El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-16
Baseball of Bygone Days.
Eckford Team Won IA Games
Lost None; Only One Pitcher
First Admission Was 10 Cents Players Got Nothing
Related by James Wood Captain Manager of
Chicago White Stockings, 1901, to
Frank G. Menke.

of the Union Ball Grounds who con-
ceived the idea of charging admission.
What A howl of protest went up from
the populace, They termed it an out
sport" But Cammeyer was deaf to the
clamor-and on one got into the
grounds unless he first produced the
dime.
In our free games the crowds ranged
between 5000 and 10000. In that first
game when admission was charged. the
attendance was only a trifle above
1000,
Boosted Price TO y Cents
The fans gradually became used to
the idea of paying admission before
that season ended and when the season
of 1865 began, park owners determined
upon A holder stroke They decided 10
robbers" went up, But the price re-
NAMED at 25 cents-until it was boost
ed in later years
In the early summer of that wear
1S65-the club owners experienced de-
cided shock 4 delegation of plavers
went to them and issued the ultima
tum:
Give us part of the gate receipts
or we won't play"
Why. that will throw you boys into
the professional class" parted the
Well we're willing" was the
answer.
Demands Granted
The demands of the players who
were exhibiting I'm parks where admis-
sion was charged. were reluctantly
granted. Up to that time none of the
players had received money. It had
been considered an honor to partici-
pate in the big games and all the bows
belonging 10 the various clubs had paid
dues TO purchase equipment and TO pro
vide travelling and incidental expenses.
The players then appointed one of
their number-the extra man-to count
tickets. the original agreement being
that the players were to get % per
cent Of the gross income. This agree
ment continued for q short time only
Then the players demanded 35 per cent.
again threatening a strike When this
demand was granted they later asked
fOr-and got-50 per cent Before
the demands during the following two
years ended, the players. By use of
threats Of quitting the diamond. had
forced the club owners to pay them 70
per cent of the gross receipts Of each
game, that sum being divided equally
among the players
Parents Are Furious
Each winter the heads of the various
ball clubs held their annual get-to-
gether meeting in New York with
John Wiley. president of the Mutuals. a
dent. When the meeting of 1865 got
under way the room was filled with
parents Of the youths from all over
the United States who had been shaking
down the club owners for a split of
the receipts They were furious
Wiley. the storm center of IL all be-
cause OF his position as partner with !
Boss Bill Tweed" was fIaved IN
nercifully by those parents They de /
Jared the practice of paving the ball I
players was A crime: that II would /
wreck the morals of the bows. that IL 4
zilled the sport in the game and. all I
all, II was very. very disgracefuL
willing But Dubious
Enact laws at once barring players
rom accepting money or we shall re-
use to permit our sons to play next
ear" was the demond of the parents. !
We are perfectly willing to adopt !
UGH a rule" answered Wiley. with
uaint smile. but ! fear. ladies and
gentlemen, If We did. the players
wouldn't observe it II seems to me |
hat the days are over when baseball
s purely game for amateurs"
And Wiley was right"
Baseball Of the Bygone Days" appear
zation in the winter OF 1868 and the
ipring of 1870 of the famous Chicago
White Stockings. the team hired BY
80. 900. the salaries alone being SIS. 900
or the purpose-which il Accomplished I
of beating the Cincinnati Red Stock
Editor \