New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-21
Must
Explain Sunday
Game to Court
McGraw and Matty Sum-
moned for Playing Ball
at 9th Benefit
By w. ]. Macbeth

Summonses were issued yesterday in
wiling John ]. McGraw, manager of the
Giants, and Christy Mathewson, man
ager of the Cincinnati Reds, to appear
this morning at the Washington
Heights police court TO prove that
Sundays game between their respee-
tive ball clubs was not violation OF
the Sunday law. The game followed a
concert and was announced as a benefit
to the dependents of the Fighting
69th,' which attended in a body.
Protests against the Sunday game
had been made to Inspector Ryan. De-
tective McGivern, assigned to watch
the game. reported that il was reg
ularly scheduled championship contest.
The summonses were issued on his APP
plication. lie asked for one also for
Charlie Herzog. captain Of the Giants.
but was refused.
The present case is an aftermath,
evidently, of kindred action started
against the owners of Ebbets Field
some weeks ago, following a Sunday
concert and game between the Brooklyn
and Philadelphia National League
clubs. The Brooklyn courts regarded
the offence so seriously that Charles
H. Ebbets, president of the Dodgers,
was held for Special Sessions
The idea of Sunday baseball games,
for which all receipts were TO be
turned over to war charities, originated
Lal y
OF the New York American League
club. Captain Huston is at present
somewhere with his regiment Of en-
gineers in this eountry's service. The
moment he learned war was declared
Captain Huston wired the offer OF his
services to the War Department. lie
sacrificed business interests which in
volved millions Of dollars because no
believed his great experience IN en-
gineering work as well as his expe-
rience in the Spanish American War
might be of value to his country IN
its hour of need. He proved botn The
man and the sportsman.
"Why should any one try to tn,er-
fere with Sunday games played Tor
such a commendable purpose !" said the
captain at the first sign Of opposition.
Ddllleb are IOLbub Oh DNhNeJD.s
Soldiers are killed in the service OF
their country or Sundays. War creates
widows and orphans on Sundays. De-
pendents of soldiers and sailors mus7
eat on Sundays as well as on Mondays
and the other days Of the week. Money
is the real sinew OF war, and not
enough can be had TO relieve the suf-
fering way entails. ! do not believe .
Id
voice Of protest"
The management Of the New York
and Cincinnati clubs do not appear dis.
turbed over the proposed legal action.
They maintain that not one cent OF
admission was charged after the sacred
and patriotic concert had concluded.
Those who waited until after the con-
cert entered the park free Of charge.
The gates were closed TO keep out a
hoodlum element.
Just why the major leagues should
be singled out as the butt Of reform is
difficult of understanding. In half a
dozen different enclosed fields in the
greater city semi-professional ball is
played every fair Sunday. Admission
is charged &c these games, too, by the
subterfuge Of making the scorecard
take the place Of the customary paste
board.
II has been suspicioned for the last
month or so that Bill Donovan has a
lot of expert soldiers on his ball club.
Just how good these are in a military
sense will be established tomorrow at
Detroit.
The first Official military drill By
American League clubs for the $500
prize in gold offered by Ban Johnson,
will take place between the Yankees
and Tigers at Navin Field. The War
Department has assigned an umpire 10
review the troops Of the rival clubs.
Donovan's club was the first team TO
adopt military training.
"Msthewson need only finish In the
first division 70 satisfy Cincinnati
fans" said Garry Hermann few days
ago.
Big Six may do even better than that.
He is within striking distance OF see
ond place. The Reds seem 10 have
come. out of their recent slump and will
finish the season at home.
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