Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-13
x Baseball in Australia ~

The ordinary Englishman may not
care for our bally Yankee game, you
know, but his Australian brother does
and only awaits an American invasion
TO surrender all his other spor s,
cricket and the like, to the Only
Game. So says Charles c. Sphinx, pub
Usher of the Sporting News of st.
Louis, who has recently returned from
sOjOurn in Australia with plen'y of
evidence secured first hand to con-
vince him that some day the island
continent is going TO be just as en-
thusiastic over baseball as he United
States of America is today. In fact,
he thinks the enthusiasm with which
the national game" has been accept
ed in Cuba, Japan, he Philippines or
Honolulu will be mild compared to
the boom that awaits it among the
Australians.
Mr.. SPHINX had gone to Australia pre-
pared 10 return with a sorry that
would not be encouraging to CharlC
A. Comiskey or any others who have
been considering an Australian in
vas.Cn. This was in part due to his
isappointment in failure to find tha-
the game had made any progress IN
England when he visited that tight
little island Of cricket and tea a year
ago He had pictured in his mind
that the Australians were only trans
planted Englishmen, anyway, and he
was not very hopeful of them.
There was also the fac that the
much advertised trip planned by J.
Cal Ewing of the Pacific Coast league
to Australia had been called off at the
last minute because the Australians
were unable TO guarantee Mr.. Ewing
against financial loss. This failure,
argued the Sporting News man, did
not Indicate that the Australians
were keen TO see a real exposition of
the American game.
Cal Ewing had planned to take two
teams TO Australia, one made up OF
Coast league players, the other of
players gathered from the major
leagues. 1t fell through, however, be-
cause there was not sufficient time
for the Australians interested TO ar
range for funds. Fifteen thousand
dollars would have been necessary to
guarantee the trip against financial
/ loss, and the venture WAS suggested
on such short notice that the Austria
lians could not meet their part of the
arrangement.
Mr.. Sphinx had agreed to make the
trip with the Ewing party, had al
ready arranged for his transportation,
with passage engaged via the Oceanic
eamship company, and he decided
he would go anyway, even If alone,
and see for himself Just how the Aus
tralians we're getting along with what
| President Eliot calls a greater civil
izer than a shipload of missionaries
baseball. A few days in sydney, the
capital Of New South Wales, convinc-
ed him that it was not lack OF inter
est in "our" game that prevented
carrying out arrangements for Ewing's
invasion.
In fact, Mr.. Sphinx found Australia
much alive basebalncally and hungry
for more OF the game, standing with
open arms, so 20 speak, TO welcome
Americans who can teach them the
fine points, for they admit that their
game is as yet rather crude compared
with ours, though It Is the same old
game, played in the same old way,
with the same old thrills, and a mix
ture Of American baseball expressions
and Australianisms that was interest
ing and often amusing.
The result Of the visit IL that
Charles A. Comiskey, who has talked
OF taking his White Sox to Australis
next December, VIII be assured thai
he will make no mistake, bu: Mr.
Sphinx Will warn him that he is likely
10 lose some Of his players-think'
the natives may make things 60 pleas
, ant for them that those who haven
. strong home ties are likely TO deser
! and remain TO teach the Australians
= The obscure points OF the inside game
NJ. SPHINX got no farther than sgd
/ ney, but was assured there that condl
: rioas as he found them were plactlc
2 ally duplicated in Melbourne, the d
= er big city OF the island continent
and that over IN Tasmania also hi
; would find the same thinE-bssebal
taking = wonderful hold, players rap