The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-08-10
cared To DEATH Many More Men Exposed Dying That
CLEAN BASE BALL
Well Known Citizen Gives Some
Sound Advice on Popular Subject

Well Known Citizen Gives Some
Sound Advice on Popular Subject
Editor of the Banner.-I have read
with considerable amusement the
statement in the Hoosick Falls Demo
crat, which when boiled down, simply
means that Manager Higgins of the
Bennington Baseball club is more of
Spectator than investor; more of a
diplomat than manager; more of a
tricky, crappy, far-seeing, dollar-chas.
ing individual than a simpie-minded,
easily-picked HucklebeTian. Hoosick
Falls lays all of her baseball troubles,
all her baseball woes at Manager Hig-
gins door.
The milk in tie coccJdnW' is sim
ply this. me management 5 are of
such ar rent types theis is no com
paison. rmher contrast One team
II managed as a means TO an end.
p he / C,rs the game, lpz. end the
money that can be m1Ns from the
game by betting. CO yr.o Of pix
ing sports" pool their individual two
dollars, appoint a commissioner, toot
the Yonk Yonki of a secondhand
auto" ana feel as they whisk into the
"Eattieless Town that they are real
Hlltsburg III us " OH the delGsion.
The brazen commissioner pa ads up
ami down before the granIstaud,
flashes his roll % ones with it's five
cC!ar wrapper and offers his wares
in the most loul I.Cu;hed way 10 ihC
disgust Of all true lovers of sport.
On the other hand we find a manager
who ignored the gambling end.
He gathers abou. him a gentlenanly
set of young men who deplore bickec-
ing and quarreling, a set of young
men who play the game for the snor
that is in it; a set of young men who
handle the ball as if they enjoyed IL;
a set of young men who go to and
from their positions as if they felt
there was something else in life be
sides the mighty dollar. The bCvs
play the game for sport. True spn.t
Sport that sends the life blood thrill
ing through their veins. Sport that
furnishes good appetite and a good
nights repose.
Twenty or more years ago the pool
rooms of the country made books on
baseball games. The book-maker
wrote his combinations as is done to-
day on tne races. What was the re-
suit? Baseball was almost killed.
The game was largely patronized by
cheap gamblers. A. G. Spalding saw
that gambling was at the bottom of
the whole trouble, that is was sapping
the life-blood of the sport, and keep
ing a single eye to the exclusion Of
betting. he rejuvenated the game with
the aid of such men as the lamented
President Pulliam of the National
league, and placed baseball in the
front rank of American outdoor
sports Then it was made possible
for the people of small towns like
Hoosick Falls, North Adams and Ben
nington to spend a pleasant outing
watching a set of athletic young men
strive for supremacy.
There is no objection to local feel
ing running high. That is a sign OF
patriotism than which nothing can be
held in higher esteem. There is al
ways objection to wrangling and bick
ering particularly in a public place.
These are signs of bad breeding. Let's
hope that the gambling element will
dissocate itself from the Hoosick
Falls team. Then we can have some
ball games; then Manager Higgins
can rest in peace and there will be no
necessity TO accuse him of bad faith
in breaking agreements; no necessity
for such headlines as Robbed, Rob
bed! Robbed" as we found in a re
cent issue of the North Adams Trans
cript Stop throwing mud. Stop bet
ting on ball games Stop quarreling
like "biddies" leaning far out of win
dows. BE gentlemen. Get together.
Let's have some real sport for sports
sake.
A Fan"
Vt, Aug 9. 1909