The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-06-04
About Base Ball Criticisms.

| About Base Ball Criticisms.
| Editor of Tho Tribune.
Sir: Within the past few days much
criticism, through newspapers and other
| channels, has arisen concerning profess
sional base bah In this city, especially
with reference to tho game on Memorial
Day afternoon and an alleged assault
| made by ono of tho players on a Wilkes
| Barre director. Generally these criticisms
have been decidedly unfair 10 tho Scrnn-
ton Base Ball association. and those as
. h@,stcd therewith-playcrs or otherwisc->
~ have been due to n lack OF knowkI
coSc OF the real situation. Consuming mo
Scranton association for any OF the dls-
| comforts of the Memorial Day crush Mt
the grounds Is certainly unreasonable and
any person who Will stop long enough to
think will quickly bring to his mind many
similar occasions where the rush OF pco-
pie to secure admission to some popular
public entertainment has been OF nm OK
actly similar nature. Have the public or
certain of the newspapers been ~ prompt
TO find fault or to go into abuse of those
providing such entertainments as has been
the case with the base bah management
of this city? We think not. and yet thcso
exactly similar conditions have been made
tho basis of unwarranted attack.
All VIII admit, as chccrfuly ns we do
that the crowd of people who came to Mt
tend this gamo of base ltall was unprc-
ccdcntcd IN this section OF the state. Tho
manner In which thcy were brought to tho
grounds, several great car londs ns well
na n train fun being landed there almost
~ the same moment, made u crush that
was hard TO control under any circum-
stances, and into which II was not the
province of the association to hurl n
platoon of police. 1t Is also n mistake for
any reelection 10 he cast upon the ticket Of
fee facilities at the grounds. for under all
conditions II has lNcn amply sufficient,
and whatever blamc there Il MS to tho
blocknding of the crowd at the entrance
gate Is susceptible OF an explanation,
which We believe win be accepted as rem
sonnblc by any person not prejudced In
the matter.
That gate was in The charge of tho
Wlkcs-liarrc club. such being one of tho
leagues rules IN relation to holiday games
when thcrc is an equal division of the cato
receipts taken IN upon the homo grounds
OF any club. when this great crush OF
people came for admission on Thursday
afternoon It was decidedly beyond tho
experience of the gate tenders. Already
the grand stand and bleachers were over
fowlng, and all along the fence lines was
stretched u mass of humanity. In n mo-
ment of uncertainty the cato was closed
I'm the face of the hundreds outside not by
tho management of the Scranton Base
Ball association nor any person acting on
its authority. The sale OF tickets con-
tinued some moments after this, and then
came the word TO the box office that tho
gates were closed and while the cause for
this was being learned by some OF 'hs
Scranton directors the sale was suspended,
Then learning that the gates were closed
tl,Nr. u, oh ,n,S, foe -p1
would be carried away by the crush on the
outside, several of the stockholders OF this
association threw the gate open wide
enough to allow ingrcss of such number
at n time as the ticket takers could take
care of. During the impatence of the
crowd many persons glntd entrance to
the ground by getting over the fences, but
this does not furnish reason for adding
to unjust criticism. Creating criticism out
of comparison of facilities provided at
Wilkes-Barre with those in this city Is
ridiculous. There was no such crush of
people at the grounds there: just about |
One-fourth the nHmber as here, If the gate
receipts are n proper record-a crowd |
which Scranton has handled at its gates |
on numerous occasions Just as favorably.
And now n few words relating to The |
charge of -owdyism against our ball play |
ers, or any one of them, and particularly |
with reference to an instance occurring on |
last Thursday afternoon, and of which !
the facts are simply these: T. G. Johnson, |
one OF Scranton's pitchers, was ordered |
by Manager Barnie to go on the coaching |
lines. He came to the grounds, sought |
admission. told whom he was, was |
vouched for by our secretary and by one |
of our stockholders, and yet refused ad- |
mission by Director Tammany, of the |
Wilkes-Barres, who was ip charge of the |
gates Mr.. Johnson, therefore, did simply |
what he considered his duty, urged his |
way through the gate and resisted an |
effort that was unwarrantedly made TO
prevent him. He made no cowardly nor |
unprovoked assault, as we have fully |
CLEANED from those noticing the affair.
Mr.. Johnson Is n ball player known and
appreciated for his gentlemanly nature
and department, and who has duo regard
for his reputation. Whatever disciplining
Of players Is necessary to maintain the In
tegrlty of base ball in this city win be
done, but Justice to the players who have
been secured for the Scranton club de-
mands that they be not abused and held
to public ridlcule without proper inquiry.
We trust the explanations given In this
letter. which we, feel have been forced on
us, will be received In the proper spirit by
the great public interested in the sport or
base ball. Respectfully yours,
Scranton Base Bail Association.
w. l.. Belts, President.