The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-04-02
TENER KICKS ON
CHANGING Time


New York, April 2.-President John
K. Tener, of the National League is
opposed to any change in the time
for beginning baseball games under
the new daylight saving law. He
said yesterday that, although the
question was up to the clubs individ-
uality, he did not think any of them
would take advantage of the new
law and start the games later. He
stated that he had heard Of no con-
templated changes in the time of
starting among his clubs except in one
or two cases, where the change sug-
gested was very slight.
It is believed that the attitude of
President Tener will have the effect
of preventing any changes in the
time of games When the daylight
saving plan was first announced, sew
eral club owners planned to take adj
vantage of the extra time in the af-
ternoon and extend the hour of start
ing the game, as fine scheme to
encourage patronage.
This attitude of the baseball club
owners and other promoters of sport
ing events brought forth more or less
criticism from officials at Washing
ton. Charles Lathrop Pack, Presi-
dent of the War Garden Commission,
has led in the criticism of the pro-
posed plan to start the game later.
He says: "Slackers Of the worst type
is the brand placed upon baseball
team owners or managers who plan
to move down the schedule time Of
starting games this summer. 1t would
certainly be violation of the spirit
of the law"
Commissioner Pack, in voicing his
objection to the proposed plan, says
further: 'HThe women are going to
win this war, and one of the greatest
boons will be the help the men can
give in the backyard garden. A move
like this suggested by the baseball
club owners will take thousands of
hours of time from gardens. The job
| of winning this war must be done.
Nothing must be allowed to stand in
| the way of it. The daylight saving
law was intended to increase the day
| light usefulness in war work, and
was not intended to give extra hours
for recreation. I do hope that this
is not the attitude of those in control
of the greatest of national games in
our big leagues"
| AS far as New York is concerned,
there will probably be no change in
the time of starting games at the Polo
Grounds or at Ebbets Field. Presi-
dent Hampstead of the Giants said
that the club had not considered the
was suggested to start the games zen
or fifteen minutes later for the bene-
fit of the crowds which come from
| the Wall Street district. The Giants
have always started their games at
$40, the extra ten minutes being add
ed because the Wall street express
did not arrive at the 155th Street ele-
waited until 1888.
If there is any change in this start
| ing hour, it will be made to conform
with the schedule of this special Wall
street train. The Yankees and the
| Giants will probably get together be-
| fore the season opens and agree on
uniform hour for starting the games.
It is notsthe intention of either club
| to take advantage of the new law, and
as far as is known now there will be
no change whatever. President Eb-
bets of Brooklyn has already an
nounced that there will be no change
in the time of games at Ebbets Field,
where they will start as usual at $3.50.
The new state of affairs will benefit
| baseball clubs and fans in extra-inning
| games, and when the contests go into
extra innings it will not be necessary
under the new time schedule to call
the contests on account of darkness.
| President Tener of the National
League was one of the staunchest ad-
vocates of the Daylight Saving Law,
andl asst season when the matter was
I first proposed he delivered several
addresses in favor of it at Daylight
| Saving rallies. His position in the
| matter will have direct influence in
! changing the attitude of any club
owners who had contemplated
change in time.
| Out in st. Louis the matter was put
up to a popular vote among the fans,
but this resulted in very few votes
being cast which proved to the club
| owners that there was no sentiment
among the fans to start the games at
a later hour. So in ST. Louis the pro-
| posal for a later start has been aban-
| doned.
That the American League Goes not
propose to take advantage of the new
/ law is indicated by the action of
President Charles A. Comiskey of the
| Chicago White SoX. He announced
yesterday that the games at Comiskey
Park would begin at o'clock. He
| said that to start at 4 o'clock, as had
been suggested by some of the club
owners, would be a violation of the
law. This action by Chicago is taken.
as sure sign that the other American
League clubs will take the same atti-
tude.