The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-08-23
POPULARITY OF BASEBALL,

Sentiment Among Spectators Nov Dis
 couragesBrutality Among Players.
 The popular interest in baseball never was as great as it appears to be this year. From every city reports come of large crowds in attendance upon con- | tests where what has long been called ''the national game is played with a manifestation of athletic skill, ellclNnS constant comment, even from those who have been patrons of the sport for years. Tn Chicago, particularly, the in terest is intense, because in the two the largest cities the Chicago clubs 1 have fine chance to stand at the head | when the season closes This interest shows itself in the tremendous crowds which attend the games, filling the stands and bleachers to oyertioWing and 1 pouring out upon the field theoretically have been occasions where many of the l Would-be spectators have been prevent ed from seeing a single play because of the dense crowd of people.
 It is more than local pride that draws these tremendous audiences. The fig
 ures of attendance given by the papers 1 are guesswork or padded statements used by the management for advertis- l ing purposes But the evidence of the eyes reveals that there are many thous- ands who go daily to support with their presence and cheering their favorite players. There is much in the game it. self which awakens enthusiasm and brings patronage.
 | The rare occurrences of brutality is well worth mentioning, in view of what is often alleged against the football contests. In the latter case it is a struggle where weight counts as well as headwark and agility. The tempta- tion is strong to do underhand things when the officials are not looking. Many
 of the plays are more or less secret, the audience noting the net gain with 1 out understanding exactly how it was 1 made. In baseball everything is open and above board. The thousands learn to watch the movements of the players with an eagerness born of knowledge. The umpire can see every player. His decisions commend themselves to the crowd in the instant, or are disapprov- ed. Occasionally there is some showing of bad spirit. but often the objections are ''part of the game" to win, without being serious or long continued
 If manager captain, or player cre- ates a disturbance the crowd is quick with its condemnation as rule. From the point of view of the gate receipts il | has been proved without question that l the people like clean, fair play and vii
 not countenance rowdyism or unsports- I manlike conduct It is particularly to
 the credit of the Chicago teams that, ir their surprising winning streaks, they l have played square and open game l without anything to be regretted from 1 the spectators poin of view.
 The Good nature of Americans shows 1 itself at baseball game in many ways. The thousands are easily han | dled. There Is little to arouse the spir- it of lawlessness. There is compara. l lively little gambling among the spec. l tators, The dishonest player who sells l out to the interest of improper finan cial gain is almost nukaown. For many years the charges against players of throwing games have been practic- ally unheard. The fiercest struggles are attended by good spirit, apprecia- tion and applause of the feats of the opponents ready acauiescenoe in de- feat, in fact with those features which l all would like to have marked in any thing regarded q, an American national game. From the Chicago Tribune.