The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-14

II, as has been stated, there has
been a dimlnution in the crowds at
tending baseball games !. 2.ch,nond.
that fact Is attributable only 20 the
class of baseball which has seen Of
fered, and Is tho only rebuke willing
and anxious baseball clientele can fur
nish for that class OF baseball To use
1t as an argument that Richmond Will
not support an Eastern Leas,ie team
is to hoist ones self by ones own
petard. Given the right kind rf base
ball, with a team which can mold Its
own. and Richmond has always been
one Of the best boil towns in the coun-
try.
But to presume that the Richmond
ball going public Is willing TO accept
any and everything Is a presumption
not warranted and an affront 10 these
So me people. No people on earth are
more willing TO pay the price for tho
goods than arc the people living In
this town. or course, from some view
points. II may be unfortunate tnat the
people here are able 10 distinguish be-
| tween the real article and the imita-
ton. But should they be blamed for
that? S
Fans Want BETTER BnlI.
It is question for the people and
j
jority OF the people who support the
game want the higher grade article.
and are willing to put up the money
to pay for 1t. they are entitled to con-
sideration. II. on the other hand. the
| present controllers of tho baseball
| situation here are timid and feel that
the people will not stand the saff. then
1t is up to the present controllers TO
step down and out and give the peo-
pie chance.
The statement is made and made
advisedly that even should 1t require
100000 to secure the franchise, in the
| event that II Is for sale. that sum can
| be raised. And the money will come
from the business people Of Richmond
men who have made successes of
their business and who are devotees
OF the sport. They Will make the In
] vestment as much from business sa :
pgacity as from pride in the city. SEN
timent will be large factor. but 1t
| Will not be the only factor IN sccur-
| ing the needed support.
| It may be that the amount of profit
4 earned will not net as great per-
] centage on the investment as does tho
/ present franchise in the Virginia
League. but these business men be-
lievc that they will be able to earn a
| fair dividend and with that they will
be satisfied. especially In View of tho
| fact that they viii then be getting the
| brand of sport thatthey feel they de-
serve and that they want.
Franchise May Not he Sold.
1 Obviously 1t is not an open and shut
| game that the Baltimore franchise is
going to be on the market. 1t may
be. as some OF the dubious nos have
| Infatuated, that Baltimore may fall
down In it's hopes to land In the big
show. But you can't convince a Bal
timorean that he is going to tall down.
In fact, they have committees a. work
right now, burning the wires in every
direction, and these committees are
headed by no less a person that the
Mayor of the city That's what is
meant BY preparedness. and that's
what Richmond should do
True, there be some who seem overly
anxious to have 1t go forth tn II Rich
rnond Is unable to keep time in faster
company; that the city will not pay
the price for high class amusement.
In other words. that we are a cheap
city. with. cheap tastes. and in no sense
fit to associate with good company.
Some OF these days the truth Will out:
| the opposition to letting Richmond
4 have fair chance in the baseball
4 world will be unveiled, and then there
/ will be chance for the hnmo.ists OF
| the local press TO write funny story.
/ But here it is in nutshell: There
1sop,ars to be hope that Richmond may
| land In the Eastern League in 1919.
Let's be ready to grasp the opportun-
! ity IL 1t arrives, That's all, Even the
opponents OF the plan-the people who
have so small an opinion of Richmond
admit that the attendance at tho
games Is diminishing but they fail TO
see that that, Is inst the reason why
Richmond wants better baseball
Ifif Come on all of Won who have opin-
ions TO express, Speak out In meeting.
Richmond is getting larger every day,
and Richmond has outgrown tho Vir-
! gInia League, Is. 4f{ti