Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-03
THE TREND OF BASEBALL.


uonisl benefit game on the Polo
Grounds, in New York City, between
the champion New York National
League team and n team composed
of "old timers" for the benefit of
Christy Mathewson. for years the
most famous exponent of scientific
and effective pitching in all the his
tory OF our great national game.
Mathewson at present is at Saranac
Lake. wrestling with pulmonary
troubles. but with reasonable assur-
ance. IL is a pleasure to know, of
winning the battle. The millions of
earnest and loyal devotees of base
hall throughout the world will unit
edy hope FOR victory. The testimo-
NAL. il also is a pleasure TO note, re-
suited in raising a fund of about $780,
GOO for this popular public favorite;
who today holds the record of king
OF all the pitchers who have made
our national game so justly famous
for many years.
This temperance Of Christy Math-
ewson. at the close Of baseball sea-
son that has been notable in many
respects. naturally incites to reflection
and comparison. The popularity of
the game is enduring, but it has its
fluctuations, and in comparing the
present with the past, opinions viii
vary as to what period of its con-
tinuance has shown the game in its
best and highest form. marked by
the most brilliant achievements by
its talented exponents. Some will
naturally contend that it is continu-
ally advancing, and that each year
brings more interesting results and
most surprising individual and team
records. Old timers will revert to the
days Of forty or more years ago with
enthusiastic claims of pre-eminence.
Others viii select various intermedi-
ate seasons as writing down the most
notable history OF the game.
But there is still another class of
observers and commentators who will
hold TO the opinion that baseball, as
sport which holds the interest and
satisfies the demands of the games
millions Of devotees. reached its zen
ith in the period embraced during
fifteen 10 thirty or more years ago.
The names Of the giants" of that
period are now almost forgotten, but
how resplendent they were in their
time. Does the history of the game
for the past decade present such
names as those of Clarkson and Kelly,
the famous $4,000 battery" which
Chicago sold to New York? Is there
a big four" like unto Rowe, Richard
son Brothers and White of Buffalo
and Detroit? Are there counterparts
Of Buck" Ewing, Roger Conner, Tin
keefe. John Montgomery Ward, Fred
Pfeffer. Lady" Baldwin, Charley
Bennett? Does the game today pre-.
sent another quintet equal 10 Bobby
Carruthers, Charley Comiskey, Tip
O'Seili. Ed Cuthbert and Arley La.
than OF the famous old st. Loui.
Browns? Have we the equal of "olC
Pop" Arson Of Chicago, or of his sue
cessor. Frank Chance, as player-man,
sEer?
Well. perhaps there are equals. ever
superiors. OF these former stars win,
ming laureis--and incidentally a grea
deal more money than they and theil
fellows ever dreamed of seeing-or
the diamond today, but they do no
appeal to the patrons of the game a,
I'D these old fsvorites when they wer,
tn their prime. At the close of thi
years season. somewhat. extraordi
nary one in respect of the close an,
exciting contests for supremacy in tn.
two leading leagues. the only rea
kings" Of the game, in the minds o
many old timers. seem to be Babe
Ruth and 'Sry'' Cobb. and they trul,
are leaders.
Not 10 say that the playing of tn,
game has retrograded in any manner
On the contrary. il grows more scien
tinc. more surprising than ever in il
capabilities. and even more prolific il
developing exponents of truly mar
sdous capacity. But there is a diff
fsrvncs. There does not seem tosk