The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-10
1T IS DENIED
UP In TORONTO
That the Base Ball Situation Is Not Very
Favorable.
IRWIN TO HAVE SMOOTH SAILING
Exceptions Are Taken TO Recent Re-
ports ofNewspnper Opposition and
That the Grounds Arc Inaccessible.
Canadian League Is Not to Cut n
Very Big Figure and Transportation
Facilities viii BE First Glass.

Toronto, Ont, April 9.--The Tribunes
article of recent date concerning the
base ball situation here and which has
been copied in several papers, was un-
doubtedly compiled in good faith, but II
is quite inaccurate. In the first place.
and once and for all, the idea that the
Canadian league cuts any ice" in this
town is wrong. Not one in twenty of
the base hall patrons here look on 1t as
opposition, and the people have been
too long used to seeing good Eastern
league base ball to pay to see the an
tiquated thirty or forty dollar a month
article served up by the Canadian
league. So far as sentiment is con-
cerned il makes very little difference
here, and at any rate as at present COM
posed five-sixths of the players in the
Canadian league are citizens of the
United States.
The new grounds are not two miles
from the centre of the city, as has been
stated, nor are they as far away either
by distance or time as the old grounds,
the chief difference being, however.
that the new grounds are accessible
only by boat. The Ferry company runs
a service by which patrons can easily
be in their seats in the grand stand
within fifteen minutes after leaving the
centre OF the city, which is better than
one could count on doing last season at
the old grounds; and a boat will be in
waiting at the close of each game, cap
able of carrying 1900 people, which is as
much as twenty cars could carry, while
two or three cars was the limit last
seaon on any day for handling the
crowd at the close of a game. The fare
TO the island is the same as { o the old
grounds from the centre Of the city
where nine-tenths of the patrons start
from, and the location of the island
oval is much pleasanter than the Don
grounds and minus the foul smelling
soap and pork factories whose odors
were commonly waited across the field
of the grand stand over the Don.
The opinion of the people here is not
that Irwin has made a mistake in
transferring to the Island but everyone
seems to think it was a wonderfully
good stroke of business, and with the
judicious advertising the ferry COM
pany is sure to give it, it will be a great
success financially and otherwise. The
prospects are splendid here for a good
paying season and it is hoped that
everyone else has stacked up against"
no harder game than has Irwin. If
such is the case everything is lovely in
the league. BY the move to the Island
grounds and compared with last season
Irwin opens his gates with as much
money saved on ground rent and help
alone, as $1,000 paid admissions would
make for him, to say nothing of getting
rid of one or two of the fancy priced
alleged stars of last season.
If, as has been said, the sporting
writer's here are not falling over them
selves to help Irwin out, which might
possibly be said of one writer, and GER
tainly only one, he should get justice
and fair, honest representation from
abroad.
Irwin has again and again denied
that Toronto is farm" for Washing
ton or any other club and it hardly
seems fair to make guesses founded on
nothing, that he is misrepresenting the
case. The farming system has had it's
day in Toronto and if the result was a
$1,000 deficit, does 1t sound like common
sense to think that Irwin would run his
head into such a moose? Toronto hopes
things are as bright and people as we'll
satisfied with their home team and
managers efforts in every town in the
league as are the base ball people of
Toronto.
The Tribune is gratified to receive
such an encouraging report from the
Canadian city. If the situation in To-
ronto, however is a S hopeful as indi-
Gated in the foregoing the Toronto
papers must have been a little more