Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-04
NATIONAL PARK DLEACHERS.
Views of Patrons of the Game-M
Wagner Defended.

Wagner Defended.
The decision of Vice President Wagner of
the Washington club to move the twenty
five-cent seats at National Park further
away from the grand stand has aroused
considerable comment among local patrons
of the game. The Star has received a
number of communications in which Mr..
Wagner's decision is discussed.
"a. S. b. holds that the proposed seats
will be better placed than the same priced
seats are in other cities. He writes:
"a great deal is being said against Mr..
Wagner for changing the 25-cent seats
farther east on the right of the grand
stand. If those people who are complaining
so loudly would visit some of the other
league parks and see where their 25-cent
seats are situated, they would find on the
opening day here that in the rearrange-
nent the 25-cent seats are located in as
good. If not a better, position than those in
any other park in the National League.
have known MIR. Wagner for the past two
years, and l have found him to be like all
other business men, trying to make money
for himself and at the same time doing his
utmost in every respect to please his pa
irons and cater to their wishes. 1 know
IL at great many bleacher patrons were
anxious that Mr.. Wagner should give them
better seats, with a roof over them, and
they would. prefer to pay 80 cents, as they
considered the bieachers the best seats in
the park, If made more comforta BILE He
has carried out their wishes by taking only
about one-half OF the original bleachers for
50-cent seats, and has added about 1000
seats to the 25-cent bleachers. 1t Is my
opinion that when the Encouragement of
the seats at the park is seen, they will be
greatly appreciated by the 25-cent as well
as the JO-cent patrons"
'Bleacherites' writes:
The bleacherites have seen regularly
that tie fifty-cent seats were never more
than one-third filed, and that there were
enough vacant fifty-cent seats to accom-
modate nearly all the patrons, including
the bleachers and having seen and known
this. they are entirely unable to per
ceive any demand for more ffty-cent seats
Hundreds of 'bleacherites' do heartily
indorse and commend the article of 'Ex-
patron contained in your issue of the I'd
instant, and are ready to tender you a
vote Of thanks for the publication of the
same
"selah" asserts that Mr.. Wagner's com
parison of seats at the park and those at
theater is faulty. He says:
Referring to Mr.. Wagner's statement, as
printed in Wednesdays Star, as to the
space allotted for twenty-tive-ceat seats
pears that only at Baltimore and Phila-
delphia does the space equal or exceed
that granted in this city, I wonder If it
occurred to him that there is a difference
forded by those clubs and his own. Per-
haps so, as he drew comparison between
the comfort and luxury Of twenty-five
cent seat at the theater and one costing
from 81 to So, the last sum washington
people never paying except for superior
quality of performance. AS last season
Baltimore won eighty seven games and Phil
Gdelphia seventy-e:ght, while Washington
won but forty three games, consequently
our club Is only about half as good as the
others, but the price for seats is alike in
all three cities. Therefore, it is clear that
Mr.. Wagner discrim;nates against, not in
favor of. his DatrOnS.p
Another ex-patron writes:
"Mr. Wagner lays great stress on the fact
that he. among other things, has estab-
lished ladies' days. and admitted ladies
free two days in each week. Granted he
does, he loses nothing and Is giving moth
ing away. as he Is only creating a desire
en- the part of the ladies to attend more
games each week, and here is where Mr.
Wagner. with his great discernment, reaps
the golden harvest"
New Yorker writes:
II would respectfully ask for little
space in your paper for my Endorsement of
(Ex-Patron's) remarks in last nights Star
concerning those new bleachers at the ball
grounds. I can cheerfully make affidavit
that no day while was present last sum-
D1er were the 50-cent seats overtaxed, and
think Mr.. Wagner is making a mistake
when he seeks to add more tariff to his
earnings without a corresponding increase
in base ball talent"
Reciprocity, in objecting at length to the
change in the bleachers, says: There was
popular demand that the bleachers as
formerly located be covered and made more
comfortable, and this is the response to the
class who have been the most liberal in
supporting the club-fifty cents, or be rele-
geted to the hack fence. Those who ga
tronized the teachers were not hoodlums
or ignoramrses. They were men of in
telligence and refinement, for the most
part employees OF the various departments
receiving moderate salaries, who enjoyed
the national game, and whose presence
added life and interest to the sport and
gave announcement to the players, but
whose limit is twenty-five cents. They will
be conspicuous by their absence, and the