The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-04-15
NEW YORK. April 13.-Weathe

NEW 1Ohk, april weather
permitting, the baseball season of the
two major leagues will open Tues
day. Judging from the attendance at
he preliminary and practice games,
the interest in the national game is
more widespread than ever this year
| Predictions are freely made that this
will be baseball's banner year Some
of the minor leagues that were in
existence last season have disbanded,
but more than enough new organiza-
lions have sprung up to take their
place. In fact, the number of pro-
fessional leagues that will be seen in
competition this year is larger than
ever before.
The 16 clubs that comprise the
American and National leagues are
reported in good shape and ready for
the umpire to cry "Play BALI" Ac-
cording to the experts who have
closely studied the clubs in both the
big leagues since they have been in
training, the race for the champion
ship in the respective organizations
will be closer than it has been for
several seasons past.
1t is estimated that the total ex-
pense of the two major leagues for
the season of 1903 will amount 10
more than 100000, including
ground rent, salaries. training ex-
penses and railroad fare for the sea-
SON. A fortune is expended in rail-
road fare alone. In order to fill their
scheduled championship dates for the
season the clubs of the American
league will have to travel 95,722
miles and the National league teams
80, 465 miles, making at the rate of
. cents per mile and at the average
of Is men to each party, the sum of
$G7.7G532 that will be paid to the
railroads for transportation alone.
OF this amount the American league
will contribute s34,2S7.40 and the
National league $33,2S7.40.
| The St. Louis Browns are scher-
uled to do more travelling this year
than any other club of the American
league They are down to journey
i14,307 miles. Twice they are TO
make the jump from ST. Louis to
Boston distance Of 1929 miles.
The longest jump for the New York
and Chicago teams of the American
league will be the trip from New
York to st. Louis, which is 1905
miles. The longest trip for the
Philadelphia will be between Phila-
delphia and St Louis, go miles, and
the star jaunt of the Washington
club will be from the home city TO
St. Louis, S92 miles.
OF the National league teams the
Pittsburgs will find travelling the
most expensive. They are slated to
take 81 trips and will cover dis
lance of 15,057 miles. The Phila-
delphias, on the other hand, will
have to travel less than 1000 miles,
tue difference between the two teams
being due to the fact that the Pitts
burg will be obliged to constantly
leave home to fill Sunday dates in
Chicago and Cincinnati.
The Pittsburgs and the Cincinnatis
are to make the longest jumps
among the National league clubs.
The Brooklyns will make fewer
Jumps than any other National
league team, the schedule calling for
them to leave home only % times, or
IA less than the Pittsburgs. The big
Jump between Boston and st. Louis
will be taken during the season by
three Of the National league clubs
the Bostons, Chicagos and st. Louis.
The Philadelphia club in each
league will have the smallest amount
Of mileage to pay, the total for the
seasonseason amounting to $3,395.40.
The st. Louis club in the American
league must put up $5,150.52 for
railroad fare, the largest amount for
any club in that organization. The
Pittsburgs. heading the list in the
National league. will pay out 3d.
42J52 for the season.
Before tue club treasurers can be-
gin to put figures on the right side
of the ledger, something like $50, 900
fans must pass through the turn
stiles. After that, as the saying Is.
it is all velvet" for the owners of
| the team