Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-22
BASEBALL WORLD
How Qusrrels Among The Magnatss
Injurs the Game Prospects Of the
Various National League Teams.
Baseball In the Colleges.
Interesting Chat.


II Hamlet had lived at the end OF the
nineteenth century, he would never
have said. ''The plays the thing" This
melancholy Dane. n he had been up
to date. would have been prompted
to say. "Thc games the thing" for. as
every baseball crank knows. the mag
mates who own the ciubs may quarrel
and fieht and make deals and throw
dirt IN each others faces all through
the winter. but M soon as the teams
put on their uniforms and the umpire
cries play baiil'' all such matters are
thrown aside like last winters heavy
ovcrcoat. not 10 be thought Of again
until another pennant has been fought
for and won. Then. and not TIL then.
the old sores may be reopened and old
quarrcls rakcd over. hut during the
playing season the magnates who have
doomed M 80 large during the past few
months dwindie down TO pygmies In tho
eyes of the cranks In contrast to the
mighty wieidcfs Of bat and ball.
Every winter the club owners have
their mix ups and squabbles and trou-
blcs. bu, this year has surpassed them
all In the magnitude OF tho deals that
were planned and wires that were pull
ed 10 secure their passage. Men who
have studied the game or have been
Identified with baseball interests In
years past. and thus understand the In
ner workings OF tho plots. know that
the present troubles will bear fruit In
due time. They perceive that the mag
mates are laying their wires for the or
ganlyation Of nm eight league club TO be
a.. -. Ill a
trolled by men who have the Interests
OF the national game at heart.
The underlying cause OF nearly every
league complication In the past has
been due 60 the hurtfui Influence Of
combines" OF cildues Of magnatcs. who
hold meetings secretly before the reHu-
lar conference Of the league members
and pledge themselves 10 vote for and
stand by certain measures notwith-
standing the wishes of their fellows or
whatever arguments or Information
may be placed before them In tho reg
uiar way. This, together with the
proxy" evil. In something that the
leaders must forswcar II they wish 10
retain the high standard on which the
game now stands as well aa the conf
dcnce and support Of It's patrons.
sA' Ifaf ht'NNNNtNNNf VI fNNNNfs 'NU
take no hand or part In these brolls,
and the majority OF them take no par
ticuiar interest In the matter, oxcept In
80 far ns they touch themselves person.
ally. They know that one natural result
will be an Increase OF salaries all around
when things come 10 head. for as
matters now stand their wages are nj
the lowest ebb known In years. and any
change will be n boon as far as they
are concerned.
All this newspaper talk and the gem
erai interest that n taken throughout
the country In the doingr OF the Nation
al league leaders throughout .ne nom
playing months only add more con-
elusive evidence OF the wonderful hold
that baseball has on the hearts OF the
American public IN general and the
oranks IN particular. What other game
In the world has 30 much space given
up TO u In the public press during the
time when II IL not playedf Unlike any
other sort OF sporting enthusiast. the
baseball lover when no can't watch n
game must needs talk or Mt tho worst
read Of H..
For the past six weeks and more
much pencil and paper and time have
been expended In figuring out the pros
poets Of each team for the League PEN
nant. Eagerly the players have been
scanned during the few games already
played. but AZ yet little opportunity to
gain much Insight Into the real strength
OF the clubs has been afforded. New
erthelesa a majority Of the experts are
agreed on few points. the main one
being that the Boston team won't have
such a picnic In winning the flag as
they have enjoyed during the past two
seasons. II ~ likewise generally adj
mitted that brooklyn. Cincinnati. 81.
Louis and Chicago have each been
greatly strengthened since last fall and
that each OF them will give the cham
plons hard fight for premier honors.
Many have figured out completely to
their own satisfaction. " not 10 much
In accord with their wishes. that the