The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-12-13

IT OVER
BY JOE WILLIAMS

NEW YORK, Dec, 13.-Several
IN days ago, my favorite news
paper, the World Telegram at
tempted to inquire into the ques-
ton: What, if anything, is wrong
with baseball?"
The big league club owners we're
invited to contribute to a sympo-
SUM on the subject. They did
The consensus of their opinion
was that there was nothing wrong
with baseball. Beyond conceding,
along with other business men, that
the necessity exists for sharp econo-
mics, they all held to the same
point Of view, namely: That If you
give the customers a winning team
you don't need to worry"
What about the customers2 How do
they leel about baseball in these times?
There can be no baseball without them.
They make the game. In the mai analysis,
they are more important than the club
owners. DO they agree that winning
ball club Is the whole answer?
Let's see Business OF opening the mail.
G. B. L. writes. Sure winning team is
We are going to have a winning team In
the spring We are deluoed INTO DeleEinB
Cobb or another Mathewson. Who deludes
USE You newspaper men. l don't know
where you get your dope All 1 know Is
what I read. But every. spring it Is the
same story Prospects Never Brighter
Manager McStreet Visions Champion
ship'-New, Workers Assured Of Five
saps do2 We 20 out to the games in early
spring full Of hope. We keep on going in
midseason still hoping. Along about Sep
TENDER we begin to realize we have been
hooked. We have been victims Of the old
come-on game Don't go yet we are going
TO surprise YOU I contend that the base
bah people get away with murder. At
least they get away with more stuff than
any other exploiters in the amusement
field could ever hope to. Imagine. Broad
way show starting in April and running
until october on the promise that II you
attend often enough you can't help but
like it-you are sure to be with win
ner?"
ON one point 1 agree with this
" correspondent, and that is that
the sports writer's Including my
self develop false hopes. Entirely
too much goulash is written about
untried ball players in the spring.
1 think the New York baseball
writers (and that again goes for
MYSELF are the worst offenders.
There is something about a New
York uniform that seems to trans
form class D Lacquer into a blaz-
ing genius in the minds of the writ
ers. The same bird could be with
the Boston Red SoX-and because
the Boston Red Sox are what they
are-nobody would pay any atten-
ton to him, except on rainy days.
I think there should be an editorial rule
thaJ no baseball writer should be per-
he has proven definitely his ability over
a full seasons stretch. Also. I think there
should be rule that no baseball writer
should pay any attention to what a man
ager or a club owner tells him about a
players potential greatness. In similar
circumstances, the men VINO write prize
ughts adopt more secure attitude. After
listening they say. We'll. toss him in there
with Kid GoofuS and let us see what he
really can do"
M. l.. writes: Il wish to pay my com
pliments, to Steve McKeever of the Brook
lyn Club. swho advocates an old timer
oTv but enjoy reading S about Sn SoS Sioe and ID
Wagner and Hal Chase more than I do
seeing See the o, present DAY games-and en-
Il am shocked at the gross stupidity of
Charles Stoneham of the Giants in saw
ing that showmanship has no place in
baseball. ] disagree with YOU. williams.
that John McGraw was the greatest show
man in the history of baseball because
the field by umpires-and in most cases
this was a relief to me. But baseball needs
ShowmanShip as much as the Ringing
Altrock and Al Schacht are two Of the
most notable figures in baseball. always
attend the World-Telegram high school
championships. I seldom know who is
playing. I go TO see Nick and AL Base
ball viii never seem the same to me with
out them
Lady, have you ever seen that Red
SOX infie1d9