The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-07
Growing Popularity Of Baseball Brings Up Seating Problem
By Associated Press

1NeW OIk, r 6DIudEy os-ANSS~--- throughout the country during the 1921 season promises to show continued growth in popularity, which has been consistent feature of the national game since the close of the World war. Last season new attendance rec ords were made in the major and minor leagues and unofficially it was said that never in its history has the game enjoyed such a prosperous season gen. orally. Off season indications are that next summer. This leads to the ques- tion: Where will the the club own CTS put the fans who desire to see the games if baseball continues to grow in popular favor?'
 LARGEST PARK
 There are some sizeable baseball parks in the country, the largest of which is Graves Field at Boston with a seating capacity of 47,S00. Most Of the parks are sufficiently large to ac- commodate the crowds that ordinarily attend the games, but in every baseball city there are occasions during the season, especially on holidays and in lHC CdSCo Ol lippOItdHs SCIlco, WnCi LII ? largest of parks are inadequate to ac- commodate those who desire to pass through the turnstiles.
 Large and numerous as are the tase- bail parks throughout the country in cities represented by professional teams it will surprise a majority of the fans to learn that the total seating capacity of all the parks Of major and minor leagues of importance is TAec ulation of the country, 105, ,1oS, as shown by the 1920 census. The seat ing capacity of the parks In the major leagues and the principal minor leagues totals approximately 961,0u0. which with some minor leagues whose statistics are not available, probably would bring the total seating capacity of all league parks in the country up to round million.
 MORE ACUTE IN MAJORS
 The aparent congestion of seating ca pacity is more acute in the two major leagues than it is in the minors The cities represented in the National league have total population of 12,- 655,S0S, and the baseball parks in those cities have a total seating capacity of about 199,000. This means that there are seats in all National league parks for only Is per cent of the population and it would mean that if all the peo- pie of those cities took the. notion to attend the games on some holiday about 50 persons would be scrambling for possession of each seat.
 As regards the proportion of seats te population, the situation in the Amer. :can league Is virtually the same ai in the senior major league. The cities in the circuit headed by Ban Johnson boast Of a total population of 13,594,. 014 persons, while the clubs in thu American league have provided seats for close to 215,000. Here the percent. age of accommodations for the popula. tion is about 1.6, the same as in tho National league, but reduced to actua figures 1t means one seat for each 6: Ipersons.
 SITUATION BETTER HERE Conditions are a trifle better in the Class A leagues, the seating capacity of which is between and 4 per cent ot the population. The American asso- ciation with a population of 2.423,o0t in its eight cities can seat 94,500; tho new International league with a popu. lation of 2,879,000 has seats for 70,40( and the Pacific Coast league witt 2,1o0,000 population has provided 92,. 400 seats. The club with particularly attrac. IiVc StdI, Sucn as baDe ftuLn was Le the New York Yankees last season finds it difficult many times during ,, the season to take care of those whc are anxious to contribute to the finan cial success of the club. There wer. several Saturdays and Sundays las season when the Yankees were play ing on the Polo grounds and when |
 was necessary to close the gates Ions before the game started. thus turnini away thousands. of disappointed fans PERPETUAL PROBLEM The problem of seating capacity il
 one that is likely to remain with th' club owners for all time. In most O. | the parks that are now established i 1 is quite inrNossible to increase tn seating capacity because of the lacl of space and with the steady growtl
 of American cities club owners find. il 1 impossible to select sites for nev parks within distance that fans ar willing to travel to witness games.