Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-10-22
Judgments

new subject in the worlds series. The
1916 worlds series didn't make much
of hit and already murmurs have
been heard Because too much
stress has been laid upon the finan-
cial gains to be made, some sugges-
tons have been advanced that the
post-season event be abandoned for
a few years. The bugabear of COM
mercialism has threatened the exis-
tence of professional base ball num-
Der OF times in the last few years.
The Federal league, bringing out as
it did the greediness of the players,
gave the fans bad taste. OF course,
one cannot condemn player for try
ing to increase the size of his pay
envelope as much as possible, but
there is no getting around the fact
that it has a tendency to injure the
sport of the game. This fall again
the price of the worlds series tickets
was increased. In addition the spirit
or lack of spirit-of the Brooklyn
players was severely criticised. Some
have openly charged that the Robins
after the first game let the series slide,
content to pick up the losers end
and caring little about the champion
ship itself. Base ball is Americas ma
tional pastime. If it wasn't it would
have been run into the ground long
ago. But it needs a doctor badly and
perhaps it wouldn't be such a poor
plan to abolish the worlds series for
a couple of years just to remove that
faint of commercialism.
That an international flavor will be
added to the American league by the
removal of the Washington franchise
to Toronto is a report gaining favor.
Toronto was the only city in the In
ternational league that made money
this year and it is said base ball heads
believe it is ripe for major league
club. Washington has never been
much of a money maker. If Toronto
made money this year, handicapped
by the European war, it ought to be
a major league town at least when
the strife is over.
Two years ago when the National
Association of Professional Base Ball
Leagues held its convention in Omaha
forty odd minor leagues were repre-
sented. When it meets in November
in New Orleans the list will have
dwindled to less than twenty-five. It's
no wonder the little fellows are get
hing alarmed, and It ought to be a
signal for the big fellows to lend a
helping hand, although, we will have
to admit, they probably won't.
Ban Johnson is authority for the
statement that the American league
attracted 100000 more fans this year
than during 1915. OF course, the tight
race had something to do with this
increase in the business, but it's just
rs certain that the absence of the Feds
had its share. The masnates were
wise all right to wipe out the out
laws; 100000 persons at an average
of about 90 cents head is consider
able of gain.
They are firing both Rowland and
Tinker in Chicago every thirty min
utes these days Tying the tinkling
tinware to athletics is popular pas.
time in the Windy city. They fired
Heinie Zim for over year and fl.
nally accomplished the feat. Now
they're trying to fire two at once,
showing that ambition lies in every
human breast, providing you can call
base ball scribe human.
Washington and Philadelphia, it is
said, are the only two American
league clubs which lost money this
year. But in the National league the
Giants, Phillies and Robins were the
only ones to show a profit at the
end of the year. The other clubs
were lucky if they broke even. And
in the minors, speak of it not.
Just as trap shooting was. becoming
one of the most popular of American
sports the price Of powder took flight
for those same ethereal regions &C.
cupied by coal, sugar and bread and
it's getting so guy has to ruin a
savings account or hook his automo.
bile in order to smash up a handful
of the blue rocks.
They say Hal Chase was the real
leader of the hitters in the National
league. And yet McCarty, who turned
in a better average, played in ninety
games. How many games, pray, does
man have to play in the National
league in order to be recognized?
There's no doubt about it, the pool
athlete is slave of circumstance
these days. The four days Cub-Sos
series was so poorly attended the win
ners only made $500 and the losers
$500. Tough lines, indeed, for foui
days work.
If those university lads had sue
ceeded in cumming their way tc
Portland with the Cornhusker eleven
they would be able to boast of ar
achievement that would make the
celebrated A No. turn green with
envy.
Harry Sinclair denies that he has
made any dckers for the Brooklyn
franchise. Evidently Harry believes
that enough is sufficiency and he
got enough acting as angel de luxe
for the late lamented Feds.
Jack Barry couldn't play in Tho
worlds series because of sore mitt
but we'd risk few spare nickels tina
he didn't have any trouble endorsing
that worlds series check just the