The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-03
RUSHING LIFE I1DEnrY AID LIMB TO SEE THE GAME.

upon the home grounds OF course the
unadorned, unqualified word game
can mean but one thing when used
anywhere within the shadow of the
stars and Stripes.
Lately, when one of the major base
ball leagues elected president. one of
the most popular sporting sheets in
the country heralded him as the man
who had attained the otffce second
in Importance 10 that of President OF
the United States. And in the obituary
of star of the diamond whose light
recently went out were printed these
words: Tie has taken the trail whence
there is no return to the higher class
leagues" These TWO samples of base
ball journalism give the point of view
of the average fan with whom,
rather than for whom, the successful
sporting editor thinks.
Fans Die from Grief and JOY.
As a thriller the national game Is
far more potent than the drama, even
At Chicago last August man named
Myers dropped dead from excitement
over home run made at crucial mo-
ment by a player on the team for
which the enthusiast was roofing"
Excitement over good play at
Elizabeth, \. j., a few weeks before
had caused q. spectator 10 be over
come with convulsions, and some time
before this. one Rusk an enthusiast
tic "rooter" of Des Moines. poisoned
himself and dropped dead on the
grounds as a result of grief over the
defeat of the home team. Unpopular
decisions of umpires have caused riots
to occur at recent games in New York,
Brooklyn. Augusta, Ca and Jackson,
Mich.
But to gauge the peoples interest in
their favorite pastime we need sim
ply glance at the figures. Eight mil
| lion tickets were sold last year to the
games of the American and National
Leagues-and these are only two OF
the thirty-three professional leagues
of the land Here was sold major
league ticket for every American boy
! between seven and sixteen, inclusive.
Here was one also for every man. wo-
man and child in New York State.
A City on One stnnd.
At Pittsburg q crowd OF $1,000,
equaling the total number of school
boys in the city, witnessed the game
in the worlds championship series, oc-
tober last. between the Pttsbure
Nationals and the Detroit Americans
| This vast throng congregated apou'
| one amphitheatre contained as many
males as there are in the permanent
population of O. city like Des MONIES
Hoboken or Springfield, Mass. Al the
seven games of that series there were
sold enough tickets for all the people
of Denver. To see the New York Ma
tionals play last year people Dough
| 7S3,700 tickets. OF enough to 81
4 around among all of the male popula
tlon Of Chicago or all of the schoo
boys of the whole State of illinois,
In all, 272 professional clubs pla,
baseball in the United States Six
iteen Of these belong to the two ma
jor leagues and the remaining ass Z
thirty three minor leagues. All o
these professional clubs are governe,
by what is termed the national boar'
of commission, which is the tribuna
of last resort in all disputes involvin,
contract obligations and the dlsposa
of players, Now the reader at one
wishes to know, of course. why tn
major and minor leagues need be unit
ed under any such national tHbuna.
The reason appears simple enoug
when 1T is understood that the mag
, mates of the major league clubs arelal
ways sitting and searching the minc
league clubs for talent which Is be
ing tempted away by hiEher salaries
Il Often and often again these promo
lions from minor to q major leagu
are complicated by contract entangle
ments, ard hence there must be som
/ one central body which all the LEAGUE
agree to respect. This body, TIL