Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-05-29

i
men, men OF families, playing
for their livelihood and Incl
dentally playing for large com
ff&3&N petencies for themselves and
U4H34kSU their families! And millions Of
lien and children paying millions
OF douHrs annually to see these grown men
iomp and tear over green grass and level
field-playing, playing, playingl The great
est nation OF the world, from its official
head down to the humblest urchin, crazy.
burning up with the zeal of this playing
for a llvingl Has the nation gone mad ?
Have the American people returned to
their childhood? Why are they dlsport-
ing themselves like babes, throwing away
their money with such prodigal abandon?
You complain OF the high cost OF livingl
Why. then. this lavish waste?
Is there anything, was there ever any
thing, that held a race in such merciless,
unrolsnting bondage as base ball holds the
American people7 Mol Then, what Is to
be done7 Nothing, unless you tighten the
grip. May the day never come when base
ball will lose It's charm for the people OF
the United States.
A less virile race would not pour such
passion into any Lastime, less prosperous
race could not The American people have
made their own national game and have
made Il, like themselves, big and great
and expensive, luxurious. and they will not
tolerate any narrowing of the foul lines
They are perfectly able and more than
willing that s25.OOo0oo or $So.OO0OOo shall be
expended year to keep this game going
What Is 1t that gives base ball its grip
on the people? First, It Is the most in
teresting game ever played, and second, II
Is the cleanest of sports. 1t is the most
scientific and no better proof of this is
needed than its own history furnishes
Its development knows no limitation. II
will respond to the quickening impulse OF
the most ingenious mind. 1t is a game
that demands mental as we'll as physical
exertion 1t Is so fast that 1t will run away
from the fellow whose intellect moves
slower than his feet and hands.
First, then, its inherent dynamics make
base ball the greatest of games; second
its absolute freedom from sinister intiu
ences increases its popularity. There wa,
a day when the avaricious gambler-whC
never can be classed as a sport-sought tC
lay the blighting touch of his unclear
hands on this game. but he did not succeed
and since that day he has not had thu
hardihood to repeat the attempt. The pub
lie, the intelligent public, knows this t
be a fact and therefore reposes the mos
implicit confidence in the integrity Of thu
game. Had base ball succumbed to tn,
grasp Of the gambler it would not today b.
extant in its present form IL at all, but ii
the very nature of things It could not hav,
succumbed. The exigencies Of the gam,
would not make It easily possible. Il
fhara NUaS daSira amnnV tho mo n 10 o,a
to conduct a hlppodrome it would be de
feated by the multiplicity of players
Wrestling, boxing, racing and other sports
that have suffered from the whitening in
fluence OF gambling and speculation anC
taking are easier to control for such pur
poses, though it must be said, for feal
OF seeming to condone the stupid dishon
esty that has ell but ruined these sports
that the pillars Of the institution of has,
ball have as a rule. been men OF som,
moral stamina.
But there are few eynics who will re
mind us that base ball is a highly CONNER
cialized game, 1t Is, to be sure, the highes
potency of commercialism. And the fac
that It remains the pure, unadulterate,
sport In spite of its commercialization /
the best proof of its inherent greatness
No other sport has proven equal to tn
test. The grand old Derby fell under tn
stress, prize fighting is all but outlaws
and wrestling under the bane OF ill-repute
Where is the difference between the com
mercial aspect of base ball and that o
these other sports2 1t is this: Base ball
eommercialised for the purpose of admins
tration, which is legitimate, while the othe
sports were commercialized for the purpos
OF exploitation, which was illegitimate. A
that need be said further to justify tn
oommercialization OF base ball is that It
business and 1t requires money to conduC
any business
The evolution of base ball is an Absorb
ing study. Go back to the primitive gam
and come on down through the gradatio
Of Its development and see II you are nc
struck with the marvellous science. G
back to the days when the pitcher reall
pitched the ball to the batter by a SLOW
underhand delivery at the side. and N
catcher stood back fifteen feet or NOR
and took them on the bounce and fri
bounce was out for any man on the dis
mond. Gloves masks, protectors Of an
description were unknown, and scores som,
times reached the 100 mark. From that W
come TO the curve ball period and the tigh
IttlnB niue gloves. from those days
the early sos to these is far cry for has
ball, for II marks the most radical tran.
formation in the game.
Captain Arson and Comlskey were gree
leaders, two of the most ingenious me
OF their day. and with their old Chicat
White Sox and st. Louis Browns they d
their part toward developing base ba
toward working out the minutlae OF q
game. They we're brainy men and so wei
some OF their contemporaries-men IN
John NJ. Ward. Buck Ewing. Tim Keef
Jim ORourke, Mike Kelly, Arlie Latham
Jimmy Calvin, Fred Dunlsp-scores
them. They pulled off plays that start,
the fans OF those days and as players son
OF these men probably never yet have be,
surpassed. What has happened. then2
not base ball faster and better today thl
IL was two decades and more agoP A
suredly Il is. but 1t is the game that h
been developed and improved upon mo
than the individual
Mike Kelly. with all his intrepid and 7
soureeful Skill knew nothing OF some
the inside plays that are common In Il
minor league today; he and his confer
poraries simply had not proceeded that 4
in their education. Comiskey was the fir
man to discover ths proper way to pll