Evening star., 1938-08-28
MATS AMONG NINE
TEAMS PLANNING
Minors, Majority of Which
Play by Light, Forcing
Big Loops to Act.
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Aug. 27.-The major
leagues are ready to run up the white
flag. Night baseball has the harried
nabobs cornered. Complete surrender
by a majority vote of both circuits will
occur under the lights of some smoke
filled New York hotel at the annual
winter meeting next December.
At least nine big league clubs are
privately or publicly planning to have
their heroes chase the white pellets
under the arc lights next summer.
In addition to the Cincinnatis and
the Brooklyns. pioneers Of major
league nocturnal contests under the
direction of Mr.. Leland Stanford Mac
Phail, these clubs are all but certain
to string the lights for 1899 home
games: st. Louis, Boston and Phila-
delphia in the National; Cleveland,
Philadelphia, Washington and st.
Louis in the American. Last to sur
render. Of course will be the New York
clubs, who are dead against the night
game.
Money Is Main Object.
Money-or the lack OF it-causes
all changes. But in the case of the
majors the minors are forcing the
hand. Better than 90 per cent of the
minor league outfits are playing a
large majority of their games under
lights. The result has been a bit hor-
rifying to the big nabobs The good
looking rockies coming up are night
hawks When the sun is shining, all
too many Of them are class players.
Under the lights they are as much at
home as a squad of moths. Instantly,
they become coming Hubbells and
Gehrigs. There have been cases of
rockies arriving in big time this year
who never played over rs games of
organized ball under the suns rays.
Naturally. the New York clubs hav-
ent had much to kick about. Pen
nants have been coming their way
regularly. Especially is this true Of the
bludgeoning Yankees who figure to
be the last team In the ma jors to adopt
night baseball. In fact. the Yanks
feel the only way their baseball dy-
nasty can be toppled is through night
baseball. And maybe 1t would be a
good idea. because they're getting too
good for baseball.
Games to Be Limited.
The tentative plan Of the big league
recruits Of night ball follows that used
at Cincinnati and Brooklyn. Each will
be limited to seven home games under
the glimmers. MacPhail, himself, be-
lieves in moderation.
Even home night games is just
right so far said the P. T. Barnum
Of the Flatbushers. More night games
under the present set-up would work
hardship on the players. It's asking
too much to expect them to play un-
til midnight and then chase out to
the park the next afternoon"
Financially. night games have been
great success in Brooklyn and Gin
cinnati. The Dodgers, for six games.
have drawn average crowds of 10000.
Cincinnati has averaged around 10000
per nocturnal contest.
On the same dates we played
those night games," said MacPhail.
Il checked on the attendance of one
OF the pennant contenders. Their
average was only around $780, You
can't laugh that of.
Fans Like Night Games.
For further comparison. I checked
the daylight attendance on the dates
when Cincinnati played under lights.
The high game average for the day.
light games in the National League
was only $4,000, as compared with
Cincinnaus 10000 per night game
average"
When the spectators start pouring
Into the big league parks nighttimes,
the big league nabobs after all may
realize Mrs. MacPhail never raised
any foolish children.