthusiasts within the bOunda-
rieS of Texas. who are as well VerSed with
the many professional clubs and players
ofthe country, as the crankS of the cities
which are represented. | can go uD Com
merce street, starting at the LIGHT office.
and before | reach the Kampmaun build
ing, III have enough baseball infOrma
tiOn TO fill several columns of the LIGHT
That would be simply an evidence of the
high esteem in which the national game
is held by San Antonians.
The slang term baseball crankS'
applies 10 the leading citizens of the
United States: such as the nations preSi
dent, eY-PreSident Harrison, the lac
Jay Gould, ct al, as well as it embraces
all otter regular attendants at the
games.
The people of Texas will be supplied
only with
ANGETEUR BALL THIS SEASON,
And in San Antonio there is a doubt
whether even a first class amateur team
will be organized. Thus far nothing has
been done to have the Alamo city repre-
scented on the diamond this season, and if
she expects TO he in line with her sister
oil ba MI is ri in, IL
matter. The cities Of Galveston, Houston.
Dallas. Fort Worth. Waco and Fl PaSc,
already .have their clubs equiI ped anu
prepared 10 do battle when the signal is
given. In the season Of 1891. San AntO-
MO enjoyed the distinction of having the
CHAMPION AMETEUR TEAM
OF the state of Texas. The various teams
then were composed of extraordinary
strong amateur material,a and this city was
famous for having the strongest. The
team defeated everything that put in an
appearance, and had to offer special in
duCementS TO the then famous WaXa-
hachieS, champions of north Texas, for
series OF games.
The season opened very late, on July 4.
owing to the lack of an enclosed park,
and at the close it was found that the
San Antonio amateur Climb had played
thirty-three games and only lost three
That is what the amateurs of 81 ac-
cOmpliShed.
As early as January, preparations were
begun for
PROSPEROUS SEASON
for 1892. A team was formed. we'll
equipped, aud everything was in readi-
ness for the season to begin. games having
been arranged. Another team came into
existence, and rivalry between the two
clubs for the base ball supremacy OF the
city was intense. Red hot challenges an
peared daily in the columns of the local
papers, and baseball was raging furiOuSIy
in San Antonio. The local patrons soon
tired OF reading challenges instead of re-
ports OF games, the war subsidized, and
both clubs went under
The Texas League Of Professional Base
Ball clubs was then given birth with
clubs in Galveston, Houston. Dallas and
Fort Worth. The latter two cities drop
ped out about July and San Antonio and
Waco We're taken in the circuit, which
was considered an improvement on the
previous league. This city had the sad
misfortune TO have a weak team as rep
resentative in the league. The team
played poorly and the man cement seem
ed utterly pOwerleSS over the players.
Professional ball has never as vet
proved paying venture in San Antonio,
and this accounts chiefly for the
POOR MANAGEMENT
or the clubs. There have been
players on the teams Of this city
who. are now playing with some of the
Leading, clubs OF the country and are in
demand. They were then capable of mt
ting up the same quality of ball as now.
but as it was not required of them by the
captain or manager, who generally
happe ned to be also one of
their kind. they saw no necessity for py-
erting themselves for country town. =
as they termed San Antonio. yet there
must be allowance for exceptions. There
were a few players in the teams Of This
city who played hard. honest ball. and
never yielded until the last man was out
In the last inning. With a winning club
IN this city, there is no doubt but what
professional ball can be made success.