The Washington times., 1910-12-11
Staggering Blow Impending
If Government Working
Hours Are Extended.
OTHER ATHLETICS
MIGHT FEEL LOSS
Amateur League Baseball, Which
Draws Extensively After
Hours" Sure to Suffer.
By THOMAS KIRBY.

By THOMAS KIRBY.
When the Presidents Cabinet meets
next Friday, TO take I'D the cOnsidera-
ton Of the ACCESSIBILITY Of extending the
working hours OF Government employees
10 ; O'Clock. It viii be discussing a mat
ter of vital Importance to the future Of
baseball In washington
If the present ARRANGEMENT is allowed
70 continue. the diamond situation viii
remain as II has been for years. but IL
rule Is promulgated compelling the
clerks 10 remain at their desks half an
hour each day Il viii be stag
serinE blow to sport IN this city. While
baseball would Re the principal sufferer,
the proposed regulation would strike
of every form of outdoor athletic &C
tivity.
one OF the chief troubles the Wash
ington ball club has always experienced
has been In starting the games early
enough TO insure nine innings and at
the same time delay calling time as long
as possible in order 10 be as accom-
modating as possible TO those who
hold positions under the Federal
Government The result has been that
the games in this CITY have begun later
than In other cities, much to the regret
Of player and spectator. To the visiting
clubs II has caused a breaking I'd Of
the usual order Of things, while 70 fans,
other than department clerks, It meant
cold dinners and chilly receptions at
home
All these things have been suffered
for the sake Of the game, but the limit
has been reached, for II the O'Clock
proposal is to become q law II viii take
some mighty close figuring to find a
way in which the clerks are 70 enjoy
their favoTite sport without cutting
into their leave or taking the long
chance of leaving the office without re-
porting.
Fail Games Called Early.
Games here during the early weeks
Of the season and during the late weeks
in the fail are necessarily called some
what earlier than IN midsummer, but
unless the regular 4 o'clock starting
hour is changed il VIII be g mighty
hardship on the clerks If Mr.. Taft and
his official family say O'Clock
BY hoping for q late STAR AID by
slipping out a few minutes before the
office closed, many clerks have been
able 10 enjoy the greater part Of the
games in the past Occasionally the
first inning was missed, but under the
suggested order II VIII be utterly i'm
possible for the clerks TO get a run fer
their coin unless q late start Is made at
the park. which seems utterly imDrac-
ticable
Naturally the interest, II such a crisis
should arise, would be in the policy Of
the Nationals in meeting the situation.
The Washington club, being but one
eighth part Of the American League,
would be forced 10 consider such
changes as might BE necessary with
the powers that be in the other cities,
and largely upon their advice Wash
1ngJOn would act The Capital Is q. good
baseball town, but by many It has been
OverTated, and the impression Is broad
cast here that the owners OF the fran
chise are rolling in Weelt gathered at
National Park This is untrue
Conditions Must Be Good.
As e business proposition. owning
stock In the Washington club is a good
venture. but so much money has been
invested In players and in purchasing
the tract Of land on Seventh street that
the club needs most favorable c0ndi-
tons during the next couple OF years in
order that tie projected plant may Be
erected and Washington given a posi-
ton in the bssebaII world that will in
sure q big league ball club here for
many years. AS long as q city is on q
major circuit II IS not only In a position
TO afford its natives plenty OF innocent
amusement, but the effect when it
drifts back into the ranks where II has
no ball club OF when II is forced TO con
tent itself with minor league sport there
Is 2 reaction that is Of considera Die
more force. both from a business and
publicity viewpoint, than a good many
persons. realize
And amateur baseball here would s71f-
fer in just such proportions as would
the professional game The amateurs
have started their contests in the past
as soon as Il was possible for them TO
get out from work and dress, but even
under present conditions the rule has
been games OF seven innings or less
II these are moved back a half hour the
effect can easily be imagined Tt would
mean cutting nine innings in half or
else abandoning the diamond entirely.
Would Kill Amateur Ball.
Practically all Of the amateur leagues
and there are more than a dozen OF
them here-have depended for their
financial support upon the voluntary
contributions Of their spectators As
these fans would also be affected by the
Observation-Disclosures idea the situation
would be even more grave
There are 5000 regularly employed
Government employees in this city and
when they are held IN Office until
o'clock IT is going TO be a mighty stag
The effect on baseball would be Just
as great in other sports Rowing
track aTnleticS and other athletics would
suffer although football might be bene-
flied as the idea IS 10 Offset. IN a way,
the inconvenience OF the extra thirty
minutes by extending the halliday OF
Saturdays so that II VIII allow the
clerks half q DAY on every Saturday in
the year IN the past i has been the
custom TO permit the clerks this priv
iege during the summer months, so this
will be the same for baseball. but foot
bah viii get Whatever DenenC there IS
as i has always been necessary to starr
the gridiron contests early in the Iate
fall and the clerks have been forced &C
20 without seeing the games
The Cabinet wants longer hours and
more work the fans among the clerk.
want 70 see q ball game now and then
There you aEei