The Washington times., 1906-04-01

worlds championship. resulted in favor
of the National League The series be-
tween the rival Chicago clubs also re-
suited In favor of the National League
To those who had tried to give baseball
an impartial study. ii is not so certain
mat these results were wholly surpris-
ing, but il is unquestionably the truth
that they came as great surprise to
the American League.
A lew words are due to the world S
series. Not in the history of baseball
mas there ever been conducted a certain
number of match games for a national
pennant which were so ably handled and
which were so credltable to the manac-
ers OF the nations sport as the contests
between the New York National League
club and the Philadelphia American
League club. To John T. Brush. who
outlined and suggested the rules which
should govern such contests. great credit
Is due for assisting in placing or the
hishest plane in the history of the
game, championships involving the in
terests of nation. for there is no ques-
tloh as 10 the national concern in a
sporting event OF this character. The
story of the worlds series last October
was flashed by innings from one ocean
towns and villages bulletins were issued
showing the progress of the contests
which were taking place in New York
and Philadelphia
The defeat of the American club
which sought to win the championship
was not such a hardship to the American
League as some would have II. Possibly
nothing could have resulted which would
nave given the younger organization
greater incentive 10 try to improve for
the tight OF 1906 than to be beaten. On
the other hand. victory did not unduly
initiate the minds of the National League
owners, for baseball fighting is not I'M
common to them hut II did establish -
certain feeling of satisfaction that their
confidence had not been misplaced in
the team which had the right 70 COM
pete against the Americans.
Both Ready for Warm Fight.
SO both organizations benefited by de-
feat and victory. and both. therefore, re-
new the struggle for supremacy this
year with Zest which might have been
lacking in part had not the results of
1905 been weighed out as they were.
The enthusiasm which is q part Of the
struggle in the major leagues never il
confined to those bodies II spreads in
every direction. Given good year with
the Nationals and Americans, and there
Will be a good year with the minor
leagues. The 'yeener the struggles ia
the cities like New York. Boston. Ph.la-
delphia. and Chicago, the greater the
attention which is paid TO baSebaIi in
the Eastern League, the American AS
sociatiOn, the Southern League, and .the
two-score and more other leagues
which may be mentioned. Their patrons
! may take sides with the major leagues,
I and they may look with some avidity
for the news of their games. but SO con-
| tagious is baseball interest and en-
! thusiasm that he who becomes a de-
voice to the larger club speedily finds
himself a rank partisan for his own
team, even though it be playing in the
| Gar Northwest, or the far Southwest,
for the championship OF that immediate
section.
More Clubs Than Ever.
More baseball clubs will be on the dia-
monds of the United States this year
than ever before played in the histor-
! of the country. There Will be more
| leagues than there were in 1905, and
there will be more independent Clubs
Dealers in baseball supplies say that the
demands for the summer trade are far
| in excess OF any season in their history
/ Had they not anticipated such posi-
/ bility it might have been that some of
them would have found il out Of the
question to supply advantageously all
/ their customers.
The country everywhere is keen for a
great baseball struggle, and the base
ball sky is without one unfavoring cloud.
II by some chance either New York
| club should happen to win the cham
pionship in it's respective league this
year it is within reason to predict that
| the crowds which shall witness the next
worlds series will be even larger than
! the thousands who sat in a fever Of
! excitement throughout the games in the
| fall of 1905, finally finishing by giving
| the Giants such an ovation as never
was seen at the close Of a baseball game
in the world
Besieged by Congratulatory Mob.
For more than half an hour a dense
mob struggled for footing outside the
club house of the players, trampling
| hats under foot to secure souvenirs
thrown by the players. tugging madly
at belts and old shoes which fell among
them and which everybody wanted in
sisting upon speeches, bringing the band
| to serenade the victors, and finally
drifting home tired. bedraggled, hoarse.
but thoroughly happy because they
knew that they had witnessed fair con-
| tests. conducted without a murmur of
protest. which established the claims of
both major leagues to sportsmanship of
| the highest nature.
|nInr onruoc