The sun., 1919-02-10
SUNDAY BASEBALL
IS UP TO THE FANS
Measure in Legislature Must
BE Pushed by Patrons,
Says Soap Huston.
nv FREDERICK G. LIEB.

Followers Of baseball in the greater
elty have closely watched bills intro
dIted in both houses OF the Legislature
IN Albany last week favoring local OPP
lion on Sunday baseball. Such a bill
vas introduced in the Assembly last FRI
Iay By John G. Malone of Albany, while
earlier in the week Senator Walker u
Mis- city started the ball rolling with u
similar measure In the upper chamber
Lieut.-Col Huston, part owner of the
Yankees one of the first men to enter
he service OF Uncle Sam in the world
var. yesterday made a strong plea for
he legalization Of Sunday baseball
There appears no valid reason why a
community in which the great majority
OF IFS voters favor Sunday baseball
shotld not have it," declared the veteran
1ghter What arguments might be ad-
yanced against Sunday ball might as
well be advanced against surf bathing
nj Coney Island.
There surely can be no more harm In
watching a ball game than in sporting
In the waves Each means of recreation
Keeps a certain class engaged in Sunday
work In the case of the ball player
he puts in two hours in a game of ball
In the afternoon. The bathing house en-
ployees work from early on the Sabbath
morn until late into the night But men
smp.oye.i IN lines like baseball bathing
houses and amusement enterprises OK
-ect Sunday work as a normal part or
heir life's toll, the same as newspaper
men. post office employees and train and
traction crews
Minority Oppose Measure.
There are some persons who prob
ably would stop all bathing and amuse-
nents at Coney Island II they could. but
IN this cosmopolitan city. with Its tenn
ing millions such persons would not dare
Il is this same minority which has pre-
vented the repeal Of blue laws drawn up
n the revolutionary period and now
hopelessly out Of date.
Men who have fought and bled In
europe will come back with their own
IDEAS on such questions as blue laws
which prohibit q man from watching a
bail game or fishing. because It is Sunday.
Sunday can be a day OF religion as we'll
IS recreation. Soldiers had most OF their
-ecreathon and ball games on their
lay of rest Men will come back from
he war with broader views on such
questions on Sunday athletics.
at long has been said that II base
BALL patrons would display their strength
hey could have Sunday baseball. This
with the average fan Is that for years
ne has looked OF Sunday baseball as a
sort of forbidden fruit which his brothers
n Chicago, ST. Louis. San Antonio and
san Francisco might enjoy. but for some
reason which he never questioned 1t was
den'ed him.
sunday baseball. however. Is march
ng eastward. and in time will sweep
'ae country. When the American League
invaded tire East In 1901 it had only two
sunday baseball towns-Chicaso and
Anwaukee. Now It has hve-Chicago
81 Louis (Which took over Milwaukee
franchise in 5000. Detroit, Cleveland
Rnd Washington.
When the Washington club was
granted permission to play Sunday ball
asst season 1t broke down the barrier
along the Atlantic seaboard. The
Washington club made no effort to get
sunday games. and the announcement
hat Sunday baseball in the District
81; Columbia had been Endorsed by the
ps,~ict Commissioners came as well
agn,a surprise to Clark Griffith. With
aousands OF war employees having no
place 20 go on Sunday the Commits
sioners decided that Sunday baseball
would help solve their problem"
The writer knew OF Y. VI. c. A
boys camp where 1t was permissible
swim or row boat on Sunday, but
Isseball on that day was strictly
,aoooet. Yet Y. NJ. C. A. secretaries
abroad ran ball games on Sunday
waenever the opportunity presented
HSel:.
Played for Old Goth Regiment.
To what extent men will go who be-
,lCya il is wrons to play Sunday ball
games was Indicated by the unfortunate
AFFAIR In 1917 when NcGraw and
Nt:hewson. managers respectively ol
ne Giants and Cincinnati Reds, were
haied into court on the charge OF
laying Sunday baseball game at the
700 Grounds the entire proceeds OF
Eh..a vent to the company funds oil
..a' noble regiment, the Fighting Sixty
..n;a Judge McQuade. now part owner
c' the Giants. dismissed McGraw anc
A4,ltwsol without penalty. saying
hey should be commended rather thar
-Hrr-y Ned.
G' one Of the companies that marched
o. TIE Polo Grounds on that Angus
afternoon only thirty eight men OF the
urFIn.l Two hundred and fifty are alive
'o-6av. and few OF them are withou
wounds When this company emerged
'i.r Chateau Th!erry one officer anc
seven enlisted men were the only one'
I2r'Jred.