Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-17
THE NATTER WITH BASEBALL.

TINE NATTER WITH BASEBALL
The Chicago Tribune. in recent ISSUE
gives utterance TO an editorial misereie
on baseball and states some iac's'
which though very plainly spoken. are
but too true.
Our contemporary. after commeh'i's
80 Tho dacav Of the national game. AMI
contrasting Il with the sport of oy-so"'
DAYS. seeks TO explain the reasons Tor inc
lack of interest now displayed IN ie"'S
on the diamond.
or course. rowdyism ana ruh'"'''S"i
and the intimidation of umpires are com.
mented upon. for they are often part OIL
the game nowadays, but what stiiheS 10
az the keynote of the situation Is eN-
pressed in the following words:
"rbero IS no room for doubt as 10 what
bae n,,lied n down from its former insh
cstats. Commcrcialism in part mas uono
:, Tho PLAYERS have become chatle's'
,rea,ns are bought and sold and are trahs-
forred from city to city as II they were
U,c sfock The men who are playing III
chicago this year may be Paying III
cleveland or New York the next. lnaI
c,,ts nm al sense of local pride in cluD
by the roots. There have Deen teams
which really belonged TO Chicago. or late
vears there have simply been organiza-
lions of hireings whose owners instruct
ed them to hail from here"
like the sweet memories Of our child
hood. the good old days OF real, genuine
baseball come back to our mind, ahu'
retrospectively. we once more grind tne
bleacheries with excited wriggling' In
olden times-that is. olden times from
baseball standpoint-we knew the players
nv name and could give their histories
and explain their virtues. Now DaSe-
han PLAYERS have no virtues ana our
teams are composed of strangers.
Fifteen wears ago our mines were largely
made up Of local athletes. and In sense
we felt ourselves guardians for those
hrol,on-tbumbed wards. And there was
nlentv OF excitement ard bitterness, TOO
but II was a charitable acerbity and
strictly patriotic. In those days we
hated Norfolk and Petersburg and Lynch-
burg. and they hated us, and we were all
glad of it. and really inclined TO De
friendly when we talked 1t over. young
man from Petersburg depicted the whole
situation when he described his father
emotions at a game. IF the Petersburg
team wins" said he, "the old gentleman
saws the Richmond players are lot OF
thorough gentlemen but If you fellows
come out on top. he says they are IN
fernal scoundrels."
That's what we want-this red-hot, I'M
compromising, rabid local pride, and we
can't have it if the players are to be I'M
ported from Sioux City and Cincinnati
and Lowell and goodness only knows
where else. We want the men to abide
with us until we know them and can
take a personal interest in their achieve
ments.
If the stirring game could be played by
electric light, or by the rays Of the moon'
we should unquestionably say:
backward. turn backward, o time In
your flight
Give us Pop Tate again, just for to-
night."
But. since the individual alluded TO is
now on the police force. and his quon-
dam associates-broken thumbs and all
are but ghosts OF that dear Old past we
suggest other local celebrities, with equal
w amiable and lamblike qualities. Let the
slogan of reform be sounded. Let Rich
mond's talent step forth to the grand
stand. and the band play "All Hail, the
IIaTp
We believe the present plans looking
TO the formation of a Virginia League
including the principal cities of the state
will revive baseball here. Certainly we
hope so. BY having a small circuit the
PLAYERS will become known to the root
ers." and then all will be well. OF course
however, Richmond must go In Tor the
pennant. even If Petersburg and Norfolk
and the other towns in their amiable way
do hate US for it. In the beautiful IAN
euage of the bleacheries, let Everybody
stretch" and relieve the tension.