Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-09-24

JOHN MbfAHON OF THE BALTIMORES.
ball in the largest cities. That object was
gained, as subsequent events have clearly
proved.
The question now bothering the minds
of the magnates is, Can the League re-
duce its territory to eight clubs and take
in an equal partner likeG new American
or National association. and run no risk of
another costly, ruinous baseball war? The
general opinion is that it can, because an
impression prevails that the lessons of the
previous wars have been too extensively
learned to be soon forgotten.
Too many tail enders is the trouble with
a ~ club circuit. To be in what is called
the second division of the big League is
almost a disgrace, and six clubs must all
the time occupy that position. Then an
impression prevails in some of the west
ern cities that their teams are outclasscd
and always will be, which, of course,
causes apathy among those clubs patrons.
This state of affairs is especially true in
st. Louis, Louisville and Cincinnati,
where memories of former glorios in the
American association are still green.
The Bostons, New Yorks, Philadel-
phias, Baltimores, Chicagos and Pitts
burgs will surely be six of the eight clubs
to remain in the National league. The
Brooklyns and Clevelands are problem
atical. / believe the Brooklyn club would
like to enter new association. Brooklyn
is largely a 25 cent city in baseball, and
if Sunday games could be arranged at
home the Brooklyns would jump at the
chance of being the big fish in the new
pond. think Cincinnati also has tired
of rattling around at the bottom of the
League bucket and would welcome O re-
turn to American association principles.
The most feasible division would be to
make up the National league circuit of
clubs at Boston, New York, PHILADELPHIA,
Brooklyn, Baltimore, Pittsburg, Chicago
and Cleveland and form a western major
association, with a circuit including Gin
cinnati Louisville, st. Louis, Kansas
City, Detroit, Milwaukee,, Indianapolis
and Columbus That, of course, would
leave Washington out Of the count But
the national capital has not been a money
maker in baseball for years.
Something must be done to strengthen
the National league circuit by trimming
1t down, and something will be DONE
Since the Baltimores, the leaders in the.
race, recently visited Louisville and play
rd to $50 spectators the impression has be-
come stronger than ever that the baseball
surgeon must be called in when the an
nual meeting occurs in November.
Meanwhile the revival has evidently
come to stay. Before the 1894 season is
ended there are contentious over the 1895
programme. The new Atlantic league
and the Eastern league have already lock-
ed horns over the New Jersey territory,
and the national board will be called upon
to parcel of that section in its great wis
dom.
The tremendous patronage in some of
the eastern cities is we'll illustrated by the
TACT that the New York club up to Sept
10 had paid into the National league
treasury more money under the 10 per
cent OF the gross gate receipts provision
than all the six western clubs combined;
also that the Baltimores had averaged
Q, OOo spectators to game throughout
their season at home. O. P. CAYLoR.