The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-09

boys of all classes when it ceased To be
a gentleman's game. Amateur games,
the only kind then known, such al 80
years ago drew immense crowds of the
friends and neighbors of the partici-
pants. are seldom or never played now.
The only way our young men take part
in baseball now is to pay so cents or 81
for the privilege of seeing others play.
Thirty years ago baseball club was
an organization of gentlemen for re-
creation and exercise simply. Now II is
a OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES like all CORPORA
tions-with no object save ito make as
much money as possible out of the hired
players, who perform their parts like a
company of hired actors.
The encroachment of the professional
player was gradual. The rivalry be-
tween clubs became so great that in or
der to strengthen itself and win vic
tory over some rival each would leave
nothing undone to secure the best play-
ers. Thus inducements were held out
to men who had shown unusual anti
tude for the game to influence them to
play only with particular club. A
wealthy gentleman, for instance. de-
string to see his club in the front rank
would offer some young man of rare
baseball playing ability position in
his business or counting house, with a
private understanding that his com
mercial duties were purely nominal
while his real ones were to play base
ball. Thus there were numerous clubs
in the country which were virtually
professional ones long before profess
sional playing was openly permitted,
ana while the stringent law against it
was still in force in the code of the
American Association of Baseball Plav-
ers. This was notably the case with
those famous old-time opponents. the
Atlantic club of New York, the Attn
letics of Philadelphia. BY 1871 the
number and influence of professional
clubs was such that their representa-
tves met in New York on March II of
that year, avowed themselves such and
cut loose from the National Association
of Baseball Players, and adopted rules
for championship contests, the most
important being that the club winning
the largest number of games in a series
OF five with every one of the other pro-
fessional clubs should be declared the
champion, championship games having
been previously unregulated.
The baseball championship originated
about 1858. At the Elysian Fields in
Hoboken. N. j., the Atlantics of Brook
lyn had beaten the crack New York
clubs, the Empires, Knickerbocker
Gotham and Eagle, and We're generally
regarded champions. From time to
time till the establishment of the above
named championship rules by the pro-
fessionals, whatever club won two
games out of three from the then
champion club became champion in
turn. From the organization of the
professional clubs in 1871, amateur
playing steadily declined. Gentlemen
no longer cared to engage personally in
a sport which had been made a bust
ness. The game came to be looked
upon as a money making scheme in
stead of an amusing recreation. Then.
too. the steady increase of population
and consequent demand for new build
ing sites and ornamental parks did
away largely with the vacant lots and
commons upon which the amateur
games had been played.
The recognition of professional NAV
ers is not solely responsible for base
balIs decadence, for the fact that 4,OoO
people are now considered immense at
tendance at a game where 30 years ago
10000 or 10000 were not uncommon, and
for its abandonment as a recreation
by those most needing its stimulating
exercise. The changes and so-called
improvements" in the game are also
to blame. Take pitching for example.
The old rule required the pitcher to ac-
tually pitch the ball and the moment
OF delivery his hand must, be below his
waist The word pitcher is now wholly
a misnomer, for the ball is no longer
pitched, but thrown to the bat. In the
good old days" the pitcher was re-
quired to pitch the ball just where the
batsman wanted it, The latter could
call for ball shoulder high" hip
high" knee high" or "a low ball." the
last named being a ball between the
knee and the ankle. Now he must
strike at any ball that goes over the
plate. Curtailing the rights of the bats
man and giving more license to the
pitcher was done solely with the inten-
ton of reducing the scores to a mini
mum. This has tended to greatly di-
minish the popularity of baseball. Good
batting and base running are the most
attractive features Of the sport, and
games where man after man retires at
the home plate on strikes and short
flies, or at first on feeble tips to the in
f1elders. resulting in scores of to y or
2 to 4, are simply wearisome.
To have the bases kept filled with
runners, and to see run after run scored
mot by fielding errors. but by good
batting and base running-would draw
20 people to every one now attending
baseball games.
Some idea of the time interest
and attendance may be gained from the
fact that at a game between the Allan
of Philadelphia, in the latter city on
Oct. /, 1866, the attendance inside and
outside the ground-the house tops be-
ing covered with spectators-was est-
mated at 10000, and, though the price
of admission to this game was 81 Tor
general admission, even ITO the bleach
ing boards, the crowd inside the gates
Vas 90 enormous that In order to find
room to stand it had to spread itset
over the field to such an extent that 1t
was impossible for the players to move
about, and the game had to be post
noned aftar the first inning.-Philadel