The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1911-01-30
TOM LYNCH, OPT|M|ST, SEES BIG YEAR FOR BASEBALL
National League President Tells
Tip Wright Day VIII Come
When Runaway Races Will
Cease and All Contests VIII BE
Close and Exciting.
Ky Tin Wright.

by Tip Wright.
NEW YORK, Jan. 3O.-There is
one office in New York where
base ball scribes are as welcome
as chitlins to a darkey-and if
you don't appreciate this COMPARE
son ask the first member of the
Order of Pullman Porters about
chitlins and measure his grin.
Said office is tenanted by Thorn
as j. Lynch, president of the Ma
tional league, and Secretary John
Heydler. They are great team,
Lynch and Heydler, able, affable
and authoritative.
Mr.. Lynch--he's Tom to the
sport writers-is as cheerful an
optimist as you'll find with a
search warrant. Compared to the
average New Yorker he's like a
ray of sunshine in fog-filled
canyon. He has none of the FROST
mess so apparent to the visitor in
Lii Old New York, where, not to
plagiarize, every fifth man is a
hick and the balance are cold
storage plants for affability.
If you don't see past Lynch's
professional front acquired in
the days when he was the best
umpire"D you are apt to be fooled.
But close inspection will show a
twinkling eye and a smile lurking
around the corners of his mouth
and then you know this square
iawel man isn't half so fierce as
he looks. That jaw, by the way,
explains how Tom Lynch squelch-
ed the rowdies in the old days and
why he is president in the face of
opposition. 1t spells fight.
At that the league made a mis-
take by not electing him for term
of five or ten years. Maybe next
winter the discontents will see
through a ladder and vote for a
longer term.
l call Tom Lynch a cheerful op-
timist, to play it double. He
doesn't see anything but the bright
side of every little thing. And
when a man can lock horns with
that bunch in the National league
and emerge with smile, he views
the world through rose-hued
glasses.
Il look for a splendid year in
baseball" said Lynch. Not start
lingly original, perhaps. Others
have said 1t, but it proves that the
big boss looks upon the sunny
side. And Lynch speaks by the
card when he talks baseball. He
has the facts.
There is every reason why the
game should break records" con-
tinued Lynch. The country is
prosperous, interest in the game
was stimulated by splendid con-
tests everywhere, and pennants
were won in some leagues by
teams which had not finished in
front in 1909.
'All of these things will help
make 1911 a boom year. For in
stance, the success of the Athletics
in the worlds series, while not
pleasant for the National league,
will act as an impetus. The loss
will stimulate the National league,
to win back the worlds title this
year, and reasoning along the
same lines, the American league
can be expected to tighten up.
"a close race increases patron
age. When the day comes that
sees eight well-balanced clubs in
one organization the interest will
be wonderful.
Every year there has been an
increase in the aggregate atten-
dance. One league may fall back
N 1fff1A h1tt fIfe. &c 30
something that can be remedied.
The National league played to
3,705,574 last season, breaking
all records, but / don't think /
overestimate when / say this fig
ure will be doubled in a few years.
1.-The magnificent establish
ments devoted to baseball in many
cities speak eloquently of the
strides the game has made. There
Is room for Improvement. / don't
know what it will be, but nothing
is perfect. The fact that baseball
is a refined pastime is attested by
the thousands of women patrons.
Imagine women at the games 5
years ago.
Baseball men appreciate that a
winner is big money maker. But
the game has become so fast that
1t is only with extreme difficulty
an owner can get a machine per-
feet enough to defeat its oppon-
ents and win pennant. We are
working toward the day when
leagues will take the field with
eight well-balanced teams. When
that day comes baseball will have
reached its highest DEVELOPMENT.