The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-14
FRANK @. SELEE.


baseball patronage If IL had team which
would win moro games than it would lose.
Cleveland, with grand team, does not
support IL, and Tobcau's men have 10 de-
pend upon road patronage for expenses
In Cincinnati the complaint of hard
times goes up. 1t Is the first cry OF hard
times injuring the game They claim out
there that the proof OF 10 Is seen In the rapid
decrease Of grand stand patronage.
In the east things are not so discourag-
ing. Indeed New York and Boston are en-
joying regular old fashioned baseball re-
vival. Tho outpouring of $4,000 spectators
to five games in one woek at tho Polo
grounds was almost record breaker and
was followed by go 000 moro on July 4.
The- capacity eEthe BesteH grounds
strained in tho Baltimore series Washing
ton. too, has dono well, having broken its
record when it turned out Il 900 people To
a double Ecuder against the New York
team. Philadelphia, one of the very best
baseball cities, is dropping down rapidly
In patronage on account of another disap-
pointing season for the home club Moth
ing succeeds like success, and tho proverb
is especially true in baseball. The Balti-
mores, as soon as they showed an inclina-
tion to drop out Of the pennant race, also
years they monopnlized the business on the
circuit. This year the Bostons and New
Yorks ore sharing that prosperity The
Bostons particularly are reaping rich
financial harvest. Their wonderful play
ing has electrified the fans" of the coun-
try, and a universal desire 20 see the proba-
bio coming champions exists everywhere.
"Wait till tho Bostons comep' is the cry
all along tho limo.
And 1t Is a marvellous game which
Selce's men have been putting up. Their
wonderful pull outs in the ninth inning
have created new wonder in tho baseball
world. Twice did they snatch victory from
the Baltinores in the last inning With
the Brooklyns they mGdo 10 three straight
"Garrison finishes" This was followed
up hy one similar win out in New York
and two In Philadelphia. Thus In II suc-
cessivo games they won in the ninth
inning, record which has never been
equalod and probably never will be.
When the Bos,ons were winning PEN
nants back In the eighties, the cry Of "Bos-
ton luckp was heard all over tho land.
They cculd make more runs on fewer hits
and get moro advantage from opponents
errors, as well rs giving less on their own,
than any other team. The cry has been
revived. All manner OF luck goes their
way, but IL Is not lucs which sent them TO
the front. 10 was pluck, fine playing and
belief in themselves Luck follows win
ming team inst MS i'll luck swoops down on
one which is losing.
III tho Cincinnati theory be true, that
hard times have reduced the grand stand at
tendance, there remains an explanation 20
be made Of tho condition Of affairs In New
q tl,. tNatr
Of tho grand stand at T5 cents and 81 each
person has very much increased this year.
The correct deduction therefore would be
that while business is growing worse in
Cincinnati IL is Improving in New York,
but 10 moro probable that the Cincinnati
theory Is q e. 80 one Possibly the class Of
patronage ia changing for other reasons.
People who patronize grand stands, as a
rule, do not advocate Sunday playing for
revenue. Nor do they approve of the ex-
cessivo noise which Is peculiar To the
bloacheritcs ~ some Of tho western cities.
President Young at Washington will
add the eiphrh wonder Of the world IL
somebody will 1nd man for him who
oan give uni Crsai satisfaction rs an um-
pire. lie has been experimenting for years
and IL no nearer the accomplishment OF
his forlorn homo than he was I've years
ago. Though he has staff mostly of
veterans ana acknowledged to be the pick
of tho profession, not one of them oil
Is free from protest Hurst Is tabOoed In
New York and pit;shurr, Lynch Is not
wanted IN Cleveland, Cincinnati has asked
to be relieved In future of Emslie, and five
clubs hayo asked Young 20 keep Sheridan
away from games IN which the Cincin-
natis take part, under tho probably mis-
taken belief thar Mr. Sheridan. being
native Of Cincinnati has "a favorable bias
for that club lp nearly every instance
these protests arc based upon false grounds,
but In midsoason tho baseball magnato be.
comes the most unreasonable "orank"
alive, whereas In tho winter and carly
spring be poscs as pCrfoct philosopher.
Are great pitchers and great catchers
passing away IL is q serious question.
The successful young pitchers Of this year
can bc counted ON the fingers Of one hand,
and some uf those who were looked upon
a. comers Last year ana In 1895 arc sorry
disnppuintmnnts now. Hoifer Of baltimore
Is the most notable example Of the latter
class. A year ugo $4,000 cash wouldn't