Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-27

] pionship contests to demonstrate the real, deep and widespread enthusiasm of the peo- pie. In the four League cities where the season opened on April 19 the total attend ance fell few hundred short of 10000, an average of 10000 to a game. Last year when the season was opened in four cities (New York not being one of the four) there were about 26, ,0OO spectators at the four games, SO that the increase has been nearly 32 per cent under very much similar circumstances, but with less population to draw from this year. That mighty throng at Baltimore was great surprise. I saw the multitude flow into the grounds on that day, and its size was not exaggerated. The Monumental City was baseball crazy and showed it by that concourse of nearly 1000 people. Baseball enthusiasm, as a rule, knowsno one locality. It is ill the air and spreads with greater rapidity and more farreach- ing scope than an epidemic of cholera. This crowding of people by thousands to the baseball field causes some surprise to the persons who always stop to give req son for everything that happens. To their minds the result should be just the cont ra- ry Instead of the attendance increasing, it should fall away materially. Are not times hard, is not money scarce, and doesn't it behoove the majority to practice economy? Then why is so much more money paid in to the treasureS of the baseball clubs this year than ever before? IL is not such an ineX- plicable problem afterall. In times of busi- ness depression men naturally look for mind diversion that is ineA pensve They can find none so potent-none that costs so little-as baseball, nor does it interfere with what business the devotee of the game may have. The game begins at o'clock and ends in time for supper. One need not take a half I,x, .G.,x part of the evening to see and enjoy game. This year, as last, thousands of people are compelled to curtal their trips across the ocean, to the mountains or to the seashore or forego them altogether. The baseball grounds offer q partial recompense to these stay at homes, and they gladly avail them selves of the offering.
 Baseball is not only becoming more pop ular, but it Is also growing fashionable In St. Louis Lieutenant Governor O'Meara and Mayor Walbridge were on the grounds, and each made a short speech before the game.
 In Washington the administration was represented by Attorney General Olney, who is ''crank" of the most pronounced type. He was accompanied by Hon. Allan Johnstone, secretary of the British embas- sy, who, as we'll as Sir Julian Pauncefote,
 is frequent attendant at baseball games Baron Clemens von Kettler of the German embassy escorted a party of ladies to the ground. Then there were almost enough members from both houses of congress scat tered through the grand stand and among 5he boxes to make a quorum had the roll been called by the umpire
 In Baltimore among the spectators were Judge Morris of the United States court, Mayor Latrobe, ex-Mayor Davidson. the postmaster and six ministers from the city churches. This public recognition of the great sport by the highest officials and by the heads of churches is what endears it to the hearts of the great masses. The sport is now where it was in 1889, before the play ers' revolt, and it promises to enlarge its bold upon the people until no other out of doors sport will ever be rival.
 Pitcher Ed Stein of Brooklyn, am told, has fully recovered his health, which was bad most of last season. If the report is true, the Brooklyn club is to be congratu- lated. For a part of the season of 1892 Stein probably did the best pitching of all the pitchers in the League. His work was SO good that his team won nearly every game when he was in the nine. Stein is young and has a good head' and a mag nificent pitching arm. Like the little girl with the curl when he is good he is very,