The Washington times., 1914-05-23

baseball on the first day of the week
| was not Illegal, and now comes the fol-
lowing statement:
The Washington Baseball Club is a
local corporation and us stockholders
are representatives of the business and
been the effort of this corporation not
Only to give TO Washington a winning
club ana a plant for its opera ton
worthy of the city, but so to conduct Its
organizanon and the conduct OF the
game as to be worthy Of and entitled
to the goodwill and respect Of the
community.
The club officials have never s.ri-
ously considered the playing Of Sunday
baseball. as is done in the West; but
or the contrary, its position has oeen
not only 10 refrain from. but to oppose.
anything that might be considered a
desecration Of the Sabbath. or deemed
TO produce or regarded as tending 10
produce results harmful to the general
welfare of the community, and there
fore II has never entertained the idea
OF playing Sunday baseball unless this
form of amusement is demanded by the
public.
Notwithstanding the courts decision
that the Commissioners OF the District
OF Columbia are without authori.y of
Ia ~ TO prohibit the playing of Sunday
baseball. the officials of the Wasn-
ingtoE baseball club will lot ask for
whereby SUNDAY baseball will be con-
quoted al its park, unless the public
demand therefor through the cOntin-
nsnce Of the playing or Sunday base
tsll compels it to do 20.
There viii certainly be no change in
the playing schedule of the washinZ-
ton baseball club on It's home grounds
rEtil after lis return from its Western
trip. 3. 6 MINOR"
n l.
ton TO explain to an intelligent reader
The people of Washington were abSo-
lutely and unQpalifiedly misled, possibly
unirtentionally. for days. and how Grff-
fifth will reconcile his declaration that
the Nationals would play Sunday if tie
Feds played here, with the clause in IA >
statement that THE club officials have
never seriously considered the playing
of Sunday baseball, as is done IN the
West is a problem that cannot rest en-
tirelS within the councils of the club.
The press and through IL the general
public those who make stock holding in
the corporation a profitable investment
have P right TO know.
NewspapeTm have been told hat
the news of the club would cone
through Griffith The writer has made
II a point TO see the manager every lay
and each statement that has been made
snen' the Sunday baseball proposition
stands. leaving il up TO others 20 eX-
plain why The club officials haTe
never seriously considered the playing
OF Sunday baseball
All Of this is not meant to convey
the impression that the failure TO have
Detroit show here tomorrow is q
calamity. but it is calling the attention
OF the officials of the Washington club
to few pertinent facts that must COM
popularity OF the Nationals is not TO
grow less
This paper holds no brief for Sunday
baseball The decision rot TO stage
ball games on Sunday here is not Gues-
TONED. But the misleading statements
the public 10 believe that the club would
play here tomorrow provided the courts
ruling was favorable have put the club
officiais in an unsnviab'e light
Nor IS his paper opposed 10 the
consider the Nationals credit 10 the
city and deserving OF unstinted praise
for the gallant fight they have fought
through consecutive CAMPAIGNS.
But the business men VINO have their
money invested in the baseball COM
pany should be brought to realiza-
ton that telling the truth TO loyal
public is a necessity.
Before the season opened here an in
spection was made Of National Park.
Those in charge saw TO IL that every
man who came into the grounds on
that opening game. even II II was his
only appearance OF the year. and paid
= quarter, had any seat he could find
in the bleacheTs in proper shape. The
paYIiions were gone over. and whatever
were necessary were
made. while attaches of the park saw
to IL that there was the required num-
Der of chairs in each box that WAS
sold 10 some who have never since been
across Georgia avenue. Clubhouses.
for home players and visitors, were
made sanitary, and the diamond ana
oUtfeld were combed until they had al
most reached perfection.
The lone spot in the whole plant that
was So utterly neglected that its con-
dition was disgrsceful, was the press
box. Chairs were not available In the
proper number. desks were so warped
through winters storms that they were
useless, while locked drawers without
keys showed silent evidence OF the utter
disregard Of those who were supposed