The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-10-14
ATTITUDE OF SCALPERS
HAS SHOWN BASEBALL At
Its WORST IN new YORK
While Thousands Of Bona Eide
Fans Seek Tickets, Leeches
Hold Them Up.
n is GOLD THAT LURES.
IN the Heat of Final Pennant
Race Interesting To Con-
slider True Sport.
By RALPH 1. YoNkER.

400 .
BY RALPH L. YoNkER.
Professional baseball At It's worst
has been In New York for the last
few days. With thousands Of men
lighting for a fair chance to see the
two greatest baseball teams OF the
year battle for the worlds champion
ship, these leeches Of modern exhibit
tions OF all kinds from the theater to
horseracing, the scalpers, have
clutched thousands Of tickets and
have sold them at from two to three
times their original cost.
There are violent statements made.
the gist OF which % that the New York
Giants't business management Is re-
sponsible for the scaipers' obtaining
50 many pasteboards while bona nde
fans have sent In money In advance
and have gone to New York only TO
ind that they must pay extortionAte
prices to gain admission TO the
grounds because their orders weren't
filed.
Secretary Gray has made state
ment that he does. not know OF
bingle ticket being sold TO scalper.
The fact remains, however, that the
spirit Of the American public is to
make out Of its favorite sport a big
money=making scheme.
The money-making Importance OF
the game and the ambition to win
have been 50 instilled In our minds
nat the attitude OF the Engiishman
Fho keeps his sport for sports sake
8 almost amusing to us.
The lip curls In q sneering little
4mile when we think Of the "bally
<Ood fellah" hover in hold HEng-
and with his golf and his cricket and
Ms eyeglasses and his joke-proof
8rmor.
But enthusiasts in this country are
<ery often forced TO stop In the midst
1f the PUSHES for pennants and dol
Rrs and envy Johnny Bull little as
BE quietly ENJOYS his sport, whether
Ne wins or not
AS we watch him, there il a trace
IA disgust In our thoughts at the COM
Hercial spirit in our sport which
lives scalpers q chance to rob thou,
lands Of fans.
The Christian Science Monitor. a
Eally paper, which covers the worlds
1D0rts in quiet but forceful way. has
ME following to say OF the way Eng
.shmen look at us. n ID pertinent at
his time In view OF the startling ex-
Mutton Of commercialism being given
N the east:
I'm al kindness and with the best
Il motives, Mr.. Hilton, the British
amateur golf champion. who has cap
/ufed similar American title, has q
word to say about American sport that
IS timely. The excessive national.
Iocal, university or preparatory school
Dafriotism' which leads our youthful
and adult spectators TO the point
where they care more for the sue
less to be won than for the sport that
IS being waged, or for the ethics or
me process OF winning. is what dis
|nrbs the English golfer. He had IL
/nstrations of this spurious patriotism
directed against him while playing on
the links here: and II II IL shown
among the sort Of persons who get
hccess to such centers Of sport. what
must II be I'm the great aggregations
81 humanity that throng the baseball
Ind football grounds Of the cities and
larger universities?
How trickery Ia associated with
american sport, even with profession
a baseball, which a rhapsodist in the
October Everybody's Magazine ven
tnres to describe as the most perfect
hing In America, may be learned
from the American Magazine OF the
tame date. A more tangled, incon-
&istent code OF ethics, now lofty and
now base, and Affecting for better
or for worse the vast crowds of spec
Iators who give their assent TO the
code by their presence, has selSom
been publicly set forth by an expert
INVESTIGATOR: and one interesting study
Ia connection with IL Is the degree
81 It's correspondence, In its govern
Inc principles, with the code OF the
business world now under fire by the
people and the courts.
The value of such kindly intima-
flons as British golf and tennis play
'nre have made with respect to the
american sporting attitude Is un-
questionable. The noblest conception
81 snort Is for its own rather than for
ticfory's sake; and for what IL may
40 In cultirating character in con-
Icefants as well as in general develop
'ment. rather than IN its effect upon
1olavers' fame and town or a schools
Innown. Loyalty TO the lesser ideal
may result In disloyalty 10 the higher
one
Yet. Il is hard to think Of anything
.tlffen or thought OF about he
..nrld,p series, which cannot be mar.
|bwed down to ''who will VIM" or
ufhat win the proceeds be?'
with all the red-hot stun on the
/.stern turmoil surging In and de-
.Inanding attention. calm reflection
..ke this may seem like a dash OF cold
Mater during n steaming race. But
.,s shock may bring about the realiza-
ION that We can stop 10 consider true
1bort. n only for moment with
prone
DETROIT. MAN WILL
PILOT FRESHMEN CREW
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