Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-18
Sinclair CONDEMNS
TEN-CENT BASEBALL
Says Talk OF Cheapening
Sport Is Silliest Kind
OF Rot
NEW SCALE BRINGS
OUT MORE FANS

NEW YORK, Aug. 1s.-A million
dollars as war fund and a dime are
closely related in baseball under
sweeping changes in the family OF
fans brought about by the Federal
Leagues adoption of 1O-cent bleach
ers. 25-cent seats in covered pavilions
and 5O-cent grandstands. Harry r.
Sinclair, owner OF the Newark CLUB,
was the first to introduce dime
bleachers and reduce grandstand
prices. According to James A. Gill
more, president of the Federal
League, attendances four times great
er than under the old scale Of prices
and actual cash receipts in excess OF
those at any park in the East answer
ed in the first week of the test the
4 question of public interest in the
movement and made popular prices
/ the future battle cry Of the indepen-
dent league.
Although the Federal League presi-
dent has long advocated reduction in
/ prices. the Newark magnate was the
/ first TO defy big-league traditions
Before a battery of interviewers in
/ the Eastern Office of the Federal
League Sinclair explained the pouu-
lar price idea as applied to baseball
and told of personal Investigations
\ which Influenced him in favor of the
radical change in policy.
Remembering that everyone who
ever introduced anything of actua
merit was criticized. ! feared nothins
on that score" said Sinclair. Ever
in baseball those responsible for in
novations that stood the test of time
and became parts of the game itsel
we're ridiculed. I recall how bitterly
the foul-strike rule was attacked and
the columns written about It running
baseball.
THE dime Sleachers shocked somi
of the old guard, but talk of cheap
ening baseball is the silliest kind .
rot and facts preach eloquently an;
convincingly. Thousands Of men whit
have never been interested enough il
big-league baseball TO pay the ol'
scale of prices have been attracte'
to the Newark Park; the fans whit
formerly paid a quarter for bleache
seats are grateful for the chance Il
sit with roof over their heads ant
watch the games. The 50-cent grand
stand has caught the popular fancy
too, and fans are coming oftener an
bringing their friends.
ION a recent afternoon when W
we're playing l went to the bleacher
and sat with the spectators there
More than half of the bleacher'
patrons we're grown-ups, and fror
comments heard it was easy TO realiz
that the 10-cent bleachers ha
brought a new and needed elemer
into baseball
1T is a matter OF common sens
and realization of existing economi
conditions 10 hail the dime bleachei
as the biggest boon the game he
ever known. Year after year bas'
ball magnates have seen their hug
profits being shaved off and have bee
against cutting prices. With othe
forms Of recreation and sport mad
attractive by reason of low price
thousands of former fans have bee
lured away. The 75-cent grandstan'
/ few bleacher seats and other CAREFUL
devised means of keeping prices u
was making of baseball an exclusiy
rather than a popular game.
At no time this year nor last hs
the capacity of the largest baseba
parks been tested. excepting durin
the worlds series. At the ground
providing the largest seating capa'
ity in the country neither of til
home teams playing there has sue
ID ceeded this season in filling niue
2 more than seventh OF the seats 0
ordinary single game days. On m;
= jority of days the park has not bee
I more than tenth filed. Absolutel
a nothing had been done until the FeS
[ eral League introduced popular rate
S to stimulate interest in the game an
: bring to the support or baseba
. thousands who had never been int
I ested to the extent Of paying old-tin
I monopoly prices.
= Material increases IN actuai ga
a receipts are reported in every eli
: where the new Federal League sea
d of prices has been put into operatio
That should serve to quiet those WI
set up the claim that because
:. cheaper admissions the salaries
8 players will be instantly reduce
z Players of the top rank will con
u mand greater salaries than eve- ne,
season if they are prepared to tran
act business with the Federal Leagu
THE hlufing period in this WI
a has passed and those who have p
L their faith in this kind of ammunitiC