Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-08

Amateur baseball Is not a fortune
finding game. On the contrary, 1t has
put more of its magnates on the never
again" squad than any other variety OF
sports. There are very few of the local
teams who are more than paying eX-
penses, and those that are doing so
consider themselves lucky. The anna
teur spirit of playing the game for true
sports sake is entering more and more
into the game, and before long there
will be very few of the so-called semi :
pros to be found. There is no real
middle ground for the players ana
teams Either they must be amateur or
professional and the inclination to
"slip a dollar or two" has been too
strong for many of the managers ana
players. The amateur athletic union OF
the United States has revised it's code
in dealing with the amateur teams in
the national game and have devised q
"blanket application" for the entrance
of the teams as whole rather than the
requirement as heretofore for individual
membership of each of the players.
This new device has already taken
hold of this line of the sport with vim
in the east and is rapidly spreading
from it's trying-out locations. Southern
California before long will not recog-
nize the semi-pro as such, and 1t Will
be better for all concerned. Manager
Bacon of the Whittier team brought
forward an excellent example OF the
veins of riches to be found in the
management of amateur games aho
parks by a practical illustration. Bas-
ing his estimate on thirteen SUNDAYS a. a.
Los Netos, which by the way is PARK
above the average local amateur
grounds In the point of attendance,
after deducting from his gross receipts
the expenses of the travelling team
umpire, grounds and balls for the
period he found the munitcent amount
of II cents on the credit side OF his
ledger. and considered himself, as many
others have, infinitely lucky to have
succeeded so well.
There have been suggestions from
teams all over the southern counties
in regard to some way of consolidation
by which city teams could be booked
for games in the outside towns, but the
league idea seems the only way. There
are at present too many leagues; every
one admits this. How then Will 1t be
possible to systematic amateur base
ball in a manner to make 1t satlstac-
tory for all concerned, and at the same
time systematic 1t in a way to boost
the game rather than throw blanket
on the organization of new clubs? The
only solution of the problem lies in the
selection by the several leagues ana
representatives of as many OF the lnde-
pendent teams in the south as possible
of a governing body of men outside or
the pales of amateur baseball and yet
interested in the sport from start to
finish. Let everything be referred to
that body in regard to games, profess
sionalism charges, or what not, organ
ize a booking department for the free
use of the southern teams and form the
whole southern amateurdom into q uni
fed body that will boost amateur base
Dft Of hn
make Southern California the real
home of amateur ball where the climate
conditions are ideal and everything
acts as an incentive to the promotion of
the biggest sport of them all Amateur
players and managers are requested to
send in their views on the subject TO
the sporting department of The Herald,
and they will be put before the local
players for consideration. There ought
to be some way to improve the present
conditions, and you, as player, ought
to have the solution at your fingers S
ends. Send in your ideas at once.
Concentration is a lacking note in
local amateur ball at present. Too
many parks, too many teams, too many
leagues, all go to create chaos that
tends to destroy the real game and to
make it a bedlam of crabbers from
which it RECEIVERS with difficulty.
An all-star squad from the ranks of
the Southern State league will line up
with the Soldiers home team on the
Westgate diamond tomorrow afternoon.
The game should be a great exhibition,
as the Soldiers are playing big league
ball and the Southern Staters are some-
what there also.
Whittier State school desires a game
on their diamond for Saturday. Call
1855.
Santa Monica wants a game for Sun
day with some fast team. Call F3595.
The Oil Well team is out with a def
to play on their diamond, Seventeenth
and Mallard streets, Saturday. Call
Main $685.
Orange would be pleased to take any
team down TO Orange Saturday Ex-
penses for ten men will be paid. Call
F5935.
Monrovia is out with a def to play
any club in the Saturday miscellaneous
ranks for a game Saturday. Call Main
$685..
Players Edwards Stuart, O'Brien,
Freeman. Baker, Bacon, Babe Lyon,
Nick DeMaggio, Lind and Bernal are
requested to be at Westsate Saturday
to play the Soldiers Home team.
The following Sunday games have
been scheduled: Anderson & Lore VS..
l.. A. Merchants, at Athletic park;
Teddy Bears VS.. Ventura, at Ventura;
L. A. Bricks VS.. Moneta Merchants, at
Moneta; L. A Grays VS.. Huntington
Beach, at Huntington Beach; Pioneer
Truck company VS.. Redondo, at Re-
dondo: Sherman Indians VS.. Wielands,
at Thirty eighth and Alameda streets;