Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-05-13
THERE rs BIG MONEY
ON THE DIAMOND.
The Managers Have Arranged II SO
That the Teams viii be Prosrer-
ouS Ia I0On

The Managers Have Arranged II so
That the Teams viii be Prosrer-
Gus ia 1900.
The baseball season is now fairly unon
US. and from this time on until the No
Vember breezes make their presence felt.
we shall revel in descriptions Of phenon-
email batting, sensational catching and q
host of other features that are so dear to
the hearts OF those who follow the great
National game
IL the opinion Of the venerable president
oil the National League is to be taken for
anything, the present season is to be the
most successful in the history of the
game and as Mr.. Young has been in
tmately associated with professional base
ball since the organization OF the big
league in 1876. his prediction ought TO re-
eeive more than passing consideration.
Disregarding all of Mr.. Young's proph-
ecies, however, there IS more than one
reason to suppose that for the year 1900
the most successful season" will be fully
realized. In the first place the National
League has finally accomplished a feat
that removes the greatest stumbling block
IN the way Of the prosperity of the game
For years past, In fact. ever since the
expensive war between the players and
the managers in 1880, there has been Just
one drawback that could not be overcome.
and the game has simply tottered along
because of the cumbersome burden Of a
badly scattered and unweldly circuit Of
twelve clubs
The only excuse that could be given FOR
maintaining all these clubs was that the
I 90 gr1gg n
able territory and thus make IL lmpossi-
bic for rival organization to gain
foothold. In one sense Of the word. the
object of the League was attained. This
action effectually prevented competition
and yet the necessity Of carrying so much
dead timber entailed loss that 1t has
been difficult to overcome.
Another argument that may be used
against a twelve club league Is that there
is not a sufficient number OF players OF
the first rank 10 form twelve weH-bal-
anced clubs. AS The result. as the history
Of the game will show, half dozen cities
nave absorbed all the strongest players
and the remaining towns on the circuit
have been compelled to accept those that
have been left over
Under such conditions It was impossible
to have other than one-sided contests and
1t Is not strange that there should have
been lack Of interest and loss Of patron
age on occasions in which tho results were
already settled. People do not Ike to
see a game. the result Of which is a fore
gone conclusion, and when last year the
Bostons or the Brooklyns played the
Clevelands, it was a well recognized fact
Ia 1~ -f--r
suit Of an accident Such base BAN con-
tests are farcical. and It Is a matter Tor
congratulation that these condition. have
been eradlcated.
In spite OF all these facts. however. It
was with the greatest difficulty that this
result was accomplished For years base
bail has been an unsatisfactory business
venture. ana yet the managers have hest
tated 10 take the step that would place
them upon paying basis. According to
the indianapolis agreement q 1891. the
twelve team league WIS 10 continue IN *
fstence Tor ton years unless in the mean
time there Were clubs that failed TO meet
their obligations. At no time has this oc-
Cured and as the result. the change
from the twelve to the eight club league
meant the purchase Of four franchises
In no other way could the league be re-
lieved Of the twelve club incubus.
This desirable and much needed change
was brought about through the efforts Of
Andrew Freedman. the owner and presi-
dent OF the New York club. II Is a well
recognized fact that New York is the key
stone Of the base ball arch from anan-
cial point OF view, II the season at the
Polo grounds is successful there Is great
probability that the entire circuit win be
q prosperous one, whereas. reversea in
this city entail hardships on all the other
cities IN he LeaEae.