The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-03

.hem, and IL is useless, They arc fish
ing, making garden and baseball, and
the greatest of these is baseball.
Don t try to evade the direct accusa-
ton. and by subterfuge attempt to
make people believe that you are not
interested in the national game, but
manfully admit that the very first time
the southern breeze blew into your nos
trils the odor of spring you began to
think Of the chances of the home team
in the summer to come.
| am going To pitch headforemost
into the subject at once by stating that
this will probably be the greatest and
II would be folly to keep away from
such a candid statement Of the 1910
platform, for sooner or later this would
be bound TO come to the surface.
There are reasons, many and potent,
why this is likely TO be the case. In
creasing interest in the game, increases
of population and increase in the num-
her of persons who play baseball are
.hree of them and they are all good.
More could be cited. What's the use :
The outcome of the year, barring fnan'
:ial panic, war or epidemic, will bear
out the prediction, and the writer is
willing to submit it and take his
chances.
Up to the Millions.
Thirty years ago we counted baseball
spectators by the hundred. Only little
while before they could be counted by
the score. About ten years ago we be-
gan to count SPECTATORS by the thou
sand. 1t has gone to the million mark
now. All records are completely up
set, and are likely not only to remain
so, but to be worse upset.
Millions can be accommodated now,
where there was only room for hundreds
thirty years ago. That big crowd of
you out of your boots one Fourth of
July morning just before tho "nine-
ties. would be swallowed up in one
corner of the stadium which John t.
Brush has built in New York City for
the comfort Of baseball patrons, and
that stadium, as big as it is and as com
Portable as it is, ranks by no means as
a permanent Improvement like the
stnds IN Pittsburg, Chicago and Cleve-
land simply because Mr.. Brush cannot
obtain ownership Of the real estate on
which 1t is located.
Only next year Washington will Join
the list Of those permanently i'm
proved, and the cities in tho high.
grade minor leagues are building stands
that the major leagues couldn't equal
two years ago.
80 much for the probabilities, so far
as one side of the game is concerned
Now for a jump into the playing end
Of the American league. 1t is only
natural at the beginning of the season
TO look the ball clubs over and see what
they have IN the awy Of players to
oifer for the campaign about to begin
Looking the Champions Over.
First Of all, brief glimpse at the
Detroit club. They won the champion
ship last year for the third successive
time, A club which can do that is
worthy the praise 1t is no small mat
ter for any manager, or any group OF
players, TO 90 through three successive
seasons and retain the leadership OF
the organization. TO which it belongs.
Detroit can be considered on the same
basis as it finished the season in 1909
As it is likely To be changed least
of any club in the American league cir
cult, it is difficult to arrive at any other
conclusion.
These points must be reckoned with
in Detroit's favor. First, a competent
vivacious, magnetic manager Hugh
Jennings record at the head Of base
ball organization speaks for itself
When manager has been able to guide
a team through three successive SEASONS