South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-02-04
BALL DIAMOND TO
Be INSIDE TRACK?
Nothing Definite as to LOCa.
ton Decided on, Says
Eugene Miller.

eumors that the fair association
Is contemplating placing the Cen
tral league ball grounds I'm the cen
ter OF the race track enclosure at
SDringbrook park is arousing con
siderable agitation among baseball
fans and others interested In the
game locally According o. some OF
the fans the fair association IS plan
ming on placing the ball diamond
across the track from the steel and
concrete grandstand i'm order 10
utilize the grounds where the ball
park IS now situated.
Nothing definite has been done
I'm the matter OF the bali park as
yet" said Eugene Miller. president
81 the fair association. Friday morn
ing LAS 10 now stands the matter
is IN the hands of Engineer Cole of
Nlishawaka. who is laying out gen
eral plans for the fair grounds prop
ertT which IL is expected will CON
sumo IS years 20 complete We have
found that under present conditions
buildings are being erected AT the
fair grounds without much thought
Of the future and the idea is TO map
out "A program such as that which
was outlined for the city parks.
Outline Ready soon.
SIR. Miller said that Engineer Cole
expected 20 have the outline of the
proposed Improvements ready for
the consideration OF the fair assoc
citation within two weeks At that
time the matter OF the location OF
tied and work started Immediately.
The proposition 10 place the ball
park across from the race track
grand stand is not meeting with
favor among the fans here In the
first place they assert that the dia-
rOnd would be entirely too far from
the stand 10 be feasible. The plate
of the present diamond is so feet
from the grand stand and according
10 baseball men this is too great a
distance while If the grounds We're
placed I'm the race track enclosure
the diamond would be 10 feet from
the stand
Ed Smith would draw the small
est crowds in South Bends baseball
history If the diamond were placed
I'm the track enclosure" asserted one
business man who is interested i'm
the success of the game here. THE
distance between the stand and
home plate would be So great as To
make the playing uuinteresung 10
the fans People who 20 to "A ball
game want To see everything that is
done on the diamond and such a dis
possible. The nearer the players To
the fans the better the game is liked
by the latter
Deserves Considerations
The fair association should give
the ball park the greatest consider
alton" ne continued. I'm the first
place because "a central league ball
club is one of the best assets the city
can have and ih the second place
because of the value the ball park is
10 the fair association tt has been
pointed OUT by the local street car
men that the baseball club increases
the park patronage To great extent.
According TO the street car company
IT necessitatos twice as many cars
to brine in the crowds Immediately
following ball game when the
park concessions are closed as when
they are open. This indicates that
half Of the people who attend a bali
game at Springbrook park spend
their time and money ON the park
concessions following each game.
This alone proves the worth of the
ciCb 20 the association
other fans oner many reasons for
not placing the BALI park in the
track enclosure and several business
men have produced figures showing
that the association can make at
least 30 per cent i'm cash from an
investment OF $4,000 in "a modern
ball park.
Ed smith received 81 humble. Of
letters Friday morning from pros
pective candidates for the lo, Cen
tai league club. but stated that he
was not ready 60 announce the
names OF any of the men who will
come here this spring for training.
lie has not YET mailed ina his vote ON
the question OF whether the league
have 140 cor 120-game season as
several matters must be settled
here before he can definitely decide