The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-02-28
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE.

By PRESIDENT HARRY C. PULLIAM.
The approaching baseball season Of 1901
will i~naugurate the twenty-ninth consecu-
tive renewal of the championship race OF
the National League of Professional Base
ball Clubs of America. The National
League was born on February 2, 1876, the
Centennial year. in New York. Upon that
eventful occasion professional baseball was
put upon a sound foundation, and so well
did the builders of this pioneer ~organiza-
ton build that time has only served to
strengthen the structure.
Baseball is truly the national game OF
America. for it is the only sport universal
ly participated in by all classes from the
Atlantic Coast TO the Pacific. There is
hardly a city III the country that does not
possess a professional team.a and no hamlet
nine. Baseball has followed the flag to
Hawaii and Manila. In Manila at the
present time there is q regularly organ
ICED baseball organization called the Ma
ria Baseball League. which is at present
playing its championship season.
From 1876 TO 1904 time in its progress has
marked vast changes and development in
professional baseball. The game has grown
more scientific without lessening its in
terest. and the players as a body are
necessarily more skillful and proficient. To
meet the advancement in the skill of the
players. the playing rules governing the
National League are far different from
those Of 1876. No innovation has been
made. however, except that warranted by
SlSC hllu IN tSlltdliu VI Tic dim
and so well have the playing rules been
revised from time to time that it has
never been necessary to TAX a step back
ward after a rule has been made.
SPORT IN BUSINESS VENTURE.
Baseball as a. sport and a business ven
ture to-day owes its position to the fact
that the sport itself has always been safe
guarded. IN its early days the integrity.
Threatened by an attempt to make it an
adjunct of the pool seller. but this danger
was stamped out by heroic measures in its
clean and healthy.
The National League to-day is composed
Of eight members. embracing the eight
largest and representative cities of Amer
lea. The money invested in the various
corporations controlling the franchises in
the National League runs over the million
to the PLAYERS in the various National
League clubs In 1903 was approximately
$4,000; From the modest salaries paid to
ball players in 1SI6., when the National
League was organized. to the salaries pre-
vailing in 1903. is a far cry indeed. The
star ball player Of to-day commands the
employed but six months in the year.
h season of 1863 was a most successful
one in the National League. The cham
ing the cities Of New York. Pittsburg and
Chicago was very brilliant and exciting.
1t held the interest of the public from the
start to the finish. and during that period
more than 100000 people passed through
the turnstiles of the various clubs to wit
ness the contests that decided the cham
pionship.
The outlook for the game for 1904 and
for the National League in Darticular was
never brighter. Baseball was never in aS
The clubs in the National League have all
been strengthened for the coming cham
pionship struggle and will soon be leav-
Ing for the South to begin training pre-
NJ "a f0ry IN tt,N n11lVyIr1fiOD of tho chow
pionship season.
The struggle this year will be a memoir
able one, for all the opponents of the
strengthened, and the path of the three
time champions to the far-off 1904 pen
rant will not be strewn with roses! Manu-