The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-17
BASEBALL IS NOW FOLLOWED MORE
 THAN IT EVER WAS
Series Increases Hold Of Great American Sport
 On Fans

NEW YORK, Oct. 16.-(By Asso- cfated Press. )-Baseball has emerged from the 1923 worlds series, which sthe New York American league team won yesterday, stronger in It's holo on popular interest than ever before and unweakened by the unfortunate incidents of the last few years. John A. Heydler, president of the Natlonal league, asserted in statement to- night.
 Frank Frisch, the New York Ma tionals' second baseman, by his con sfstent hitting, daring base running and sensationally flawless fielding ''came out of the series one of the greatest, if not the greatest pres ent-day all-around player or the McGraw, he added. though manager of the defeated team, "came out or the series a bigger man than ever before in his career and ms sportsmanship was splendid.
 ''In the worlds series just closed, read the statement, baseball reach ed a peak no one had dared to prop hesy for the game. Friends of the game had dreamed of a million dollar series. but nobody ever expected to awake and find that the dream had come true. Here was third series in succession played in New York and yet over 100000 persons paid over a million dollars to see six games.
 The series shows that after nearly half a century basebalPs hold upon American life is stronger than ever. is continued In all my close years of close connection with the game have never. seen so much interest in the fall classic as this year. And never saw a finer contest.
 There were those who doubted and threw cold water and said the game had slipped back and had been hurt fVap happen to all human enterprises as time goes on. But the wave of en- thusiasm that swept the land in full flood this fall has carried the game to it's zenith.
 The interest was confined to New York. Fans from every state in the union thronged the city. l believe if the percentage of out fans could be published, it would be amaz- ing Every hotel in town was full.
 "The representation from southern states was the largest ever known. Pennsylvania sent thousands. The feature of the series was the over Whelming interest of men and Wom- en from every walk of life in the struggle for the baseball champin- ship.
 ''The reasons were Fundamental. The fans were expecting closely contested series. When the Tanks, beaten twice in succession, turned on the champion Giants and deadlocked the series Saturday the interest leap ed to fever heat at a bound. AS many people were turned away Sun day as were seated in the biggest baseball park in the world.
 Both teams fought to the last and gave their spectators their all in all and the best team won. believe that John McGraw came out of the series 6 bigger man than ever before in his career even though he was beaten. His sportsmanship was snIendid. His comment and his at- tiude day by day showed game loser at his best.
 And, although on the losing team, I think that Frisch, the Giants sec ond baseman, came out of the series one of the greatest, if not the great est, present-dayy all-around player
 "Today, the day after the close season finds baseball at its highest point in the esteem and affection or the nation. It rules supreme as the game of games without rival"