The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-09-03
the
! ofSport
by NA4S S:9AAe.

The cid discussion Of what conSN-
,u.e. spor. Is on again. II has been
precip,tated by Chicago newspaper
which has reached tho conclusion that
professional baseball Is not sport. but
an amusement enterprise ard should
be SO treated.
Tho fact has been forced uDon -"
fans by the club ownNs and players
themselves. For the last hf'ecn years
The growing comnerc!al!sr o. major
l.aeue baseball has gradually lesSrncI
~. sportInr features. and beyond doubt
he game Itself has been injured ny
th,. spirit. which has spread through
the ranks Of IN. players.
The old idea q keeping the sport O.
tho playing celd and the box ottice as
FAR apart as possible raced the game
the cruse Of commerctslI ism FOR a .oHG
time In fact. the business was rioicu-
lou.lv unhusinesslike until the decad"
during which e. Webb Murphy and John
T. Brush revealed he commercial pos
sthIi,ies Of baseball. Up 20 that time
tho great majority OF club owners we're
either graduated players. real taSeoa u!
men or fans With the coming ~ or
business mon who saw 'hc money max :
ing possibilities OF baseball as a.
amusement. tho old Idea Of throwing
the gate receipts over the fence In order
20 win obtained In fact. Il still obtains
with soma OF the club owners-men
like Comiskey. Barney Dreyruss and
few others
Money Not the Whole Thing.
II Is an odd sort 81 business any
how. In each l.aEu" eight owners pra'-
ticnlly are partners. dividing re'e'I's'
sharing gains and losses What makes
Il rather a difficult sort OF business
lies in tho fact tina; all the time they
are dividing receipts they are trying
&c beat each other out Of players. "u'
Of games and really beating Themselves
out Of money by so doing.
Tn 20 a dozen years ago ~" f'N'
feld true that more money had 20 =
lost in professional baseball 'har ever
had heen made. Clubs N the Old days
usually were owned by rich mon cr by
vet.ren ball players. supported 20
IarEe extent by the mere ants ARD
manufacturers who believed hase9a u
fdvertIseA their cities. The MI"
,.rCucs haye always hc"n supported In
.his manner. II was The rue N each
League that three or four ciuhs MAIDS
money each YEAR and he Others loF;.
40 that almost as much money Was
,rrk - was made Tn" sale ~ players
- tho higher class leagues and assess
u.nts Of stockh olders - make UT def
CO made Tho leagues possible.
Cp to 1926 the club which could draw
100 nm paid attendance y season was
A rnrity.
The New York Yankees last season
dew more persons 70 their games 1laH"c
I,.arue with twelve clubs. used - ORA &"
IN q season These facts ar" state!
-n.re,v 10 show how tho gam" has grown
from a selt-supporting sport 20 'r"'
n.ndou. enterprise. TIL" chang" ha~
com. almos, without the Fact h"ir.;
realized until last seasons boom du"
~ tho star system being developed and
Ru,h's tremendous individual dra v!nc
power made Il evident.
Dreyfuss = Good Example
There arc rary persons IN and on'
Of baseball who are pulling for Pits
hnreh 10 wiz tho Na,iona, League cham
n!onshlp. and who will be disappointed
~ rho Pirates fa!l ef,er carrying -"
pace 40 far Those who know the en-
rse- Of Barney Dreyfu.s In baseball
never will begrudge any money he may
ever make out Of the sport.
Barney was manager OF clothing
house In ,hr days when Louisville was
In the old twelve club league. and prac-
ucally all his salary as manager ana
all his rrohts went 20 maintain the club
Louisville was not then the haSeen y
town 4; became later. and X was hard
night 20 keep the club going. In add
ton 70 that fact. the politicians nf tho
league ware making N" schedules. !
was that period. in fact that mad"
R7rncy Dreyruse the great schedule
maker 81 baseball history. lie had 70
learn how - make schedules In s"lC'
d.tense, because the annual stunt q.
IN. National politicians WAS - scheh.
rle I.ouiavi,la out NJ IN" leagu" AZ far
as possible
Ordinarily any team HlaH!nG SUNDAY
bal! was entitled n seven or eight
Camas az homo on SundaN. ono Eans"n
Tho schedule makers did not Eive Lou
IsviNe even ono Sunday gan" at homo.
7rcyruss. practically owner II tho
team. was forced ~ attend ~ his otAcr
business all week. so no could not So"
lis team Play. His only chance 20 sec
his own club IN action WAS 1" run ="
Cincinnati! nr ChiCar" md 100 II pldf
Sunday game.
Naturally. barney ohiected ." tbn'
srrl II schedule making lie mad" =
fish' aud got himself aOr"irNd as a
schedule maker. a"d n ,I's'ak" rot.
~ ha- served on he S"Gefu." commit
,.- ever since lie devised =" s""sdU'..
r~verSib'e and iar'ahi". Which - used
~ both Tho American and National
leagues. ard which has t"c"n'" wei NiEn
perfect ny smaI c"rroc'l"us d." -
rhanRiEg lin" tables IT r"!'r"n1S
prcyfuss never has nrhteEcd mu'h
rroht from baseball n" has Il heavy
load 70 carry. with tremendously ~
rensive and costly plant. and Victory
tnr his THrates would ne grateful ="
him.
Great at Finding Players.
preytuss Is tho typical baseball