Evening journal., 1914-10-07
POST SEASON Games
BIC makers
Receipts Have Jumped by
Leaps and Bounds Dur
ing Late Years
TEMPLE CUP SERIES
NOT VERY PROFITABLE

No clearer or wore positive illus
tration of the extraordinary interest
taken by the public in the annual
worlds championship series Of base
ball games can be desired than that
furnished by a glance at the finan-
cial results, a statement OF which is
officially announced at the end of
each post-seasOn competition for the
coveted title and flag Through the
box Office its popularity can easily
be measured. Compared with the
meagre returns at the initial series
in 1884, the enormous crowds regis
tered by the clicking turnstiles show
that by leaps and bOun1s the attend
ance in recent years has assumed
such gigantic proportions that there
is no telling what it may amount to
in years to come.
The first championship games be-
tween the Providence Crays and the
Metropolitans may nave been only
lightly attended. and there is nothing
on record to show what the receipts
amounted to for the three games then
played, as Providence won three
straight The following year, how
ever MMNA nGNtn EdiAlao Wflt pay tA
in four different cities-ChicagO ST.
Louis, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, the
financial result was about $4,000. That
year the fight was hot one between
the Chicago Nationals ard the Ameri-
can Association Club OF ST. Louis.
and one can hardly imagine what
would be the yield Just now if such
a series we're possible over similar
circuit.
OF course in those days seats in
the bleachers could be had for two
bits" and the best seats in the grand
stand brought the top price of half a
dollar. Even at those rates there
could not have been mucn enthusiasm
Judging from the results. Today,
however, prices have scared so that
a single admission costs a dollar, or
rather that is the face value of the
little cardboard. and the holder of
one of these is considered lucky if
it has not cost him more than thrice
that amount.
In the carly DAYS Of the Worlds
Series tickets were easily obtained
at the regular prices, and no one had
to worry as to whether he would get
to his favorite seat for one or all Of
the games This easy method Of
satisfying ones baseball appetite dis
I appeared years ago and fabulous
I prices are offered for ordinary seats
IN the stands, not to speak of the
immense prices demanded for the
exclusive coupons. which entitle the
pOssessOr to view the games from a
comfortably upholstered chair in one
of the boxes, of which there are sew
eral rows in the newly built stands.
From the moment that the pennant
in each Of the major leagues appears
to be heading for a certain club or
city, the wOuld-be spectator begins to
worry as TO how he is going to secure
a vantage point to see ore or more
of the contests. and the fight for tic
kets begins. For weeks before the
end of the regular season, requests
are sent for reservations, but it is
safe to say that so per cent. Of these
result in disappOintments. Long
lines form in the vicinity Of the play
ing grounds the night before each
battle. and fancy prices are given to
the persons who await their turn in
these files for the result cf their long
vigil. The big prices that are paid
for tickets in this way Go not increase
the receipts so far as the players or
clubs are concerned.
In 1887 when Detroit and St. Louis
played IA games in nearly a dozen
cities the receipts amounted to S42,-
600, about $4,000 a game, which was
then considered a large amount The
following year S24,362 Was taken in
for the ten games played by New
/ York and St. Louis. The first year
/ Of the Temple Cup series. 1894, four
/ games were played, and the average
per game was $4,000 at Baltimore and
New York. There was a falling of
a year later, when the Cleveland-Bal-
timOre series of five games realized
only S1475O.
In 1908. when the first series was
played between the pennani-winnini
teams of the National and American
Leagues. eight games brought little
over S5O,0OO There was no cOntes
in 1904, but a year later there wa.
an advance in the prices Of admis
sion. and S6S,405 was taken in foi
five games at Philadelphia and New
York, but the attendance fell to 81.
723, as compared with over 100000
two years previously The attend
ance dropped to $4,000 in 1908 fo
the ChicagO-Detroit series, but tn
receipts jumped to nearly $4,000.
A marked increase in attendanc
and receipts were registered in 1908
when 145,295 persons paid S1SS,3O2 Il
see the seven-game series betweei
Pittsburgh and Detroit Philadelphi
and Chicago played FIVE games in l9l
before 124,222 persons, with gat
receipts of S173.9S0; and this amour
was almost doubled the fOllowin
year when 179.S51 person. contrl
buted s342.fS4 70 see tts Phiiadelphi
and New York series Of six games
This was a mighty jump. but it wa
eclipsed in 1912, the banner year, 70
attendances and financial results. TIL
Boston Americans and New York Ma
tionals played eight eumcs, one Z
them resulting in tie, that year. an
it was estimated that q quarter OF
million spectators saw the protracte
series. which drew S49o.449. Thi
enormous increase was. Of course, du
to the extra games that We're RI
Quired, but last year. 'yheu only fiy
games were needed TO settle the Que'
tion OF supremacy between the Giant
and Athletics. S325,9S0 was paid II
with an attendance Of I'll 00O TIL
average receipts per game In 1912 wa
4 SCI SOC while the average last yes
1 was increased to S65196
. II saIr~ AZ .