Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-12
CLEAN SPORT A
GOOD INVESTMENT
History of Early Base Ball a
Splendid I|Iustra-
ton.

PHILADELPHIA. December 4.-There
is probably no field of endeavor which
insures such substantial financial returns
as the legitimate sporting game when it
Is once got going right and then kept clean.
There are thousands of persons in this
city still on the sunny side of the half
century mark who can recall the time
when Philadelphia was not represented by
professional base bali team in major
league. Following the scandal which fol-
lowed the expulsion OF Devlin. Hall, era
yer and Nichols for their alleged compile
ity in the Eclipse G.ousville) throwing
of games, the public simply passed up the
national pastima, and for a long time 1t
looked as though the sport itself was per-
manently shelved. One we'll known base
ball player, who was noted i'm his day as
are Lajoie or Ty Cobb today. declared
that ne would not put a nickel in any
movement looking to the organization of
a base ball club in this city; that in his
judgment the game was dead for fair
and that cricket was destined to become
the national game here as it was and is
in England
1t is TO wonder that under the condi-
tons it was practically impossible for the
most enthusiastic promoter to dig up a
live one to finance a ball team, and in
those days the entire outfit, players,
equipment and all. would not have in
volved a greater expenditure than a
small section of the present-day bleacher.
Horace Phillips, long since dead, had an
abiding faith in the ultimate popularity of
the game despite the fearful black eye 1t
got after the Louisville exposure in 1877.
The drastic action of President William
II. Hurlburt of the old National League,
In tossing both Phila6 elphia and New
York out of that organization, leaving 1t
representa- on in only two of the big
cities in the Union-Chicago and Boston
really clarified the atmosphere and sug-
gested the possibilities of a revival of
base ball on the lines laid out by Hurl-
burt. Phillips was among the first to
perceive these possibilities, and he went
about the work OF organizing a club in
this city with fine enthusiasm. but meet
ing with very little encouragement from
the owners of bank rolls. Those who
had the money had little or no faith in
the revival of interest in the game, while
those who were convinced that 1T was
destined to successful future did not
have the cash to back up their convic-
tions. That had happened before and has
happened since.
But Phillips persistence eventually won
out The Athletics got going at Oakdale
Park and the Philadelphia ball club was
organized later by Stephen Farrelly, rep
cesenting John r. Wash. of Chicago,
who was a firm believer in hurlburt' S
ability to place the game on a higher
I'm, oy-oy hofnra anihra6. Il
Reach, Tom Pratt and John /. Rogers.
Phillips, who had done much in getting
both teams in shape. did not stay mere.
He was a natural born organizer, and
movement which resulted in the forma-
ton of the American Association at
Pittsburg in 1881. No matter what the
critics may say to the contrary II was
the formation of the American League
that gave the national game the impetus
which increased with every year until
the Brotherhood movement in 1880, when
the divided interest gave the game d set
back from which it did not entirely re-
cover until the Inauguration of the Amer
lean Leagues expansion movement in
1901.
There is no accurate way in determin-
ing Just how much money was made oy
those who got in right with the Amer
lean Association. The Athletics were
owned by the late Billy Sharsig. Charley
Mason and Charles Fulmer. but the lat
ter getting into some political SQUAD
BILE with Amos and Mart Sack, the down.
town political leaders, concluded to quit
the city, although it was believed at the
time that Flamer did not have any too
great confidence In the financial success
of the new base ball organization. At any
rate, he sold his interest to Lew Sim
MONS the minstrel. who, with Charley
White, is still making -theatergoers laugh
just as he did at the Eleventh Street
Opera House fifty years ago; 1t is said
that F'ulmer sold his one-third interest
in the Athletics for $3.50 and signed with
the Cincinnati Reds to captain the team
and play short for $500 year, which
was considered an extravagant salary
IN those Gays. That was in the fall OF
1881 or the spring of 1882. The Cincinnatis
won the championship in 1882 and in 1883
the Athletics opened their new park at
2jth and Jefferson and celebrated the
event by winning the championship.
They played to the greatest crowds that
ever witnessed professional ball in this
city up TO that time. 1t was estimated
that the partners split up over 100000 as
their profits that season. which was
pretty soft for Sirnmons-SoOOoO for his
Chris Won der Abe of the ST. Louis
Browns cleaned up more cash than any of
his associates He had a great ball team.
including such stars as Gomiskey, Curt
WEIGH. -A-ie Latham. I anE ROBINSON,
Tin O'Ne7 srG others. 1rney won four
championships. during which they earned
nearly a quarter million dollars for Chris,
whose original investment was not much
over $1,000. The other clubs did well for
iears, but none of them quite approached
the earnings of the Athletics and the
Browns.
F'ulmer only STAYED. two seasons with
the Cincinnati Reds. and in 1884 he UNI
PRED In the National League. He played
one of the deepest short fields ever seen.
being an exceptionally strong thrower In
his earlier years he had taken shy at
the acting game. making a strong i'm
preston in that classic, '.rncle Toms
Cabin Old-timers will recall how the
frAguenters of the bleachers at 18th and
Jefferson streets used to delight in call
Ing to him, Uncle Tom. whar's Eva?''
but every one of them conceded his abil-
;ty as a ball player.
Man: Il man has missed the opportunity
% his life by refusing To take a chance;
Fulmer missed his by letting it 60
Polo in Neyu Hands