The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-04-04
In Baseball Throughout the
Country.
STANDS BEING BUILT
In Nearly All Minor League
Cities.
The Outlaws and Other Small
Organizations Have Been Brought
into Legitimate" Fold.

The season of 1907 promises to be
the most successful in base ball his
tory. There are more professional
clubs under the national agreement,
which is the supreme government of
base ball today, than at any time
since the league consisted of eight
clubs, 40 years ago.
Listed under the head of legiti-
mate there are 30 professional base
ball leagues throughout the United
States, and these will average seven
clubs to the league. That gives us
30 base ball clubs to entertain the
sport loving public from the cos
mopolitan city to the little hamlet.
These clubs will try out and employ
Regularly 20 players during the sea-
son. That means that 4,20O pro-
fessional ball plaers are on the pay
Iroll of the various clubs, and
through the support of the public
$4,000, or nearly million, is paid
out OF boys and men throughout the
country who can dexterously catch
and hit ball.
Aside from professional players so
listed, there are hundreds of semi
professional leagues, In which the
players receive salaries ranging from
$50 to 800 a month. If 1t were
possible to reach anything like an
aggregate of money paid out in this
way, it is likely that the salaries
paid to ball players would easily
reach sl,5OO,OOO.
This year the Tristate league and
Ipther small organizations have been
bTought into the Legitimate base
ball fold, and in nearly every city of
the United States preparations are
being made for a prosperous season.
New stands are being built in nearly
all OF the minor league cities, and
the towns which could formerly pre-
sent nothing more than a Skinned
diamond" have gardeners at work
laying sod for a grass field.
Moreover, pride in the general
appearance of base ball has envel-
oped the entire country, and in
few years the unpretentious base
ball parks will resemble public
parks, so great has been the tend
ency toward the artistic and beautl-
ful.
Bill Raftis telegraphed this morn
Ing that he would report Friday.
He evidently expects to bring his
contract with him and sign up when
he arrives. .-Lancaster Eagle.
Fred Heller came down from CO.
lumbus this morning and reported to
Manager Breen. He secured quart
lers for the season. Fred is looking
good, being somewhat lighter than
he was last season. Fred has hosts
lof friends here, who are glad to
see him back in center field. Ian
caster Eagle.
Ace Stewart, spitball artist. last
year with Marion, will play with the
lSteubenville team of the p. O. M.
league.
A GAINESVILLE writer says the o. p.
league won't last any longer than
that old, overworked SNOWFALL prov
erb." We are willing to risk 1t.
Some fan who Is also satistician.
has figured that 1t cost St. Louis
S19.22 for each one of George Stones
2G8 hits.
When President Morton asked
Manager Wright of the Youngstown
Club of the o. & p. league what
size pennant he wanted, Wright re-
piled: 1--WE may never get another,
SO send us the largest one you can
get"
Although being minus the services
OF Marty Hogan. Youngstown is not
picked to win the 1907 pennant, Man
ager Wright has bunch that will
make some other teams work hard
Just at present It looks like Akron,
Lancaster and youngstown would
Ihnish In the order named, providing
the O. & p. league lasts the season
through. Marion and New Castle