The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-23

The charge editorially made by the
Times-Herald of Chicago that the
Brooklyn team lost the first two games
Of its recent series in Chicago TO in
crease the attendance at the Sunday
game has called forth many indignant
protests. A. G. Spalding energies from
his retirement to stamp it as a lie out
of whole cloth in the following COM
munication in the New York Sun:
ITO the Editor of the Sun-Sir:
have just read your editorial in this
mornings Sun referring to the Chicago
Times H erald's expression of opinion
that the recent baseball games between
the Brooklyn and Chicago league teams
We're crooked or rather that the VIC
tories We're apportioned between the
clubs for gate money purposes.
"A responsible paper like the Times
Herald has no business making such a
serious charge or insinuation unless 1t
has some proof to back it up. and l
have to-day written to Mr.. Kohlsaat,
proprietor of that paper, requesting
that he supply me with reasonable proof
of the charges referred to, and | have
assured him that if he can and will
supply such proof | will go before the
proper league officials and demand the
expulsion of the guilty parties. If Mr.
Hanlon, president of the Brooklyn club.
and Mr.. Hart president of the Chicago
club are guilty of fixing games for
gate money, gambling or any other pur-
~ 1I=.zl
the National league and forever DIS
sraced. If the umpire, captains or play
erS of the two teams are guilty, they
will and must be punished Let's have
some reasonable proof, something more
than the guess of some irresponsible
reporter looking for a sensation.
While / am not at present actively
connected with baseball management.
Tor have ! been for several years, yet
l claim to know something about it, and
/ am a thorough believer in the integ-
rity of league club officials, umpires and
players, and | don't hesitate to assert
that there has not been a crooked
league game played, fixed or thrown
for gambling or gate money purposes
since the National league expelled Dew
I'm, Hall, CraVer and NiCol in 1878. and
! defy anybody to furnish reasonable
proof to the contrary. The league
brotherhood fight of 1890 settled beyond
any question the absolute honesty of
league baseball games, and | am
amazed that newspaper of the stand
ing of the Chicago Times Herald should
make such contemplate insinuations
unless it had some reasonably good
proof with which to back up the
charges.
An official of a baseball club can not
influence the result of a game without
imparting his wishes to the umpire or
players, and | have such confidence in
the honesty and integrity of league
players and umpireS that / want to see
the man that has the temerity to make
any of them proposition to sell out
or throw a game. And ] am also curious
10 see his photograph Immediately aft
erWard Like every other Well-wiSher
of the national game, | regret the eX-
iStence of the sO-Called rowdyiSm, which
] believe will gradually disappear, prin-
Cipally through the combined efforts of
the players themselves but the very ma
Iure of the game itself and the earnest
desire of the players to win, inspired
by the large audiences, will always
make baseball more or less 'sCrappy,
and quite contrast to croquet and
chess. A. G. SPALDING."
Here is a good thing found in the
New York Sun recently:
Fate, with wonted leVity, had thrown
the sour and taciturn man into the
company of the laxative citizen in the
railway car.
That was quite an interesting game
of football, wasn't it, said the latter.
as he showed a newspaper into the in
side pocket Of his fur-trimmed over
coat.
Il never read about football" was
The solemn reply. How true il is he
added almost tearfully, that this world
is but fleeing show"
OF coulse. That's one way of look
Epo AZ ftlt If