The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-12-30
b Baseball Interest at the Crest
Of a Wave That Win
Soon Sink?
AUTHORITIES AGREE THAT
1912 WAS A BANNER YEAR
Richter Gives Warning, Citing
Parallel of 1ss9-Young
Stars Must Rise
BY RALPH L. YoHKER.


the highest altitude that it can reach
until the next surge of enthusiasm
Are gate receipts going to fall on
during the next few years involving
4 consequent loss to the magnates
who have recently spent millions IN
their equipment?
These questions furnish material
for interesting speculation.
Francis Richter, one of the Oldest
Authorities in the game, sounds note
or warning from Philadelphia. He
says that baseball interest is at its
height for this decade right now He
says that the tide must ebb and that
1918 Is the appointed time.
Back I'm 1889 the sport had reached
OrOportions not even dreamed of only
4 short time before. 1t had attracted
new league. The American league
managed to survive and become the
. Dower IL il In the baseball world, but
the game as a money making scheme
took sharp decline upon its advent.
Then II proceeded to pick up. In
ferest gradually rose and rose. As
the country became more prosperous,
the sport was better patronlzed.
Fabulous sums are spent for parks
and paid to players, managers, scouts,
frainers and a coterie OF business as
1Iatants.
F Now there is talk that third
1eax,e can be started. The men VINO
1ay so think the situation now mucn
ne same as II was when the Ameri-
II. A.A
( have been tried but lack Of finances
: has prevented their surviving more
han few months.
Neyertheless. 1T must be admitted
that the warning Of Mr.. Richter
Mould not 70 UNDECIDED. The develop
,ntnf OF baseball brings to mind
<.apa which constantly rises and falls,
|&lf which each time attains higher
>.rk than the preceding time. AS
Iii has reached its highest point
kvear Just past, II may be ex-
~ ~ some future time to rise
--./4 rs en- higher than IL Is now.
n 80 \ason. Hugh Fullerton estl-
-.>[|.e Tire were $4,000 spent In
..1I1lI king II second in i'm.
<.3ce D to the theater as an
~, <cnenf ksifeSE~0fsthese % mil
1.-r, IL were spent in theSpig leagues
.-4 the rect In the 50 minoS leagues
/Henry ri Edwards says tha all but
~ few Of the minor leaguesN which
I.cnf crLzy because OF patrntism
made money and plenty Of II lastHea-
<on. He says that one cause OF PMS
beritv was the fact that both the On
leagues furnished interesting pennant'
Edwards n he thinks that baseball
. oroflts are going to ebb at all, doesn't
believe that the fall will start next
wear. He says that with the new ma
ffonal salary agreement the minoc
leagues can make money.
Frank Navin, president OF the De-
troif club. Is or the opinion that base
ban profits Cor the sport as whole
have reached their maximum amount
right now. Hence. he believes they
are very likely TO decline In the next
few years,
Along with the ebbing OF interest
and prof,ts there may be noticed the
ebbing OF stars Manager Jennings
81 the Tigers gays that the rise and
fall OF stars follows very closely the
same wave as the rise and fall Oh
baseball Interest
lust now the stars are fast fading.
s ~ There are Donovan and Chance and
Bresnahan and Evers and Tinker and
Birmingham and Stahl and Callahan
who are being taken out Of the play
ine constellation and being placed
among those managers who will soon
remain on the bench while they train
youngsters to take their places.
There are other stars who have
fallen from the heights into near
oblivion in a minor league or into OBJ
y ecnrity. There Ia Cy Young, the
most famous pitcher the world haf
ever known There Is Mordeca'
Brown, whose position is precarious
Eddie Summers, whose arm went
back on him last year. Frank Smith
Barney Petty.
Then there are summaries whose
wrinkles are getting more and more
faint. Star-gazers stand In awe anc
wonder how long they can stay II
their sockets in the baseball dome.
There Is Christy Mathewson. Th'
wonder only grows each year n
hangs on. There IL the MACK pltcn
ing trio. Coombs, Bender and Plank
which Connie has ordered south al
ready to get In shape for next sea
son. =.
These are but few Of the pitch
crs who might be mentioned, Besides
the pitchers there are infelders snt
ontfelders galore whose terms OF OF
nee are not long.
Rising to replace these men whom
Father Time Is driving out OF thu
game are youngsters. whose futures
are ahead Of them.
naseball managers, tired Of thu
lnxness OF these players who see NJ
Iixht ahead. are welcoming the kid
who want 10 try.
Contemporary with the ebbing 0
ne tide OF old stars. IL the rising o
~ iiIaof young ones
4. npon this rising tide o
...| &|&r6. coming from the sand
.. ~ /|'r| - |,pesg wish 70 foa