The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-26
THE DIAMONDS CALL.

$ With the approach of real spring
weather which viii permit of the play
ing of games preliminary to. the regu-
lar baseball season by the clubs in this
locality and in almost every other sec
ltion of the country, it is but natural
that the minds of most folks should turn
to the diamond. As a matter of fact
they have been pointed in that direction
for some little time. A love of baseball
appears to be almost inherent with all
healthy Americans and it is to their
benefit that this is so. 1t has well been
termed the National game. 1t typifies
tall that is desirable in American char
acter. 1t calls for great skill for It's
successful playing. 1t demands sober,
earnest work to accomplish good results.
It's a clean sport, one of the cleanest
that the mind of man has developed. 1t
! has ever been conducted honestly and
has been kept free from gambling. 1t
provides the keenest of recreation and
relaxation for the working men of the
country, who are able to take OFF an
afternoon or two of each week for the
purpose of cheering their home team on
to victory, or weeping over its defeat.
Maybe it occasionally demoralizes an
office boy or causes an unusual number
of sudden deaths in his immediate fam
lily which demands his attention from
his work but the harm that it does
in this way is slight while the good,
robust pleasure it affords to multitudes
Of others is of immeasurable value.
And Topekans are not far behind
their brethren in other centers of pop
ulation in the land in their loyalty to
the game. Indeed. Topeka is a better
baseball town. than most other cities
of her size, that is if she is represent
ed with an adequate team. But this is
the truth concerning most towns large
enough to have team in a major or
minor league. If they are represented
on the field with a winning team they
are good baseball towns but if such is |
not the case, well, the men who have
to provide the money to run the poor
teams are to be pitied During the past |
few years, or since Dick Cooley has |
been the major domo of the towns |
baseball destinies, Topekans have not
had much cause to find fault with their |
baseball teams. Two of them in the |
last three years have been winners of /
pennants in the Western Association.
This year the team has been elevated |
to the Western League. which COM !
prises faster aggregation of ball toss
ers. This means that Topekans will |
have the privilege and pleasure of see
ing a much higher grade of baseball |
during the six months to come than
they have before. And such a change
will be welcome. AS to how Topeka's |
ball players will fare this season in new
and faster company is a matter for con-
lecture. There will be many new faces
on the team, men selected by Cooley to
hold their own among the class of play
ers that work in the Western League.
Cooley's judgment of baseball players
Is good. He has fine knack of whip
ping a bunch of players into a winning
team. and there is reason to believe that
Topeka will be quite as we'll represented
in the Western League as 1t was in the
Western Association. Time alone will
tell. 1t will be expecting too much to
think that the team will walk away
with the Western League pennant. II
It keeps in the first division during its
first year in the league it will be doing
all that the fans ought to ask with all
reasonableness. A winning baseball
team is hard to make in one season.
Anyhow the new team is worthy of all
possible support and encouragement
from the local fans. and 1t will proba-
bly, get 1t with enthusiasm.