The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-06
BASEBALL NOW
SHOW BUSINESS
In its Evolution Game Has
Worked From True Sport
- ing Sentiments.

New York, March 6.-organized
baseball is the fairest and squarest OF
all Americas sports. But it is a show
business, nevertheless. In its evolu-
tion it has gradually worked away
from the true sporting sentiments
which first framed its destinies until
now predominates A desire to please.
with the mighty dollar prompting
this interest.
Yes. baseball is Il show business:
with all the frills of the show bust
ness, save the hippodroming feature.
So far the powers have been able to
guard against hippodroming by keep
ing the organizations ranks free from
the contamination of ruthless pro-
moters. Many of these have tried to
break in. Some have succeeded. But
it is to the credit of baseball that none
al permitted to last very long.
If there had existed any doubt
whatever as to the great stress mod
ern magnates lay upon advertising
this present eason should hav very
definitely settled the point. There are
any number of instances to point the
way the wind is blowing. One does
not have to stir out of the great
metropolis to find n number of con-
vincing examples.
First and foremost there was the
1Iduh &JldtlSe uSdl luIOuSH "IllC1
Frank Farrell gained for his tail-end
club not only one of the greatest lead
ers of all baseball time. but an ad
that would have been cheap at dou-
BILE the price. l doubt if baseball mo-
guls ever fully appreciated the value
of a press agency before the Peerless
Leaders name was first mentioned in
connection with the New York Amer
leans. The space devoted to the de-
velopments of this case by the metro
polttan Journals simply turned green
with envy the club owners of rival
cities.
Here was a club that had finished
a woe-begone last, behind a lot OF
teams that had very little class. 1t
was a team that had loads Of hard
luck with which to contend in 1912.
It 10 true. but fans looked to results,
not alibis. The New York Americans
had degenerated into something of a
sade joke to everyone but Frank Far
put up the money without hope Of
immediate return. To add to Farrell's
woes, the rival Giants won a pennant
n put up such a anne fight against
odds that they came out of h worlds
series with as much glory, If less nom
ey. than the Boston Red Sox.
Mr.. Farrell opened the winter sea-
0 under serious handicap. The
Giants drew the spread heads: the
Highlanders the agate notes. And
then one morning h news leaked out
that American league powers were
angling for Frank Chance. Farrell
had pulled the greatest advertising
coup OF baseball history. Everyone
all over he country went to the story.
The more 1t was discussed the better
Its advertising possibilities grew.
In connection with this same
Chance deal it may be mentioned in
passing that what appeared the first
real break in luck seemed to have
started the way Of Frank Farrell. Be-
fore Frank Chance was secured the
hilltop club president effected an
agreement with President Hampstead
Of the Giants to utilize the Polo
grounds for all American league
anne this season. 1t was therefore
rather a disappointing draught for the
Giant management to see the rival
getting so much boosting when the
two clubs would share the same
ground. So McGraw bided his time
in anticipation Of some counter.
The opportunity came with the pro.
1essionaliZing of jim Thorpe, the won
derful Carlisle Indian school star and
nero OF the Olympic games. McGraw
sneaked in while several big league
SCOUTS were mapping at the tepee of
Glen Warner n secured this won
derful athlete for the Giants. Now
while he will not admit it, there IL
little doubt that McGraw at first fig
ured seriously on the Indians base.
ball ability. He may have. of course.
But 1t is o likely that Mac realiz-
ed the advertising value of rhorpe.
here was a mar in whom the whole
world was interested. Whether or not
ne might be able to play or develop
IN the game he was a great drawing
caro- to begin with. as great IL not
greater than any star of the diamond.
McGraw realized that in the first
swing Of the circuit he would have
attracted through Thorpe moro than
enough money to pay all the expenses
OF securing him. And in addition he
was getting a perfect type of physic-
al manhood In which there lay latent
possibilities that might pan. If
Thorpe had not been professionalism
McGraw would never have gone after
him.. Professionalism, he was adver-
tised into one Of the greatest possible
drawing cards.
Thorpe may become a great PLAYER
and II 30 McGraw will have az q re-
suit such an attraction az cannot he
computed in dollars and cents. He
may fail. and II so will be good for
no more than n season. Chance, of
course. is going to be a big card for
yeess to come.