River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-12-25

own work IS peculiarly merltor1ous
as an integral part of the team
work, which is so essential. In ad-
dition to these features, which rend-
er his services of peculiar and spe-
cial value to the plaintiff, and not
easily replaced, Lajoie is we'll
known, and has great reputation
among the patrons of the sport, for
ability in the position which he fill
ed, and was thus most attractive
drawing card for the public. He
may not be the sun in the baseball
armament, but he is certainly a
bright, particular star"
The question has been raised as
to whether baseball may be arbi-
trarily prohibited by a municipality,
and the answer seems to be no.
Merely playing baseball is not, in
itself, a nuisance, unless done riot
ously or in an improper place or at
an improper time.
Baseball" says the Missouri
court, docs not belong to the same
class, kind, species, or genus as
horse racing, cock fighting, or card
playing. 1t is to America what
cricket is to England. 1t is a sport
or athletic exercise, and is common
ly called game, but it is not a
gambling game nor productive OF
immortality. In qualified sense it
is affected by chance, but it is pri-
marily and properly game Of sci
ence of physical skill, of trained en-,
durance, and of natural adaptable
ity to athletic skill. 1t is game of
chance only to the same extent that
chance or luck may enter into any.
thing man may do. But when
chance or luck is pitted against
Skill and science, it is as fair an il"
lustration of what will result as any
test that could be applied. If the
view of the Williams Case had been
adopted, this statue would have
been elastic enough TO cover every
game that ever was or ever will be
invented, no matter whether it was
harmless, promotive of physical or
mental development, or deleterious
to both. 1t would prevent games
of chess, backgammon, jacks, au-
thors, proverbs. faro, keno, and
poker alike.
While a statute may forbid the
playing of baseball on Sunday al
together, it is usually only profess
Sional ball that is aimed at, and the
courts seem inclined to interpret
laws which do not definitely pro-
hibit Sunday baseball in all forms
as applying to baseball, the BUSH
ness.
When Mayor Gaynor was a mem
Der of the bench he was called upor
to interpret the New York statute
against Sunday baseball in case
in which an effort was made to con-
vict man of crime because he
played baseball on Sunday, and he
had the following to say:
1t is practically the unanimous
sentiment of the religious and Go J.
fearing people of the community .
that it is far better for our grown
boys and young men who have to
work indoors all the week for liv
ing, to go into the fields on Sunday
after attending church, and partici
pate in, or witness good, elevating,
healthy physical exercise, than 10
be driven instead to go to dance
gardens, drinking places, pool
rooms and worse places; and there
is no one trying to stir up any OBJ
Scure or obsolete statute againsg
that opinion except those who rule
the police. Fathers and mothers
would much rather know that their
grown sons are at a ball or golf
game Oh Sunday afternoon, than
not know where they are. Many OF
our boys and young men scarcely
see the sun at all during the Short
days of the year, except on Sundays
and have no other day for outdoor
exercise from one end of the year tc
the other. This is something which
our ministers of the Gospel vel
kn wv, and the significance of which
they fully appreciate"
4 agree that there is no prohibi
ton against the man who is forced
to labor during the week days,
said another New York judge in re
gard to the same statute, prevent
ing him from enjoying himself in al
orderly and decent manner on Sun
day, SO long as the repose of tn,
community is not interrupted. Blu
the prohibition is clear against Sun
day games which are advertised, t,
which the general public are invit
ed, and which they attend in grea