The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-21

for undoubtedly several leagues will be
 organized. means, that iae young and
 old or the downtown stores, instead of
 lnVenting excuses to leave their work to
 attend professional ball game will re-
 main contentedly in their places in coll
 temptation of a spirited contest in a near
 by playground as soon as the store closes
 This alone should not get merchants ell-
 thusiastic over the idea of twilight
 baseball In the various shops of the city
 i.nG suburbs the effect of twilight,
 baseball will be the same
 Recreation Director z. Nespor stated a
 few days ago that the twilight base
 lail idea was practicable and would un-
 d"ubtedly prove very popular Tn Birming-
 ham, According to Mir. Nespor, every
 athletic organization in the city would
 have teams in the various "twilight''
 leagues, and he entertained not the slight. est doubt but that 50 baseball teams would
 be playing "twilight' baseball, before May 15.
 Recreation not only for the masses but for the tired business man." said Director Nespor lis the popular idea oi the present day. The people must havc play and we who have made a study ot recreation must provide it.
 This winter the recreation department of the city of Birmingham has fosteret basketball and soccer football. In botl of these sports success has been attained in no slight degree and as spring ap. breaches our ideas in the recreation de partment naturally turn to baseball. Baseball is the great national pastime It is undoubtedly the most popular spor of the American nation and the gam, ! richly deserves its popularity. And the amateur branch of the sport is just com ing into it's own.
 Tt is our present intention to do witl baseball as well have done with basket
 ball and soccer football and that is tS organize teams wherever we can an6 throughout the city. But first I will ex plain an innovation borrowed from othei large and progressive cities-that of ''twi light baseball
 "In the past seasons there has beer much amateur baseball in and about Bir mingham. But the games were onl, played on Saturday afternoons and some times on Wednesday afternoons or ans afternoon that the boys could get away from their labors. Now twilight base ball will change all this.
 Twilight" baseball means that tn, boys or men can play every evening in nearby playgrounds and thorough, enjoy themselves. It will not be neces sary to be an accomplished player fol there will be playground instructor: who will see that the mediocre player remains in his class and that everyon, who wants to try to play baseball get. a chance, even if only to bat out fun goes.
 "Our plans now comprises of or ganizing at least three twilight re
 creation leagues, three playground leagues, a park league, commercial league, a bankers league, a military | league, working boys league, a rail road mems league, church league, ant | Sunday school league. These league Will be of six and eight teams eaci and toward the end of the season tn, l leaders will play an elimination serie to decide on the amateur championshiI of the city for a silver cup which vii | be offered.
 Our biggest problem concerning tn, twilight leagues will be the secur ing of baseball fields for the various teams to play on. We are now work ing on a proposition to interest tn, city authorities to level off all ou
 dump yards and fix them up into base | ball diamonds. This not only helps ou 1 the playground movement, but is il
 line with the city beautiful idea. | all the dump yards and vacant lots ar,
 arranged for baseball healthful recre | alton for thousands will be provided 1 by the city of Birmingham this spring | oiio Suilhici. IL WILL mean a lapDle people in Birmingham. physically
 morally and mentally. Physically b,
 providing place to play the natfona
 game; morally by learning fair play
 mentally by taking their minds ava,
 from crime and vice. Our motto at tn,
 recreation department is that an idl, brain is devils workshop.
 | Cities more and more are measured by the happiness of the people. Ie
 us foster the playground movement ant
 give the people Of Birmingham all tn, 1 happiness we can and in this connec
 tion l desire to state that my offic, and advice is open and free to an,
 young man or group of men that wisi to organize into basketball clubs, run
 ming clubs. baseball clubs or any O.
 the various athletic sports now prevail ing. And also we want to utilize pub lie property to the greatest advantage so it is up to the leaders in the variou. suburbs and within the city to get to- gether and organize. Call or telephon, and l will be glad to help with tn. details. Remember the baseball weath.
 CT has arrived and there will soon bt
 enough twilight for the leagues tt
 start playing"
 And that explains the twilight
 league idea. It simply means that 8
 progressive young man like Nespor has
 seen the opportunity of being of sery.
 ice to a large number of athletic youn .