The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-10-28
CQMMFRCIALISM
HURTS BASEBALL
FEAR EXPRESSED THAT LOVE OF
MONEY WILL SAP BASEBALL
OF ITS STRENGTH AND
INTEREST.

More than $4,000 persons paid
more than 100000 not counting what
they poured into the Golfers OF scalpers
to see Chicago" team play a ''Phila
delphla" team. says the Chicago Elk
aminer
Not one member of the Chicago"
team. save Kane, is native Chica-
goan Not more than three of the Ath-
letics are natives of Philadelphia. Yet
the people of Chicago and the people
of philadelphia, went wild over teams
gathered from the far hooks and cor
ners of the country. !. because across
their uniform shirts they wore the en-
bems of the cities.
This is a protest against the COM
liberalization of base ball and a plea
for local spirit and for higher sports
manship. The Chicago National league
team is owned. controlled and played
by "utlanders".
Cubs Not Representative.
President Charles w. Murphy and
MIR. c. p. Taft, brother of the presi-
dent own the Chicago club. Taft is
a Cincinnatian of riches. He financed
Murphy and they came to Chicago
They have made out of Chicago base
ball lovers over $2,00000O, part of
which the players have received.
The Cubs might as well be playing
in Vsalia, Cal, or Fresno, or Column
bla, Pa, as in Chicago. and then they
would have the same claim to repre-
senting their towns.
The American league, in a way, rep
resent. John /. Taylor. owner of the
Boston Americans, is a native Bos-
tonan. His rival, John Dewey, is
Kentuckian, showed into base ball be-
cause his brother, after a career in
ST. Louis, saw a chance TO exploit
Boston and purchased the club.
American League Managers.
Ben Shibe. one of the grandest and
owns the Athletics, and is a native
Philadelphian. Mack. his manager. is
a down east Yankee of Irish antece-
dents. Frank Farrell owns the New
York club, and John T.. Brush is an
Indianapolis clothing merchant who
grew rich exploiting Cincinnati and
other cities. Brush owned the Indian
apolis team before the war between
the American association and the Ma
tional league. The National league
was weak i'm Cincinnati and Brush
was offered the club If he would I'M
dertake to fight the association. He
refused except on condition that the
National league guaranteed him
against loss.
The American public supports base
ball as a sport more generously than
any other sport ever has been sup
ported. But the moment the American
public becomes convinced that base
ball is merely an amusement enter
prise, exploited in the interest of for
eign capital. base ball will cease to
pride and enthusiasm.
The exploiters themselves will be to
blame.
More and more each year the owner
and promoters are departing from the |
idea of sport and getting back to the
IDEA of money and profits.
Commercialism Rampant.
Money before sport and sportsman |
snip. The spirit of commercialism |
ana money already is beginning to sap
'ne lie out of the national game.
Inc Cubs have been honored because |
oi tne superstition that they are fight
ing Tor Chicago's honor. The Phila-
uelphia Nationals have received their
snare of the popular applause. They
nave outrivaled and outdrawn the
worlds champion Athletics for years,
ana even today. with a losing team
uhey are more popular In Philadelphia
'han are the champions.
Yet the Phillies are supposed to be
owned by Charles p. Taft, the hacker
ana said to be the real owner of the
lineage Cubs. Taft and Murphy
oWhers of the Chicago Cubs, acknowl-
euse owning the Philadelphia Ma
'ohals grounds and stands, but deny
owning the club.
AS matter of fact base ball is be-
ing exploited as huge amusement
enterprise.
Trust Base Ball Praotioed.
ohe cannot trace all the intricacies
- ownership. Dreyfuss. who con-
.,os Pittsburg. practically controls
,"V boston Nationals, II is said, and
no'us the whip hand over Robson. the
"surehead owner of st. Louis. Murphy
"'nu TafO own Chicago, probably
Philadelphia, Hermann.
eV"'roliing Cincinnati, has interests
elsewhere. The New York club (the
: :, 'eeuman- Brush combine) controls
clubs. 'o0~ III o'"''
IN TACT Murphy. Dreyfuss and
..'asn' with their secret allies, con-
uo' the National league and are push
lug s., u as huge business venture.
me ract Is that commercialism
s,s STU 'ne love of money is sappIng the
strength OF the great American game
a"u putting 1t on the basis of a yau-
oeville circuit.