The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1911-11-30

WhiCh 10 the worst 'tan' would cali
il, in each case; so confident Is the
public Of the honor OF our bio league
players.
the season OF 1908 when he failed to
touch second base. When BrtdweIi
made the hit that should have won
the pennant for New York thousands
OF frantic fans" leaped upon the field
to congratulate the Giants. O'Day
saw Merkle run to the clubhouse and,
throwing down his protector. he ran
into the diamond, saw Evers hold the
bail .on second base and. above the
tumult, called Merkle out. Five thou
sand men were swarming madly
around O'Day and the Chicago play
ers. only partly understanding the
cause OF the excitement Men struck
at O'Day. struck Chance and struck
Pfiester; but the umpire shouldered
his way along. brushed angry men
aside to get his protector and walked
through the crowd to his dressing
room
Suppose O'Day had been lacking In
scruples! His easiest course by far
was to call Merkle safe.
The most responsible player on the
team. OF course, is the pitcher. He
comes pretty nearly knowing the
weak spots in the batters who face
him. He knows that certain batters
like to connect with slow ball.
others despise spit ball. etc. II the
unsusceptibility OF these men to the
less pronounced how easily the pitch
er might throw deciding game. Yet
no one believes a pitcher capable OF
other than loyal, hard working effort
to advance the fortunes OF his team.
The result is that baseball is one OF
the most prosperous industries as
well as our national sport. 1t is esti-
mated that at least forty million per-
sons saw the games OF about fifty
baseball leagues this season Base
ball has been systematized and COM
bined: been reduced science and
business.
The National and American leagues
have each a president. secretary
and board of directors. as thorough
Iy equipped as those OF the sugar
trust. and with. apparently. a better
appreciation of how to acquire popu-
larity with the public. Merely from a
business standpoint baseball is en-
titled to leading place in national
affairs. A commercial institution
with an income Of s10.000000 is re-
garded as of noteworthy Importance
in American life. We have such an
institution In baseball. 1t does
strictly cash business. and that does
not minimize Its popularity among
the trade Take just one item-that
of balls. The two major leagues pay
50, 500 cash each week for balls Some
enthusiasts OF the sport declare that
before many years, instead OF forty
million persons. two and three hun
dred million paid admissions will be
taken at the box Offices In this coun.
try alone each season. In that case
expenses will go up-the managers
will have to buy more balls
Apparently nothing can stop the
growth Of the industry. or sport,
whichever you care to call IT. except
the creeping into 1t Of something dis
honest to kill the publics enthusiasm.
The game has all the elements OF
strength: the American people re-
joice In clean athletic contests, and
baseball somehow has the power In
an unusual degree to shake the kinks
ont Of mans mind. make him at
hearNa boy again and send home in
an optimistic mood the person who
left the office. study or laboratory pit.
fully pessimistic two short hours be-
fore.