The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-02-24
OUTLAW LEAGUE
DEPENDS UPON
CAPITAL FANS
4f Successful Here 1t
Will Expand West
ward.
By THOMAS S. RICE.

The announcement that the outlaw
I Mon League Is about TO bid for the
baseball patronage of the National Cap
ital seems better grounded now than
ever before, and il is not at all UNI
likely that the new organization will
have team here this year or next.
The experiment Of putting Union
League clubs in this city and Balti-
more viii be watched with great in
terest by baseball fans and promot ers
That the Washington public is astonish-
insly fond of baseball is proved by its
hbeTal and cons tant support of the
poor teams the clty has had in the
American and National leagues, and
Iha.large. attendance at amateur games.
Also, on special occasions, such as the
visit of the Seattle high school team
here last summer to play an All-Wash-
lugton high school team, the patronage
las been decidedly hattering.
Hard Problem for Promoters.
Now the question remains, would the
baseball enthusiasts give up money
regularly from day to day 10 see q
minor league team perform while the
Washington American League club is
on the road? Is their interest strong
enough 10 loosen their purse strings?
Until the new proposition is given a
thorough trial q conclusive answer TO
this problem Is absolutely impossible.
but there are many fans in the Capital
who have loudly announced their will
ngness 10 pay admissions 20 see pro-
IessionaI games of good quality while
the major team is on the road.
Whether they viii back their assertions
with the nimble quarters and halves
remains 10 be seen. but many shrewd
observers think il is well worth a trial.
Baltimore, as a whole, has not been
a good town for sporting enterprises.
IN recent years u has improved great
~ in this respect, and hundreds If
collars are being made there now
where thousands would have been lost
a decade ago. Amateur and college
baseball have never attracted the at
tentIoH and crowds which they have
done in Washington, and 10 has been
cE(y recently that there was enough
money in professional baseball 10
cause the promoters to be accused Of
attempting 10 corrupt amateurs.
Success Means Expansion.
No serious attempt has ever been
made 10 give Baltimore a ball team
70 compete with the regular National
Agreement team, and the Union
League experiment in the Monumental
City will be as novel and as interest
ing as in the Capital. Should it sue
coed in both places the new circuit will
be much more formidable than has
been supposed sand might eventually
branch out 10 Pittsburg and CinCin-
natl, which must necessarily be among
the objective points of any really en-
LeTpTlSlng hackers OF "a general Eastern
baseball scheme not acknowledging the
territorial rights OF existing leagues
and the jurisdiction of the National
Commission
Jimmy AIcAleer had i'm the ST. Louis
Browns last year a much better bali
team than 10 appeared ia the column
or American League standings For
some reason the nine men on the field
We're going into the air on the slightest
prONOcauOn and staying there long
enough for its opponents to come from
behind and win. He was numerically
roasted and so were his players, but
nothing could stop the ballOOning tend
ency. It was charged by many that Nc
Aleer could not get the work out of
the men and that they We're seriously
disahected, while others attributed the
disastrous failures in sight of victory
10 pure cussedness OF fate.
Should Retire Waeieu.
II Internal dissensions had anything
10 do with McAleer's failure, il is hard
10 see Wnere ne mas benefited himself
CT the ST. Louis fans by obtaining RUDE
Waddell, AS q joke Waddell is about
al I'm. He was forced out Of the Ath-
letics I'm Philadelphia because of his de-
Iberate Sinking Of work when a little
eZertion on his part might have landed
the pennant for the Quaker City and
the hundreds Of dollars apiece that
would have meant for his eliminates.
Likewise, there is no reason why the
fans at large should have any kindly
feelings for Waddeu His antics and
dislOyalty 50 Connie Mack and his fell
lOw-players were largely, If not entire
ly,- responsible for the triumph of the
New York Nationals ia the worlds
series with the Athletics In 1905. His
quitting on that occasion was 2 blow
at every American League rOoter and
lover of fair play, Last year had ne
behaved himself and acted honestly tbs
Athletics would probably have won the
pennant, and WoulS certainly not have
done worse against the Chicago Ma
Lienals than did Detroit
Waddell is not a credit TO baseball
. from any angle in which he may be re-
garded and the sooner he is allowed TO
drop out of sight the better il viii be
Tor the game