Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-12-30
MILFORD BASE BALL
CoMMUNICATED

The last issue Of the PRESS pub.
lished communication regarding
the necessity of supporting a Milford
base ball team each season. The
writer made the assertion that with
out base ball Milford wonld be less
attractive to summer guests aud the
summer business in this community
would materially suffer if the mer.
chants and hotel and boarding house
keepers refuse to give their financial
support to lhe seemingly one attrac
tion which will bring people from
the hot cities to this mountainous
and most delightful locality. If we
have no base ball we will have no
summer guests and Milford will cease
to attract those who bring and spend
their money here, says the writer of
this communication and the mer-
chants and the hotel men win be to
blame for the financial panic.
In the face of an indictment of
this nature, it may not be amiss to
enquire into the real situation regard
ing the benefit of base ball to Milford
and so ascertain the real value Of
this form Of entertainment to the
community financially and other
wise.
Base base is a fine, manly sport
we will concede. 1t is entertaining
for summer guests, but does it pay?
That it does not pay is admitted. At
least it has proven itself to be a f.
nancial failure up to the present
time. Again, does base ball bring
people here who otherwise would not
visit this spot of natural attraction?
Base bali has not heretofore consti-
tuted THE attraction of Milford and
is not responsible for the excellent
reputation this community bears as
summer resort.
We are informed that nearly sl7OO
constituted the income of the Base
Ball Club last summer. This proved
insufficient to support the team and
to pay all the expenses of landing
games. Tne previous season also
witnessed a deficit. Milford base
ball is a financial failure. Why bur
den town with an expense which it
cannot afford? A few persons who
are interested in the game promote a
base ball team and expect other citi-
zens to support their project. 1t is
evident that the merchants, hotel
Keepers and citizens, cannot afford
the expense of professional team
and it should not be forced upon the
community. The amount required
to be expended each season would
support one of our churches; it would
oil the Port Jervis road; it would
advertise Milford in a way which
would bring returns to the citizens
greater than ever before, and so
many other necessary things to
make Milford attractions permanent
If, for example, this amount of mon.
oy might be devoted to the activi.
ties of the Field Club, more good
might result than from base ball.
Milford does not need base ball
like the cities. Milford is an out Of.
doors in itself Nature has bounli
fully supplied sufficient attractions
10 this locality. Base ball is not a
necessity. 1t would be enjoyable
and acceptable, but has proven to be
too great a financial burden for so
small a community. If the income
of a business does not pay expenses,
that business must cease, If the
Income from base ball does not meet
the necessary disbursements to sup.
port it, then we might as well make
up our minds that we cannot supply
our summer guests with this form of
entertainment.