The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-08-12
JOHN CLARKSON.


and no wns openly backed up in it by the
Clovclands. Tho Louisvilles also would
not have boon avorso to tho plan. Yct, to
show how far from o successful outcome
tho schomo remained IL is but necessary
to say TINT nearly every eastern club OPP
posed it, although such IN arrangement
would have temporarily put money into
thoir treasuries and 1t would require
unanimous agreement of tho 19 clubs to
cause such q transfer to BIO made.
There Is no doubt that every club in the
League would temporarily benefit by such
change, bat tho after effects would sure
ly BIZ slow death to the gamo wost Of the
Allcghanios. It took too long to build the
gamo up after tho lato war to let few
unthinking, grasping magnates pull 1t
down again in tho middle sections of the
Union.
1t is true that, comparatively speaking,
tho attendance upon games is very small
In tho western cities. But 1t would DO put
ting the cnso in u truer light to say that
the eastern attendance has boon phcnom-
enally large, whereas in tho west tho re-
vival Is not felt to any decided extent
Comparisons between tho vast crowds
that fill the eastern grounds and tho inca
ger attendance in the west mako tho west
orn magnatCs cnvious. But inasmuch rs
the League divides its gnto receipts equally
between homo and visiting clubs, tho rich
returns in tho cast keep the western clubs
out of financial distress.
There are 81 number Of reasons that can
BIO assigned to explain the depression felt
by the western half of the National league
Tho clubs have been disappointing in their
play. But two of tho four arc in the first
division, and those two are farther back
i'll the race than their patrons placed them
In prospectus last spring. Tho Clcvelands'
good start, followed by their great 'to-
boggan" act in May, cooled enthusiasm
on Lake Eric quicker than q ton of
leo could cool cucumber. The chill
was so great that the Cleveland rooters
havo not since had chance to warm up.
Chicago, too, was disappointed, and the
western metropolis will not support hos
Ing club ST. Louis and Louisville have
nothing to attract the public or appeal to
local pride. In Cincinnati, when its team
was making that record of II straight VIC
tories, the attendance kept growing fast
and furious, like a squash vino on q
warm night in Juno. But it was merely
squirt. The dump came, and as Cincin-
natl cranks have had 10 years experience
In that same old channel tho 'boom" col
lapsed as quickly as 1t camo up.
Pittsburg by far the best baseball city
In tho Union, population considered, has
been sorcly disappointed. They had reason
to expect good showing from their team
this season. The Pirates were extern
sively touted as tho probable winners early
In tho year. But their pitchers went to
pieces, and team with poor pitchers is
like tho Biblical house that Is built upon
tho sand.
Ihcso arc the main causes for tho COM
paratively poor turnouts in tho western
National league cities. But other factors
arc Mt work tonding to aid that end. The
labor troubles and financial distress have
been felt moro in tho west. 1t is also the
section whore Sunday ball playing is in
vogue. l have always commended that tho
policy Of using tho Sabbath to take in
money at baseball clubs gates was a
rulnous business speculation. I believe
Sunday ball playing has dono much to
Keep the game unpopular in western cities
among certain class of people whose pat
ronage should DO courted There is no
more reason for opening the ball parks on
sunday than thoro is to open tho race
tracks on that day. In referring to Sun
Gay games L ON discussing tho question
purely in business sense without refer
ence to the moral issue.
But there Is deep laid dissatisfaction
with the particularly poor showing made
in attendance Mt the Cleveland games.
1Hcfo IL iiO ScCFot maze or tho club own
er's desire to get out of the business on
that account, and his attempt to that end
mado last winter will probably BIO remem.
bered with bettor success after this season
ends If Clevelands franchise be sold and
transferred, Buffalo, Detroit and Indian
apolis will each mako bids. Buffalo would
get 1t Without doubt wero it not for tho
o1ty's geographical situation A city
farther west would give better satisfac-
ton to the schedule maker.
or course this talk of weakness In the
west gives rise to the old, old story that
there are to be western and eastern circuits
next year-that is the National league
will split, and the intersectional games
will not take place as they do now lido
not believe the National league will ever
agree to confine itself to the Atlantic sea-
board. 1t would loso its nationality by
such change. There Is much moro pros
pect of return to the old eight club cir
Quit, with Chicago, Cincinnati, Pittsburo
and Baltimore in the western circuit and
Boston, New York, Brooklyn and Phila-
delphia as the eastern half.
Still the chances arc that thore will be
no change in the circuit next year unless
the Cleveland franchise be transferred
Meantime August has come, with tho
Eastern, Now England and Western
leagues and the Western association do
Ing business at the old stand, with n
promise of closing the season in good flnan-
cial shape. There arc less baseball wrecks
this year In August than there has been