The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-11

Baseball leaders are extremely opti-
 mistic concerning the 1919 baseball out look-and they should be. None but the most pessimistic can view the coming season from any other viewpoint.
 America is sport hungry. Through 1917 and 1918 baseball was served up to it.
 but the nation has had no real appetite for the game. In fact there has not
 been any spontaneous enthusiasm over
 baseball since the European war began.
 From the first outbreak there was all ways deep feeling deep down in the
 heart of America that some day we might be plunged into the catastrophe. . So this feeling dampened the old, care-
 free enthusiasm of American sport lovers and cast something of a pail over their
 spirits. And in 1917 when we actually did become involved in the conflict, con- ditions, as far as baseball was concerned, became infinitely worse.
 EnlistSments at once took thousands of baseball fans from this country and sent them to the battlefields of Europe
 Then came the draft which took millions more, thus sadly depicting the ranks of
 fandom. Not only did it take away the
 spectators but it robbed the sport Of some of the greatest stars that glittered
 on >the ballfields.
 Naturally this had depressing effect
 upon the game. The Americans, who stayed at home still had chance through
 1918 to see the game played-but only a
 few availed themselves of the opportuni- |ty. Their thoughts were devoted to mat
 ters of greater moment than flag races
 in the big circuit or pennant clashes in
 the minors. But, through it all, America
 didn't lose it's love for baseball. It
 simply side e-tracked it because of neces- sity
 Now that the time has come when the menace of war has been lifted and when conditions are returning to normal, the American people once again can feast upon the game that nourished it's sport
 loving craving for more than 40 years. And Americans, I am sure, will welcome the opportunity.
 Baseball is national institution. Since it's inception it has stood up under many terrific blows. But it has withstood all the storms and tempests of 40 years and always has come back stronger and bet ter than before. Perhaps the most criti- cal period through which it ever lived has been the past year. But baseball has remained and, fortunately, there was no lapse.
 Random should come back to the bal parks next spring in numbers which have not been seen since back in 1912 and 1913. Through nearly four years baseball lovers have been forced to har- ness much of their baseball enthusiasm. They have had but little time and but little inclination for recreation as the ball parks provide. But now the oppor- tunity is theirs and every man fully conversant with baseballs s affairs is cer- tain that they will avail themselves of 1t. The standard of baseball as it will be played in 1919 should be excellent. Hundreds of the men who made up the big league clubs during the past two years are in the service. But the armies of the United States are to be demobil- ized in the quickest time possible. It IS more than likely that 90 per cent of the players now in khaki will be free to go back into baseball uniforms before the latter part of March.
 There are two-score-and perhaps more big leaguers in Europe at the present time. They cannot come back until ships have been provided for their return. Some persons predict it will be six months or a year before the entire demobilized portion of our European army will be back in this country. But there is more