Omaha daily bee., 1914-06-14
BALL FANS ARE TONING DOWN
Games Are Not Attracting the At
tendance They Used To.
THE REASON IS UNEXPLAINED
NIaxnates Are wonderinE How 60
stop the Losses that Are Likely 60
stare Them in the Face ~
ThinEs DO Not Change.

NnE AMInNllitE AnhA MHNh " NAAiee ~
merrily In years gone by are growing
rusty from disvse; sorrow and anguish
are their lot when they note that instead
Of packed stands. as in other years. their
clubs are now playing TO Just
handful OF fans. and most OF them the
Is and sO-cent patrons.
Not only have the American and Ma
tional leagues been hard hit by the start
ling apathy Of the base ball public. but
every league Of any consequence through
out the length and breadth of the land
continues 20 suffer, through the mex
piicable desertion of the army OF fans,
whose contributions made millions OF
dollars for club owners in other years
Even now when the big league clubs
are staging double headers the fans con-
tinue in hiding. In other years the mid
week crowd In first-class towns seldom
dropped below 5000 for a single exhibit
ton. while a double-header brought out
something like 5000 20 io.ooo. and a satur-
day or Sunday game nearly always
jammed the park.
But In these days the big league clubs
that draw 1000 while staging a single
mid-week combat, or 5000 while indulg-
ing In bargain exhibition, are the envy
Of their less fortunate brothers. In the
years gone by the magnates saw no oc-
casion for gloating until from 5000 TO
q. .0oo fans were jammed into their parks
on Saturdays or Sundays. but this year
they must be satisfied with crowds that
range from 1890 down to 5000 or 1000
on the banner days.
DesertIOn Mystery.
.a,,.z g. a.. E..o.tto,, 90 49, Fo,n
this year Is a mystery that probably
would bafne even Sherlock Holmes.
There is no apparent cause for the fact
that the outpourlnR this year Ia not one
third as large as In other years. The
crowds haven't gone over to the Fed
erals. for they. too, are playing to nearly
empty stands.
Earlier In the year, when the attend
ance everywhere was woefuliy small In
comparison 10 that OF 1918 many folks
rushed into view bearing some likely
sounding alibls. Some were TO the effect
that the weather caused It. There seemed
considerable weight TO such an argu-
ment. as the weather during April and
In the first half Of May left much 10 be
desired.
But since the middle Of May the
weather has been fine; OF the brand that
used 10 lure out even the most reluctant
fans in other years. But the increased
attendance over that OF the first month
has been hardly perceptibie.
Another abb was that the fans were
20 interested In the doings in and around
Vera cduz that they didn't have time
TO 30 TO the ball parks. II was said that
they would rather stand in front OF a
bulletin board that gave them the inning
by-ihning base ball returns and war
bulletins at the same time than spend
a couple OF hours at a ball park and see
nothing but base ball But the Mexican
furor has died down; the bulletin boards
no longer are cluttered up with Mexican
names. Yet the fans do not go to the
parks.
Expect 20 Lose Money.
The world champion Athletics. always a
great drawing card. especially in their
home city. look to lose at least $4,000 a
year because of poor attendance. and
when the team that Il regarded as the
bost in the universe isn't pulling II gives
q shiyery feeling TO those magnates who
own merely q mediocre aggregation that,
during even It's best years. drew only
corporals guard OF fans.
However. Cincinnati, strange as Il may
seem. is the only exception 10 the small
attendance rule OF this year. The Reds
SO far have drawn better, both at home
and abroad than they have within the
memory of the oldest inhabitant. But
that's all because Charlie Herzog has
accomplished the seemingly impossible
kept his men in the fight not only
through May. but also during this month
OF brides. roses and sweet girl gradu-
ates.
But those who are keeping close tab
on the Reds are claiming that the greater
portion OF the crowd that fiocks to see
the Cincinnati Surprises I'm action are
not real fans, but merely persons who
find llfe's greatest pleasure in orbing
freaks outside OF captivity. To them the
fact that any Cincinnati team has been
able 70 stick around among the select
far into June time IL IN the nature OF a
freak performance, and. being fond OF
gazing on freaks, they sauahder their
loose silver and feast their eyes upon
the wild-eyed gang from the Ohio River
section.
sOmers Looking for Loss.
But In Cleveland. Charlie somers,
owner OF the Maps. is lying awake nights
wondering Just how much he's going %
lose this year in practically the same
team that made something like $4,000
for him last year. somers loss on the
Maps alone may run up 70 s25o.OOO this
year unless the Maps. now down In the
rut can pun themselves together and
rsvive the enthusiasm OF the fans who
seem 10 have quit them.
The ST. Louis teams are drawing even
smaller crowds than last year. Detroit
and Pittsburgh. despite the fact that
they have played some mighty good
baseball 50 Tar this year. are not draw
ing. Neither are the Philmes. The Giants
seem 10 be Outdrawing the other National
league clubs. but their attendance figures
this year are said 20 be far under those
for the same period In 1919
With both Boston clubs already counted
out Of the races. the bean-eating fans
are keeping away from the parks thai
used 10 resound with their daily cheer,
In other years. The New York Yankee.
Grew some fair crowds earlier IN IN,
year. but since they've begun % skid IN,
num0er OF fans Is thinning out It's IN,
same with Brooklyn Even the peerless