Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-17
PUBLIC'S RIGHTS IN
POST-SEASON GAMES

The general impression regarding post
season series is not altogether correct in one
particular. While the worlds and other
post-season contests between rival teams
Of the two major leagues are in the ma
ture of benefit performances for the play
ers. that is not the sole purpose of the
contests. II 1t were the players would
rot benefit" as handsomely as they
have. The contests mean to the public
the decision Of a tremendous difference of
opinion as to which of the two pennant-
winning teams. or Of two teams repre-
senting the same city in different leagues.
is the better. That difference Of opinion
is what makes possible the profits OF
such contests. In arranging them, there
fore, the first thing to be considered is
the insurance that this difference of
opinion shall be settled as dlecisively,
fairly and squarely as is possible in base
oall. The public must come first and
the player and club owner second and
third in Importance. 1t Is possible for
two club owners to get together and
agree verbally or in writing to play
series between their teams under rules
which, so far as they can foresee, will
provide In advance for all possible dis
putes. 1t was not possible for the st.
Louis club owners a few seasons ago to
foresee and provide against strike
Of their players, who refused to play the
decisive game on Sunday unless they
we're given the gross receipts to split
evenly between themselves. 1t was not
possible for the two Chicago clubs in
1903 to foresee that rain and an even
break would leave their post-season Sc
ries undecided at tie end of the written
agreement they had prepared to cover
every possible dispute they could think
Of. There are other cases In post-season
base ball history and there has been no
one to decide these disputes or to punish
those at faplt for them. The game has
suffered in each case. That is why the
public wants to see post-season series,
worlds or otherwise. played under the
control of the national commission, be-
cause that is a guarantee that there will
be some kind Of a settlement Of the diff
ference Of opinion which makes the pub
lie want such contests played. The pub
lie does not necessarily side with the COM
mission in taking for its trouble 10 per
cent of the gross receipts of such con-
tests That is business detail with
which the sport-lov!ng public has little
concern and for which it cares less. The
national commission could conduct and
control all ante and post season series
and pay all the expenses 1t incurs in such
contests for less than 10 per cent. At
present the income from the worlds Sc
ries is paying part of the expense of
maintaining the commission as a gov
erning body for the entire field of organ
ICED base ball. That expense should fall
as nearly equally as possible upon all
who enjoy the protection of organized
terleague series were assessed only
enough to cover the expenses entatled by
them and the running expenses OF the
commission itself could be assessed equal
iy upon all who carry their disputes to
that body for settlement, whether in
class d leagues or majors. there would
be greater fairness in that method OF
taxation than in the. present one.