New-York tribune., 1919-12-28
Baseball Holds
Its OsiSiO1l As
Leading Game
By w. I. Macbeth


The season of 1919 has gone down
into history as the greatest by far
ever experienced by baseball This
broad statement is made with every
consideration for every branch Of the
national pastime And baseball is the
national game without question of
doubt; one has but to turn TO the 1919
records to establish the point.
While professional baseball repre-
sents only one branch of the game. it
has become so firmly established in
publlc favor through the major and
MINOR leagues as TO serve an excellent
criterion Tor America s great summer
game as d whole. To demonstrate the
exceptional success of professional
baseball this past season it is but nee
essary to remark that every one Of the
sixteen clubs Of the National and
American leagues showed fair interest.
or better, on investment. These two
leagues were practically tied in the
matter of public patronage, and each
drew over the 5000 600 mark in paid
admissions
Moguis Feared Losses
Major league operators were so
doubtful Of the future of the game in
the spring Of 1918 that they decided to
shorten the major league schedules
from l54 to 40 games. BY throwing
out fourteen games for each club they
saved a small sum in the matter of
salaries, but did not seriously curtail
overhead expenses. The saving was
quite Offset by increases in railway
fares and hotels. But in spite Of the
shortened schedule, though the scale
OF admission prices remained as for
merly, business was better than ever
before. This was due to q number Of
causes.
To begin with, the reaction Of the
late word war left an enriched nation
simply mad for recreation and enter
tainment. Every sport, professional
and amateur. experienced the stimulat-
ing effect Of this reaction, but mono
more than organized baseball. The ill
State Of New York was wonderful
boon, for on the Sabbaths when any
OF Greater New York's representatives
were home either the Poo Grounds or
Lbbets Field was filed 70 capacity.
But not the least contributsry cause
10 the great major league revival was
the une@pec ed baiance tha- developed
IN the respective fields. The race in
the American League was a thing. Of
beauty from the ve4y start almost to
the last day. The White Sox OF Chi
cago did not clincA the title until less
then week before the ose Of the
season. They led the r. practically
al the way. On June !. .hc Yankees,
because OF excellent pil hing, took the
lead and the Sox dropped back mo-
mertarly into third pace. But less
than thirty days found Chicago back
at the .op of the heap and KID Glea-
sons men maintained the advantage to
the end. Five clubs as late as mid
seaso were all punched within few
games of ore anocher>New York,
Cleve and, Chicago, St. Louis and De-
trolt
In baseball. as in practically all Of
the other major sports, the season of
1919 proved an epic OF surprises. Pat
Moran and his Cincinnati Reds sprung
the greatest surprise baseball had
known in five years By winning the
Nationa. League pennant and then tax
ing the highly favored White SoX into
camp in the series for the champion
ship Of the world
Moran New Miracle Man
To Fat Moran, aseball's latest Mira
Gle Man. belongs much Of the credit
for the National League great year OF
-'A"' ~ teH tHe curtain was runE up
on the campaign it looked like virtual
waikover fos McGrav's Giants to most
of tie critics. Cincinnati mad expe-
renced the most provoking NarAi cps
during spring training in Tex and Il
number Of the stars Of the c.4a we're
"hol ld-outs' to the very last moment
The c'nb was in wretched physical con-
dition tor the opening. while the Giants
were away on their tees.
Noran's greau pitcuing staff which
ster WIS to humble the proud White
Sox so unexpectedly in the worlds Sc
res, proved q master for New York's
erstwhile crushing osfense. The pen
nant was settled light at the Polo
Grounds during a Visit of the Reds in
August. when Cincinnati won four OF
six games played.
Cincinnati clnched the lead in this
most important series and acquired the
confidence necessary to thwart every
succeeding drive Of McGraw. The
Giant manager tried desperately to
rally his forces. He bolstered the
pitching staff by securing Arthur Neht
and Phil Douglas. But the strain on
the other veteran pitchers had told,
and then in the crisis several Of his