The Detroit times., 1909-12-10
EVENING STUNT5AT
BENNETT PARK
NEXT YEAR
President Navin Admits He's I'M
Pressed With Hlppodrome Idea
and Is Ready To Rent the
Park for L.
Experiment Made in Eastern Cities
Last Year Likely To Result IN
a Big Enterprise.
sY PAUL 4. eRuskE

~ they want our ban park. let en-
come 90 me and make me a PROPOSE
zion an rent H."
Thus spoAe President Frank J.
Naviu. of be Detroit Baseball club.
when asked regarding his attitude to-
varl The theatrical syndicate which is
said to be- forming "a chain of parks in
cities In The big leagues for the pun
pose ot providing evening entertain
mtnt n the open air, after the fashion
tried last summer at Pittsourg ana
Philadelphia
Accordingly there seems an excellent
prospect Inar the regulars az Bennett
park will have the pleasure OF watch
ing the Tigers whale the everlasting
stuiIlue Out of some luckless ball club
in the afternoon while. in the evening,
with bright lights Illuminating the dia-
mOud they may return 20 their places
i'm Ihr stands and bleachers and watch
the theatrical stars do their stunts
Just Imagine.
From the distance which sam Craw-
ford occupies ont in center field. div
INK horse nay tear of thrilling
aerial tip. ending with a splash in a
temporary pond out in the territory
guarded IN the afternoon by DOME
Bush, other acrobats may do their lit
tie lipnops a gay soubrette may re
lieye Charlie Schmidt after the shades
OF evening fan and barefoot dancer
may oihciate where a few hours before
the mighty Mullin had heaved the bail
up TO the beiudd!ed batsman.
That some such plan is very likely
IN H.. Eric q lxr - tom ~ ~ as.f.
next year seems reasonably certain.
The hippodromes which We're staged
at Forbes Field. Pittsburg. and Con-
ME Macks old park in Philadelphia
last season, We're mouey-getters. Or
ganiZed on systematic basis the
profit would doubtless be larger and
the quality Of the entertainment OF a
higher order \ couple OF weeks in
each city would probably be- the plan
OF the try-out The evening attrac-
ton would doubtless be first tested
al a time when the baseball team was
on the road. though there is nothing
which would prevent the occurrence
OF afternoon and evening shows On
the same day.
Scheme Looks Practical.
The scheme appeals to the tbeatr-
cal people because OF the FAC; that II
provides in each large city OF the
country a theater which is we'll known
10 the public, conveniently situated
and ample in size Circus facilitiCa
of a permanent nature are virtually
available
The fact that several OF the CON
fdential men OF Keith. the vaudeville
impresariO are members of the new
board Of directors OF the Philadelphia
National league club has started the
report that Mr. Keith is the real bac',
or OF Horace Fogel in the recent pur-
chase OF that club Whether or not
the acquiring of such an interest is
caused by the desire OF the theatrical
man 70 get d foothold in league poll
tics which viii enable him 10 negotiate
for the evening use OF the parks is
a matter open 10 conjecture
AZ any rate, the promoters OF the
scheme will have free rein II they
want 20 try il in Detroit
Night baseball has never appealed
TO tho level head OF the Detroit clubs
XecUtiye but this hippodrome thing
looks worth trying, so long as the
lrs possibility Is assumed by someone
else.
And who knows but. three or fopr
years hence. the American league will
Do tescryng theatrical attractions
with Ban Johnson in the role 81 CHER
impresario3