The Washington herald., 1917-12-09
Rumor Floats from Stove
League that Locals Will.
Lose Franchise if Sabbath
Games Are Not Legalized.
By JOHN A. DUGAN.

Club. and every other team in Ban B.
Johnson's circuit.
The rumors of ditching the Wash
ington franchise In the American
League and forming q ten club cir
cult, by consolidating the two major
leagues is without foundation. but
even at that. It is worthy considera-
ton
Sunday baseball in each city, of the
big leagues. will be a question which
will be given a large amount OF con-
sideration when the moguls of the
leagues do their get-to-gether stunt
in New York and Chicago this week.
This plan of consolidating the majors,
and pooling the players taken from
the defuncted outfits, sounds reason
able.
With the ditching OF the Washing
ton franchise this mythical circuit
would read something like Chicago,
st. Louis, Cleveland, Cincinnati and
Detroit in the West. and Boston,
New York, Philadelphia, Brooklyn
and Pittsburgh in the East. Four of
the cities named In the East are con-
fident of putting over the Sunday
baseball act to help the national
pastime over the financial burden Of
the war-but Pittsburgh. heretofore
always considered a city on the west
ern swing, but now numbered in the
East; Is up against II a great deal
stronger on this Sunday baseball
argument than that of the Washing
ton club and should the big hague
moguls figure on a consolidation of
the two leagues Pittsburgh would be
put on the pan for consideration Of
being disfranchised just as much as
the local team.
Among the many wild-fire baseball
rumors that are floating from steaming
kettles OF the Old Stove League, comes
the announcement that the Washing
ton Baseball Club is sure to lose its
franchise in the American League un-
less Sunday baseball Is authorized in
the District Although the powers
that be" behind the local club do not
put much stock into this Federalism"
outburst II can be uncovered. by a few
minutes Of study. that there is more
truth than poetry in this assertion.
Washington has always been a good
baseball town and the local fans were
always loyal to the club, turning out in
large numbers to support both winning
and losing teams. But shortly after
that black cloud Of war broke over the
universe last April. the fans started
to dwindle from the Florida Avenue
balliwick until a scattered few could
be counted among those present during
the last six or seven weeks Of the
home season.
Pressure Of business-and war busi-
ness at that-was the real reason for
- 80 r.
avenue stadium last summer. as the
government clerks, who were the big
support Of the club. could not ind time
and were not granted time of in which
to watch the Nationals in action. Play
ing on Sunday afternoons would sure
help the local club an6 the visiting
teams over the financial difficulties
that exist here, and 1t will not be
surprising to here the cry OF Batter
les on those hot Sunday afternoons IN
June, July and August OF 1918, at the
local ball park.
This is the one solution out of
rather tight position tor the local
baseball moguls and it is almost a
sure bet that they will swing some
deal within the next few days which
will put a damper on the old Blue
Law which now exists in the Dis
trict.
This Blue Law which regulates all
Sunday athletics where admission is
charged was enacted by the Com
mtssiohers a few years ago and, on
an inside tip, 1t was organized base
ball that had this enactment put
through the District. It now appears
as II organized baseball will be COM
PEELED to come to the Washington
clubs rescue and find a way to lift
some OF the many bans under this
regulation.
It Is a known fact that organized
labor stands ready to indorse this
movement for Sunday baseball in
the District. With organized labor
sancitioning such movement it
means that 1900 government clerks
who are members of the Federal
Employees Union would be giving
their sanction. Organized labor in all
would be turning over a popular
vote Of close to 5000 who would
favor this proposition.
The history of the enacting Of this
blue law dates back to the days of
the Federal League. During the sec
ond year that the Federal was pick
ing at the money pockets Of or
ganized baseball, r. P. Andrews
Association of the District, placed
q bail club in the independent ranks.
The Old Union League Park was
obtained for the teams games, and
with Hve-wire managers many good
seni-pro and professional teams
which were touring the country were
brought here to battle the Canaries.
The crowds which attended these
Sunday games ran far above ex-
pectations and 1t was only after a
few games had been played that
these same nve-wire managers fig
ured on bigger things.
These bigger things turned up in the
way Of Federal League Club. Six
clubs from the outlaw circuit visit
ed this city, three playing return
games with the cream of our local
talent It was here that organized
baseball felt the pressure Of the Fed
eral League In Washington, as the
outlaws were gaining a foot hold.
The crowds averaged three thousand,
while one game attracted eight thou
sand to the Northeast Park.
II the Federal Leaguers against
District sandlot players can draw
eight thousand people on q Sunday
afternoon, what would the Washing
Sn Suo uha" pidSInB regular
scheduled game against any other
team In the American League circuit
on q Sabbath Afternoon?
At the time Of the Federal League
invasion on these Sunday afternoons,
1t was claimed by moguls high up In
the ranks of the outlaw circuit that
the Feds would positively put team
in the Capital City the following
season because Of the drawing powers
in these Sunday games.
Quite q howl was raised when Il
was announced that the Nationals