The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-09

As business baseball has reacned tremendous proportions. It has oeen estimated that ss17.o00,0o0 are spent on professional baseball in this country every year. Millions more are spent on amateur ball. There are 10000 rec ognizedf professional ball players oe- longing to regularly organized leagues, in addition to thousands of others Wno accept money for occasional sames. and in the main depend upon otner
 sources of income.
 This wonderful industry-sport not
 only furnishes a livelihood 10 the thousands of professionals who make it a life business, but to great array | of attaches of one sort or another whose annual Income is derived prin- cipally from 1t, such as trainers.
 groundkeepers. boys who sell drinks. cigars. chewing gum. score cards etc. also the workmen and officials or the great manufacturing enterprises which
 make baseball outfits for big and little hines"
 Baseball parks In large cities are usually the last remnants of what were once large open areas An angie or the business is to head of attempts made from time to time to have right | of-way through the park condemned in order that streets may be completed. In this manner baseball has been in-
 
 many politicians have gained an in terest in clubs. One of the threats held over the heads of the American League promoters when they first at- tempted to enter New York and start | a club in opposition to the National League Club, was that if the ambitious Americans did find a suitable site, the principal owner of the National League franchise. who was a power in Tam many Hall. would have streets cut through the property before 1t could be completed.
 This effectually baked the Ameri- cans until they evolved the scheme of financially interesting in / their project a man as strong, if not stronger, in Tammany Hall than the National League element The big politician be7 came the principal stockholder in the new club used his influence to nullify the frantic attacks of the opposition and the American League Park was built without further delay.
 Tn a somewhat different manner the politicians of another large city took a hand in the game and nearly caused the ruin of an immensely profitable ball park. They became disgruntled because of what they considered the paucity of passes issued them, and suddenly discovered that the only hope for the city's future lay in cut ting streets through this owners grounds. He did not call in any po- tent counter influence to become a principal shareholder. He entered the political arena himself and soon be- came dangerous enough not to be har- ried
 Baseball as an advertising medium is making astonishing progress Moth
 Ing will so keep a town Ion the map" and make the public at large familiar with its name, as the fact that 1t has a winning team. All the world reads
 the baseball news. The name of the place that files, or nearly flies, 8 pen-
 nant, is bruited abroad, and thousands become familiar with the name, It's approximate location and the fact that 1t is enterprising.
 It requires hustle, persistency and liberal amounts of money to finish at the top in any league. and the princi- pal difference between the large and small leagues is in the expense. The a pennapt winner are largely reflected back upon the town whose2 name the club bears. and newspaper readers or prospective settlers credit it's citizens with public spirit and financial possi- ties.
 Resort and hotel teams are anoth CT development of the advertising possi-
 
 up the money to engage the best play CTS 1t can ind to play two or three times a week and bear the name of the hotel or resort. so keeping that before the public. When the society editor co1dly rejects the fervid de- scription of festivities at Sand-Dunes- by-the-Sea. and the news editor scorn- fully losses into the waste busket the thrilling story of the sea serpent, or the rescued from sudden death of a beautiful heires5 by a distinguished politician. the sporting editor thank fully receives and publishes the ac- count of the resorts deeds on the dia- mond.
 These summer" teams are not only advertisements, but furnish amuse- ment and conversation for the guests The players receive from $1O to $25 a week and their board for the season. Many of them are college students. In contra distinction to the summer" teams, are the winter leagues" Warm weather and bright sunshine brings to the visitor at Southern resorts an in- tense desire to see baseball games. The astute proprietors have grasped the situation and now there are several winter leagues in existeI- e. The prin- cipal one Is that composed of hines representing the big hotels at Palm Beach and nearby points along the Florida coast .and some of the very best players in the major leagues are engaged at good salaries.
 Baseball has been an important fact