The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-03-15
BASEBALL COSTS 81, 100000
TAKES 81. OOO, 900 \ YEAR TO RUN
NATIONAL LEAGUE ALONE.
Last Year 3,7O5,574 Persons Visited
the Ball Parks Where This
League Played.

League Played.
The National League, the older Of
the big base ball organizations. costs
over $1,OO0,00O to run every year.
This will give an idea of the vast
amount Of money required to permit
the base ball public to enjoy its ia
vorite pastime.
! With the issuance of the National
! League schedule last week. President
! Tom Lynch declared that the total
mileage of the eight clubs this year
would be S9.733 The Chicago Cubs
will do the greatest travelling, dis
lance Of 1879 miles, owing to the
fact that they make four trips to
| each Of their western rivals The
| Pirates are next, with 10, $50, a
number of jumps for Sunday games
counting heavily for them. Boston
comes next with II 224 miles, closely
followed by St Louis with 11,0S1,
these two clubs being at the opposite
! extreme of the circuit and there
J fore being compelled to travel far
Their. The Cincinnati Reds have TO-
6S2 miles to go, the Giants 10,574,
the Superbas 1897. and the Phil
lies S,426.
Figuring an average of 20 men at
cents a mile the total railroad eX-
/ penses of the eight clubs will be in
the neighborhood of $287,000-
quite a sum of money within itself.
The hotel rates are higher nowadays
than they were a few years ago; in
fact, the lowest per man at present
is $3.50 a day. Taking 20 men per
team, stopping at hotels at least n
days-several clubs have mOre-the
total hotel bill for the eight teams
is $48, 600; $4,000 would be more
reasonable figure. That makes, on
conservative estimate, a total of
$33 600.
There are other angles of travel
ing, however. There are sleeping
car berths and meals to be provided.
Taking again the basis of 20 men
the sleepers alone total close to $20,-
600. For meals en- route, for which
most clubs allow S per meal per
man, add at least 5000 to the ex-
penses. That makes about $685., 900
for travelling.
At home there are the salaries of
officials to consider, wages Of the
help, rent Of grounds, the ticket sup
ply the purchase of base balls, spec
ial policemen, printing, wear and
tear and a thousand and one things.
Some clubs can run their expenses
down a bit lower than others; for
instance, the Boston club gets along
more cheaply than New York. How
ever, 100000 will about cover
these items. Now comes the biggest
item-the salaries of the players. A
conservative average in these DAYS
of high living would be 100000 per
team, making a total of $48O,O0O
Here are $780,000 handed out.
That is not all. President Lynch's
salary was fixed at 10000; John
Heydler draws fair amount for
being secretary; there are clerks and
stenographers to pay, and the two
league officials do some travelling.
The staff of nine umpires is another
expense the magnates have to meet.
These average about $4,000 per
man, or $4,000. Their travelling
expenses are paid as we'll. Here is
small item involving about $1O,-
900.
Roughly estimated, although the
figures are nearly correct, the Ma
tional League spends $1,1S1,00O a
year to give the fans high-class base
ball. On the basis of so cents per
admission it requires an annual at
tendance of 100000 rooters to let
the magnates break even. Last sea-
son it was estimated that 3,7O5,574
persons visited the National League
ball parks, paying 81, IS, so and 25
cents each, or say an average of so
cents. At that rate the total re-
ceipts We're about $1,S52,787, or a
profit Of $671,787 for the eight
clubs.