The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-06-02
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
FOLLOWING THROUGH
BY AGUILAR
sSsseeeeeeeeeeeeeseesess
PLAY BALL. AMEHICAI


A
Tooth birthday. This column has
published excerpts from this pub
LEGATION for the past two weeks,
having reached the sixth inning,
This inning began in the column
the latter part of last week and
yesterday another column was
published continuing the sixth
frame, which gives a little history
of baseball. Today, the column
quotes further of the national
pastime's background:
''Col. Mills drew up the first
national baseball agreement,
which did much to cement annie
able relations between the Ma
tional League and the American
Association, particularly on play
er dealings. Out of the colorful
nineteenth century came many
great players, pitchers like Al G.
Spalding and Clark Griffith: bat
ting immortals like Dan Brouth-
ers, A. c. (Popl Arson and Wee
Willie Keller. As the century
turned, other fabulous figures
were to come up, players like
Hans Wagner, the incompatible
shortstop of the Pittsburgh Pi-
rates; Christy Mathewson, the
Big Six of the Giants; Cy Young
of the Indians; Iron Man McGin-
nifty sof Brooklyn, Baltimore and
New York, and Napoleon Lajoie
of the Indians. There were also
Happy Jack Chesbro, the spit ball
artist, along with Tyrus Cobb,
the Georgia Peach; Walter john
son, the speed king; Iris Speak
er, Ed. Reulbach, Grover Cleve-
land Alexander. Chief Bender
and host of others.
American League Is Born
Gas baseball went into the
twentieth century, along came
with it Ban Johnson. Erstwhile
sports editor of a Cincinnati pa
per, he had risen to the presi-
dency of tine Western League.
Johnson visualized a new major
league that would encompass the
East and Midwest, and imme-
diately set the machinery in mo-
ton for its formation. In 1901,
he had eight cities lined BIOS
ton, Chicago, Baltimore, Cleve-
land, Philadelphia, Detroit, Mil
waukee and Washington. They
organized the American League
and Ban johnson was elected
president. Then in 1921, profess
sional baseball made great
step forward by naming Federal
Judge Keneshaw Mountain Lam
dis, fearless, honest and capable
as Commissioner of Baseball.
Baseball Around The World
The sand lotters, the minors,
and the majors performed before
more than a third of the nation
last year. North, South, East
and West played, witnessed and
cheered baseball. The game was
played in Puerto Rico, Hawaii,
the Philippines. Americans in
strife torn Europe and China for
get the war for a moment as
they read of the pennant races
and of the World Series. In Cuba,
South and Central America the
game is played.
During "a years, the World
Series has been Americas clas-
sic. It had heroes and its goats,
its masterminds in the dugouts
and in the bleachers. The Amer
lean League leads in World Sc
ries victories. scoring 81 since
1905 to the National Leagues Is.
The All-Star game. which be
came mid-season classic with
its inception in 1888, has brought
out the picked PLAYERS of the two
major leagues. The Americans
have won four to the Nationals
two.
Minor Leagues
I'm 1901, a tremendously i'm
portant factor in organized base,
ball. the minor leagues achieved
new prominence and power with
! the formation of the National As.
ISOLATION of Professional Baseball
Leagues. From coast to coasI
this association cemented close
bond of friendship and coopera.
ton. which exists on an ever
wider scale today.
"The minor leagues, under the
direction of the National Asso-
citation. while providing the back,
bone and the sinews of organized
baseball and the training ground:
for major league stars. have ex.
banded and prospered in theil
own rights.
"Out of Abner Doubleday's dia-
mond, the PLAYERS of sixteen ma
jor league clubs now engage il
EI54 days during the year. and 26g
minor league clubs players, whf