The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-18
BASEBALL A GOLD MINE
League Clubs Will Probably
Make Big Money In 1894.
THE LAWMAKERS TO MEET SOON.

VIII BE Handicapped Next Year or Tint
tho Double Umpire System VIII BE Re
vived-Other New Schemes
Though the baseball championship sea-
con of the National league rs we'll as of all
she minor leagues Is ended, there remains
an abundance Of general interest In the
great American sport. Indeed from this
date until after the Leagues annual meet
Ing on Nov. Is there will be more baseball
subjects up for discussion than there has
been before the baseball public in O similar
length of time since the Brotherhood re-
volt in the fall of 1889.
Briefly summarized, these topics SO far
es already sprung are as follows: That the
Boston team should in some way be handi-
capped In next seasons race that the bunt
be abolished; that the Washington club be
punished or disciplined for transferring
games from its home grounds to other
cities; that the double umpire system he
adopted; that baseball players while under
contract be forbidden to own any interest
Up saloon; that Tucker, Tebeau, Vaughn.
k1nslow aud other players who have dis
graced their uniforms on the ballfed be
pepaliZed in n way that will make offenses
OF that kind odious and uncommon I'm the
future; that the double championship sea-
son be revived; that the president of the
League be required hereafter to exercise
closer watch over his umpires' work. and
that umpires be scheduled throughout the
season rs soon rs n playing schedule be
adopted
Before the annual meeting many more
new ideas will he ready for consideration.
Whatever is done in any Of the above men
toned points for legislation will interest
every baseball enthusiast in the country,
because in all matters Of law and legislation
the National league leads. while the others
follow. The proposition to handicap the Bos-
ton team is not Il new one, but it has never
had official notice from League meeting of
magnates. This time it is almost sure to
be sprung, but | think it will get short
shit. The wiser course to pursue is to en-
courage the other clubs to strengthen their
teams Against that plan, however, will
be urged the argument that while the other
teams are being strengthened the Bostons
are also strengthening, as witness their en-
gagement of Bannon to replace Carroll.
Also that new material Is not at hand in
such quantity or quality that it can be
used to pull up other teams on an equality
with the three times champions
Some one has figured out that the aboli
ton of the bunt would pull the Bostons
down to n level with some of the other
teams and suggests that the bunt there
fore be tabooed. No doubt an effort will
be made to have the League wipe out tho
bunt l doubt whether it will succeed.
That would be retrogression. The legisla-
tion In baseball for years has been progress
ive-not backward. While it may be true
that the Bostons use the bunt to more
advantage than any other team, the bunt
is recognized rs scientific part of the
game, and to legislate it out of existence
would be to strike blow at one of the
most popular features OF the sport
There is no doubt that the Washington
owner, George Wagner, will get "call
down" from the League. His action in
transferring championship games from
Washington to Philadelphia, Chicago and
other cities for the mere advantage of a
probable gain of n few hundred dollars al
most wrecked interest in that city. AS
consequence other clubs which had dates
in Washington during the latter part of the
season suffered financially thereby Some
thing Will be done next month to make a
repetition of Wagner's mistake an impossi-
bility.
The double umpire system has some ad-
vocatcs, but not enough to make it become
law, l believe. 1t has already been
shown that the increase would entail at
least 81 600 moro expense to each club. IT
ask their president to schedule umpires
throughout the season and make no
changes or transfers at the request of the
CLUBS interested; also that he travel around
among the different cities and personally
inspect the work of the members OF his
staff. The revival of the double umpire
system is pet idea of Mr. Won der Abe of
st. Louis. He will urge it. but the scheme
mas no possible chance to go through. 1t
has been tried and found wanting.
The cases of offending players are sure
10 DE called up for the consideration of the
board. For the first time in years the
press has united in demand for discipline
gin the case of Tucker at least, and the
magnates cannot afford to ignore it. The
evil OF players owning interests in saloon
property has also come to that point where
it seems necessary for the clubs to take adj
verse action.
The statement is made that not one club
of the ~ in the League lost money this sen
son, and most of them are large winners.
When 1T is known that out of their REGENTS
the 12 clubs paid Off remaining debt of
over 100000 from May till October, q better
idea of the profits Of baseball can he; hasi;.3
That means an average of receipts of 81 800
over and above expenses to the poorest
drawing club Of the lot. The League be-
gan the season with 10 per cent take
off" and soon raised it to 1715 per cent. In
the last months it was again reduced to 10
Per cent, which was sufficient to wipe out
the entire financial incubus Next season
that 500, 600 perhaps the percentage will be
more) will be velvet" and divisible by IL.
is it wonder that the hackers of the clubs
have their eyes on 1894 with eager expecta-
tion-especially as all signs point to an in
crease in general interest even over this re-
markable season.