The Washington times., 1909-10-07

The suggestion by the writer in The
Times that after allowing the fsardci-
pants a reasonable amount for tneir
trouble the remainder. of the net receipts
from the worlds baseball series be de-
voted TO the founding and maintaining
of home for INDECENT professional base
bah players. met with general approval
And, it is not improbable that before
many seasons have passed the sugges-
ton will be carried into effect.
That the topheavy financial rewards
for the teams contesting for the world
pennant carry the germs OF possible
scandal that may bring the professional
sport into disrepute. is generally admit
ted. although seldom openly discussed.
The race in the American League which
closed last Monday was the cause Of IN
Vulnerable innuendoes. and matters
have come to such a pass that in the
last month or six weeks, II the struggle
IS close. there Is hardly a game which
the first or second teams play against
a hopeless outsider that Is not the sub
ject for the waggIng OF heads and cries
of Il told you So
And It is getting worse every year.
Must Eliminate Motive.
Some radical action is necessary 10
eliminate the motive for lying down or
reduce ii 10 such minimum that COM
mercialism can no longer influence
the weaker teams in the big leagues
when they go against prospective pen
nant winners. The series viii have 10
be abolished or the greater income from
It diverted from the pockets Of the play
ers.
~, N-o.so,,o, r-,,,,,,,t-s;,, .p5 .no tu-,,
leagues well realized this when a rule
was passed that the players should
share only in the receipts or the first
four 90 the seven games. II was felt
that this r,Ie was necessary TO prevent
the two clubs from jockeying through
six games In order 90 draw as many
large crowds as possible. and then let
ting the championship be decided by the
seventh and last battle. The fact that
the commission thought it necessary TO
fcrestaII move OF this sort should be
borne in mind when the charges OF in
and-out playing in the major races are
considered. We have excellent author
ity for the statement that there is
none perfect. no. not one" and We have
heard of no baseball players being car
rled 20 the skies in a fiery chariot be
taA1t tlltA WFAt wv NNNA ANA Nstts1 90 $50
Not Decrying the Sport.
It must not be inferred that we are
decrying the business and the men who
make their living out OF IL. On The
contrary, one Of the most astonishing
moral phenomena OF modern times mas
been the honesty Of professional base
ball since It was cleaned out by w VI.
Hubert. some thirty or more years ago.
The game has remained almost perfectly
straight from that day 10 this. Tn
sportsmanlike tactics have been employ
ed. and reprehensible tricks have been
/ turned-in mad desire to win. But
row the game is confronted with a new
angie-the Inevitable tendency OF some
OF the participants to slow up in certain
contests IN order that their boon com
panions or warm friends may get slice
or the worlds series money. We are not
crOaking. but this is a plain statement
Of the truth. II 1t were otherwise tho
miracle OF changing human nature
would have been accomplished. the nil.
lennium would be at hand and D5bodJ
would have 10 hustle for his bread.