The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-09-29
Close Races for PennantS
Have Drawn Great Crowds
Over the Country.
PROSPERITY IN LEAGUES.
BOTH LARGE AND SMALL oRGANt-
CATIONS HAVE MADE MONEY
CHAMPIONSHIPS IN DOUBT I'LL
FINAL CONTEST.

When the final curtain Is runG down
on the baseball season of zoos ii will
fall ON the most wonderful year in all
the chronicles OF the national pas
time. Last season was said TO have
been the most prosperous. the most
successful in every way OF the annals
OF Americas premier sport. but the
baseball season of zoos is destined 10
eclipse that OF 1907. although the mar
gin may be narrow. In 1907 only one
big league race was interesting. The
other was farcical in the irresistible
''runawayness" of one club.
The Chicago club OF the National
league secured a toe hold on first place
early in the season and spent the re-
mainder Of its journey up pennant
lane merely in pressing down the hold
forging the wise tighter.
runaway il no race. and the fans
refused to slip the currency to the box
office proprietor. That was but bust
ness, for Ii takes money and lots OF IL
to keep baseball at the high standard
of the present day. On the other hand,
there was a four cornered fight In prog
ress in the American league and 1t
was into the fettered Golfers of the
junior circuit club owners that the
patrons poured their shekels.
The baseball fans like a ''hoss" race.
and Detroit was the gallant thorough
bred with the gameness. the endur.
ance and the burst OF speed to breast
the wire first. The American league
season was coin maker. This year
there has been grueling fight In
both the National and the American
leagues, and each Is narrowed down to
a bitter finish. with more than one
thoroughbred "hoss" in the dash along
the stretch. These great finishes are
the delight Of the bugs and the bug.
cites, and the major league magnates
are wallowing in the gate receipts
This will be the banner year for the
big league money crops
The unbounded activity, the close
races. the Jingle of the patrons silver,
the general prosperity of the major
leagues. all are echoed in the minor
leagues and even In the circuits Of the
sagebrush. Baltimore and Providence
engaged in a sizzing mill for FIRST
place In the Eastern league, but In the
ahead. The club treasurers OF the East
ern league haven't sent forth any
walls of woe.
The race In the American association
was dandy, and every magnate. with
the possible exception OF Lennon of
ST. Paul, has fondled a fine bundle of
legal tender as the pecuniary result of
the seasons doings.
In proof OF the fact that the present
is highly satisfactory and the future
brightly promising to the American
association club owners has come the
announcement. official and final. that
there will be no baseball war next
spring, and il must be admitted that
the war clouds were lowering ominous-
~.
The Southern league has moved
along Prosperity highway at a fast
clip. New Orleans, Nashville and
Memphis had a great tussle for the
flag. but during the last week of the
race New Orleans pulled out ahead. II
was great pennant race. The race in
the New York State league. one Of the
fastest Of the bush circuits, has been
very interesting all season.
In the Western association Topeka
won first place after a hard fight with
Wichita and Oklahoma City. Last
year the Wichita team had an easier
walkaway than did Chicago In the Ma.
tionai. This year there was q pennant
race. Prosperity did smile on the
! Shively league with a warmth that
was missing last season. In the West
crn league Sioux City captured the
leadership after hot fight with Oma-
ha. the pennant being won on the last
| day. Tulsa and Independence spared
Taliantiy for the top rung on the Okla
homa- Kansas ladder. and that thriving
| infant league already has finished ono
| pennant race this season. And every
| where 1t IL the same. II would be DIFF.
ficult to find q league that isn't max
| ing money. And even so It Ia with the
| independents and the semipros. Rah
for basebairs banner yearl