The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-05

ball club.
ceipts of the IL National league clubs, In
Guiding tho sale of privileges, were S1,-
l25, 900 at the least, or an average Of more
than 500 900 TO club. At this figure
the 12 clubs profits should foot up total
of perhaps S400, 600, and will range in d.
VI ion from $50, 600 TO 81, 600 or $4,000.
The largest profit in q single year made
by any club was that Of the Philadelphias
In 1895, which was given out TO be $780,
600, and that sum was not far from an
official statement. The New York club,
with O most disastrous season and an
enormous expense account, cleared S40,-
600 the same year. For the amount in
vested and the cost of running the club
the Cincinnatis probably topped the money
makers of the big League this year, while
the champion Baltimores, in spite of
third successive triumph, fell off 80 per
cent In their profits, due entirely to
''tired feeling" among the clubs homo
patrons
Now, then, anybody win. without stop
ping to look into it closely, say at once
that baseball is golden cinch, to use an
expression OF the street. To prove this
still moro foroibly, they will point to the
fact that at the end Of tho Brotherhood
New York clubs could have been bought
for 10 cents on the dollar. The two clubs
consolidated, with a capital stock of $685.,
600. Two years later it came down to a
question of selling $4,000 worth of bonds
to pay the clubs debts or to put the cor
poration into the hands of a receiver The
bond sale scheme was adopted by close
vote Then carno better times. At the end
of 1894 part of these bonds were paid off,
and tho controlling interest-that Is, 200
shares---was sold for $4s, 900. This fall
the purchaser was offered 800, 900 for that
Same 200 shares. He refused it because
he draws S10 600 year salary as president
of the club and gets per cent dividend
on Sl20 600, par value, which Is 81 200,
making an annual income Of S17, 200 out
of S4S, 900 invested. AS IA business man
be knows that an unusually prosperous or
successful season confronts the club next
year, with a rare good chance of running
the profits beyond the Philadelphia record
With a good chance of that occurring, he
believes ho can pocket as his share $50, 600
more ''velvet" next year, and Is shrewd
enough TO know that his interests then
will be worth as much as they are now.
That is the bright side of the picture.
But thero is dark one Baseball busi-
ness in few cities is more unstable than
Wall street fostune in tho hands of a new
member Of the Stock Exchange. The New
York club pays the enormous sum Of S!0,-
600 year rental for the only available
baseball site south of the Harlem. With
out the use OF the great Polo grounds the
clubs stock would drop with thud. The
clubs lease extends three years, and so far
as the landlord is concerned can be re-
NJ tnI 10, lr.N .n1
up without days warning last spring.
| New York city is spending millions OF
| dollars on q speedway. The great pleasure
drive begins OH tho bluffs just behind or
| above the Polo grounds. Last winter the
driving club complained that tho approach,
| ms IL was being built, had too much Of a
| grade to please the owners of fast horses.
| Shortly afterward New York lovers of base
ball and football were startled TO hear that
| the park commissioners had introduced a
resolution 70 make new approach by ex-
tending Bradhurst avenue, which would
cut Manhattan field and tho Polo grounds,
the New York clubs expensive double
| home, exactly i'm halves and render them
! wholly useless for out OF door sports.
| Tho park commissioners, when APP
| preached on the topic, confirmed tho re-
port. one Of thom asserted that New
York's baseball interests were too absurd
ly insignificant to be considered when
compared with what the city owed TO own
ers Of fast horses. What n mistake he
mado The entire New York press took
up the fight for the common people S
sports, and several commissioners who
really didn't know what hold baseball
had on New Workers. were made Co SEQ
their mistake. Therefore public protest
saved the New York clubs home, but IL
was a narrow escape, and the value Of the
club,s- property might have .beon almost
wrecked had the speedway scheme gone
through.
The Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago
clubs own their grounds In fee simple, and
can only be ousted by tho demand of pub
lie Improvement. In nearly all OF the 9TH
er nino National league cities there Is year.
ly danger of loss Of grounds by street open
ings or the march Of public improvements.
Tho Now York club I'm 1889 was dispos-
fessod i'm the middle Of the season. The
Brooklyn club was compelled TO moyo in
1892 The Cincinnati club woke up ono
morning In 1884 20 find Its grounds rented