The hatchet. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1883-19??, 1900-09-02

PITCHER PHILLIPS OF CINCINNATI.
are any talk about waning interest in
the great national game is all rot. OF
course the club owners, the players and
the managers make grlevous mistakes
q times. but as general thing the blum
ders are forgotten, and a few consecu-
tive victories by the home team will
bring back the enthusiasts In count
less thousands. who will yell en-
couragement TO their favorite players
until their lung power has been ex-
hausted.
There are enthusiasts In other sports,
but the true baseball crank, or fan"
as he Is called In some sections, stands
out prominently alone as the most I'M
firing. thorough rooter on the face of
the earth. Men will get so worked up
at poor work by their favorlte team
that they will wager all sorts of sums
that they will not visit those particular
grounds again as long as they live.
Then they will sneak into the grounds
I'm a shamefaced way the very next day
and will beg off their wager. and all
differences are settled with a quaff of
something light or strong at a nearby
bar, according TO the tastes of the con-
tenders.
OF course, so much talk about ruffian-
ism on the green diamond field has
served to injure the reputation of the
game In the eyes of some people, but
the dissemination of the club owners TO
bring about needed reforms to prevent
dlsorderly conduct on the field Is more
largely responsible. Now some of the
club owners, instead of trying to dis
courage blackguardlsm on the field,
really encourage il. II the better eie-
ment. for instance. In the National
league would put their shoulders to
the wheel. they might be able to bring
their unbiased coworkers to their way
of thinking Rowdyism has run lose
in New York and Pittsburg this year,
but 1t has been disorder Of differ
ent sort. The New York players have
been allowed to do about as they
pleased. with the expected result. At
Pittsburg gambling has been the grow
ing evil. which must be stopped If the
popularity OF baseball is to be perpetu-
ated In that city, Dreyfuss. when he
says that he cannot stamp out the
gambling evil admits his physical aud
mental weakness.
If, as he is reported. he cannot pre-
vent open gambling In the Pittsburg
stands. then he is no longer entitled to
protection under the national agree
ment and there is not court In the
country which would not declare his
franchise void and In the hands Of the
national organization. 10 be disposed
of to the highest bidder. Baseball Is
one of the very few professional sports
which can stand upon It's own bottom
without any gambling features II can
not prosper with gambling as side
show. A few years ago gambler who
would announce In "A loud voice that he
would wager thousands upon any par
ticular game would have been thrown
out of the grounds without ceremony.
If n club owner admits that he cannot
control the gamblers In bis own
grounds. then he Is not entitled 10 sit
in the councils Of the major organlza-
ton.
Because man talks at variance with
common sense at ball game that does
not necessarily mean that his thinking
faculties get tangled up on other sub
jects heard two well known men
the other day talking In strain at a
hall game In Brooklyn which surprised
me. aud have seen and beard lots Of
things In baseball during the last 10
years One Of the staid citizens made
the remarkable statement that he did
not think that the Brooklyn champions
would repeat because II no longer
paid any city to win the championship.
And the most singular part Of the story