The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-01-28

The preliminary organization of the
present Southern baseball league was
effected 10 years ago today at a meet
Ing of baseball enthusiasts at the Nor
ris hotel in Birmingham.
Those present were Abner Powell of
New Orleans. H. C. Rogers and Max
Pepperman of Montgomery, Percy Clark
and Ards Smith OF Selma. Snowden Mo
Gaughy, w. H. Jeffries, L. W. Fried
man, J. w. Leach and w. ]. Boles of
Birmingham.
w. J. Boles was elected temporary
president and Abner Powell secretary.
A committee was appointed to take up
the matter of interesting four other
cities not represented at the meeting
1t was a year later before the league
was permanently organized and the game
was put on a paying basis in the cir
cult now known as the Southern league.
Baseball as a financial success is there
fore only nine years old in Birming-
ham.
But this was not the beginning of real
baseball as a sport in Birmingham.
Some of the best games ever pulled
off on any diamond in the south were
played In the old days when the box
office was losing money. At one time
there were as many as IL teams In
the league and the home squad was
away from home most of the season.
But when they played they played for
blood.
l am told that some of the star play
ers in those early teams were after
ward star players in the big teams.
There was no salary limit in those days
and the baseball manager with money
to lose went after players at any price.
There was fine sport-first-class sport
but every man that dabbled in the
business lost money.
After 1901 the sport was put on a
paying basis in the southern league.
Present fans are familiar with the his
tory of the present organization.
Baseball is one of the fine arts of
business. 1t is one of the giants of
modern fnanciering.
1t is the finest combination of bust
ness and sport in the world. The fan
pays we'll for his fun while the fun
maker coins his millions. In my judg-
ment it is clean sport and clean
business. That many people abuse it
should not be charged up to the sport
itself
1t has caused the premature, instant
death of more aunts of office boys than
all the contagious known to mankind.
1t has closed more business offices In the
midst of the rush hours than all other
mediums combined.
The mere cost of admission is not all
that the sport costs the public. The
loss of time in business is not all 1t
il estimated that in the Southern league
circuit during a single season S7s6 bush
els of peanuts are consumed. In five
cent bags this amounts to 34s,930.15.
And this is not all. 4s
Something like 10000 gallons of dope
are consumed along the bleachers and
in the grandstand.
L do not refer to these figures regret
. fully. 1t is all right.
But it strikes me as funny that peo-
pie will spend dollars for sport, theatres,
superfluous clothes and a thousand and
one other items of luxury and then growl
at the price of a nickel soup bone.
Now that the appeal of the Y. W. c. A.
is being made the men of Birmingham
should do something for the young wom-
en-.
The Y. w. C. A. of Birmingham has
a great field for helpful, humanitarian
work and the organization should be
given every assistance possible.
I am told that this organization looks
particularly after the welfare of the
young girl or the woman who comes into
a strange city. Helps them to secure
employment and has care for the spir-
ituAl and physical training of the girl.
Birmingham has thousands of work.
ing girls who deserve all the consider
alton that Christian community can
give them. They need more care real