Evening journal., 1904-01-14
HARD BLOW TO BALL CLUB
Washington Team to Suffer From De-
partment Clerks Longer Hours.

partment Clerks Longer Hours.
Professional baseball in Washington
has received blows from time to time
which tended to lessen the interest and
patronage in the game in these parts,
but tho seyerost stroke of all was that
which Presidents Roosevelts Cabinet un-
consciously gave In the order which re-
quires an department clerks OF the gem
erai Government TO work seven hours
each day.
Ever since professional ball has been
pAyei in this city a has been the custom
to start the games at $50 o'clock in or
der 20 give the departmental fans time
to reach the park. This new order IN the
departments practically places a barrier
between the clerks and the ball games.
During the many years that games
were played on the Seventh street
grounds the patronage OF the department
people was large and regular. They were
through their days duties at O'Clock,
and they could reach the park from any
OF The departments In less than half an
hour giving them time TO even see some
OF the practice before The game. When
the American League came TO Washing
ton il found the old grounds were IN the
hands OF the enemy-the Nasional League
and IL was forced 10 seek another site.
and one That was Thought TO be available
TO most 0f local fandom. IL bulk an es-
Establishment on the Old brick yard al
iFouneenth street and Florida avenue
lnorthoast but this locality proved 20 be
unpopular because Of the long time re-
quired TO reach h from the centre of the
city. Only one car line led TO 1t, and the
service on this road Is badly congestedI
| In the baseball season. WEST t>nd pa
irons found that it required nearly an
hour TO reach home after the games and
1.-THE fans In southeast Washington were
without amy car service, unless riding up
to Seventh or Ninth street northwest and
I transferring could be termed car service.
People who seldom missed games on the
old grounds never went TO the new estab-
llishment at all. because Of dhe time and
Inconvenience IN reaching 1t. Others who
had been regular attendants at the old
park only visited the American park oc-
lcaslonally. Added 70 this disadvantage
was the miserable club which represent
led the city last year; and, worse stih'
the manner in which it was managed.
Now the most serious condition con-
fronts the American promoters here. Tho
lclub Is in the hands Of the League, there
lis no manager. and small prospect that
the club will be much better than the
lone Of last year. But the straw that
breaks the camel's back Is the loss Of the
lpatronaee Of the department clerks. IL
lis almost impossible to begin the games
later than 4.S0, and even that hour Is
too late in ahe latter part of the season
no reach the present grounds tt requires
not less than thirty minutes from any Of
1.-THE departments, and few could make the
Tourney IN THAT time. So IL Is seen where
the patronage Of the clerk Is lost. for
lnone would care TO make the long trip
Ito see two-thirds OF "a game, while II she
hour Of beginning was changed to
oclock, which Is improbable, stn none
. would go to the games because they
= could not reach home until long after
r o'clock.
e No washington club can succeed with
lout the patronage Of the Departmental
people. Under amy circumstances there
4: Is a limited number of persons who at.
tend the games each day, no matter how
well the club plays or what the condi-
e. ltinns may be- but it requires steady at
= Tendance Of the servants Of Uncle Sam
Ito keep the bah club on ITS feet. Tho
< patronage I'm washington Is more lim-
s lited than most persons would believe
without the facts being pointed out q
, them. The total population Of the city Is
less than 100000. and OF this number near
FLY, il not quite, third are colored peo.
q iple, and these contribute comparatively
. little TO the support Of the baseball team
Last season there were a number Of anna
4 teur leagues in existence, and they vii
be reorganized this year, and all OF thess
! drew heavily from the gates Of the pro
fessional league. In all the amateui
l. leagues the games DO not begin until
O'Clock. which gives most folks time Z,
eat dnner and reach The field, and thes'
O llttle organizations OF boys, who are
o known by most Of those who witness th'
games. were the drain which swampes
o the American League Club last seasoi
and viii do so again unls@l a radica
4 change is inaugurated, and this does no
seem possible at this time
There IS no reason to believe that tn
i government VIII return TO the old 'cus
tom OF relieving the clerks az O'Clock
and the oily way for the Washington clul
! lto meet this new condition Is to pull NJ
i stakes IN Northeast Washington and g
y TO the old Seventh street grounds. IN
horus for starting the games could the
~ be made AS without extending 81 too IA
n into the evening, and this additional If
\, teen minutes would be nearly time enoug
> TO permit the Government people TO reao
the park before the game began. Il is m
only solution Of the new problem, but tn
American League must act quickly 0