Indoor Base Ball Guide for 1910
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© ^ Vol. 56—No. 15 Philadelphia, December 17, 1910 Price 5 Cents HELD Amazing Growth of the American National Game in the Island of Cuba, of Which It Has Become the Chief Sport, Thanks to the Zealous and Courageous Labors of One Native Son of the Island. BY KDWARD F. BANG. are 50 cents and those in the grxo-A eta&i $1_ XV AN A, CUBA, December 3. Kdi- Box seats close to the diamond sell for $2, lor "Sporting Life.©© The Island while the box seats in the ouifield bring $1 of Cuba boasts of a reincarnated each. These arc the prices that prevail Byron Bancroft Johnson, president when the American teams play here. The of the American League, in the person of Kugenio Jimenez (pro prices are sKeed in half when the Cuban nounced He.rrnine.z), who is devot teams are on the boards. Although it may ing his life to a perpetuation of America©s seem strange to followers of the sport in national pastime in this island. What Mr. the States it is safe to say that if it wero lohjisou is to base ball in the States Mr. possible to accommodate the number fully Jimenez is in Cuba, even more so. Americans 20,000 fans would turn out to see the Tigers well recall how ihe president of the younger and Athletics when they hook up in. joint major base nail league of the United States battle. Cuban fans have never had the op built the foundation for the organization that portunity of seeing two major league teams now boasts of ihe championship base, ball in action against each other until the present learn of -the world, the Philadelphia Athletics. time, Mr. Jimenez fulfilling a promise h« made Each succeeding year has found the American them last year. League on a firmer business basis. Mr. Johnson©s foresight not only stamped him as MR. JIMENEZ©S PURPOSE a, man of unusual wisdom, but also earned in bringing two American Loaguft teams h«r» thousands upon thousands of dollars for (ho at the same, time at such an enormous ex men who cast their lot with, him and who pense is to educate local fans to the brand ©were willing to sink or swim. Mr. Jiminex, of base ball as played by the star teams of is like Mr. Johnson in the respect that he the major leagues. Once again he is looking has looked many years into the future and to the future. Ho is dreaming of the not- has seen the far-distant day when this island will boast, of a league of four or six clubs, conducted POSSIBILITIES OF BASE BALL. along the same lines as the American League. He differs from him in that; he has not When the day comes Mr. Jimenez will have the financial backing that the American accomplished his life work and will reap League enjoyed in the war days with the the benefit of years of toil. And to think National League. Mr. Jimene/, is facing the that this wonderful man, a Cuban born, is big problem alone, and what©s more to the unable to speak a word of English and has point, he is solving it. Prosperity is smiling never visited the States! He plans his first on him after years and years of arduous labor trip to the major leagne cities next season devoted to the uplift of the sport, with but and when he returns here it will be with the little financial return. It was 12 years ago ambition of following in the footsteps of the that Mr. Jimenez first became interested in big leaguers and give Cubans a modern plant base ball. He was then 26 years old and from which to view their favorite sport. alternated in playing first base and behind CHIEF BENDER POPULAR. the bat. Gradually Few and far between are the American THE WHITE CUBANS Indians who have ever set foot on, Cuban Rave way to negroes and instead of the soil and it is only natural that Chief Bender society folk turning out as in the old days should be the cynosure of all eyes. When, the game fell into, ill repute. It was at this the Athletics arrived from New York time that Mr. Jimenez decided to build up thousands of fans gathered at the wharf to the sport and make it the national pastime welcome them. None of the players received of Cuba the same as it is of the country as much attention as Bender. At the ball that rescued the island from the yoke of park they call him Senor Indian. Spain. It was hard work at the start, but DETROIT©S SHOWING. Cuba©s "Father of Base Ball©© did not des Senor Mnnoz, of the Havana "World," pair. He weeded out here, improved there, and dean of the sporting writers of Havana until today base ball is on a higher plane asserts that in a few years the big leagues than ever before in the history of the island. of Uncle Sam©s land will have to play a It takes a. man of nerve, a man who has series with a Cuban team in order to have every confidence in his patronage to face any valid claim to the World©s Championship. the financial problems thnt have confronted However, the Detroit Tigers won seven games Mr. Jimenez. First of all he is up against in Cu<ba, lost four and tied one, and on. that an annual rental of $12,000 a year for the basis the Cubans can©t get very chesty. park where the games are played, which, by . *________ the way, are the only grounds ©available in this city of 360,000 population. When he Great Country for Base Ball. first took Manager Harry Wolverton, of the Oak HOLD OF BASE BALL "JACK" MYERS, land (Pacific Coast League) Club in 1910, Mr. Jimenez paid only $80 a month rental, Indian Catcher of the New York National League Club. says of his season out there: "We had a but the owner of the big plot of ground in great race. Every club in the Pacific Coast creased it gradually until today he pays 12% Catcher "Jack" Myers, of the New York National League team, is proving one of the League drew more people than ever before, realal baseuase balloau imasfinds uiof 1909-10.iuu-y-iu. .niaHis workwuii\ min «all departments has been first-class, and especially and Oakland alone made a profit of $50,000. times as much as he did a few years ago. ... ,._ .., __ _ u-_.i j .1 1- i,«* ,..., jjje bjg fellow is an Indian, and Myers is, What©s more, Mr. Jimenez pays the entire has he excelled as a hard and timely batsman jky club played 225 games and only once dur to mark the good-natured aborigine from the ing the entire season did we have a game $12,000 in advance. Thus on December 31 postponed on account of rain. Bad weather this year he will pay the rent for 1911. The is something that never bothers the clubs matter of bringing big league teams such as ,out there; in fact, we never think about it, the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Athletics, and a day off on account of rain is a novelty. who are now here, costs a snug fortune. The The Cleveland Club picket! up one of the best expenses of each and every man is paid from players in the league in pitcher Gregg. He is the time he leaves home until he returns, a big ©southpaw,© and, in my opinion, will also those of the players© wives. These ex make one of the best left-handers ia the penses include railroad fare, Pullman, steam major leagues." er, stateroom, meals, b-otel bills, carriage and «_____. auto hire, entertainment in abundance and a guarantee of $5000 to Detroit and $7000 to Death From Old Injury. the Athletics. In round figures it is esti Kenosha, Wis., Nov. 29. J. Keck Wheeler, mated that formerly of Kenosha, died at a hospital in MR. JIMENEZ©S OUTLAY Oshkosh on Sunday. He had been ill for in bringing the two American League clubs Athletics. The Cubans have turned out in crowds number from 5000 to 8000. They pay more than three years and it is said that his here will run close to $40,000. In base ball large numbers for the games betwen the as much and illness came as a result of being struck by as in everything else it "takes money to pay Tigers and Havanas and the Tigers and Al- a batted ball more than six years ago. the fiddler" and the Cuban lovers of base mendares, the largest crowd numbering MORE ON AN AVERAGE Wheeler was a charter member of the Ken ball are glad of the opportunity to pay the slightly in, cxeess of 13,000 paid admissions. to see base ball here than in the States. osha lodge of Elks, and Jor a number of as represented by the Tigers and That was on a Sunday, but the weekday Bleacher seats cost 30 cents. Pavilion scats years was the secretary of the organization. SPORTING LIFE fashioned his career. His team batted be hind him. Nothing favors a new twirler more in his debut than to have team-mates r PIRATE POINTS clout the ball. Last Fall we tried Elmer ___1910 Steel and Jack Ferry. These men showed handsomely, yet Steele lost his three games by small scores, and Ferry had trouble win PICTURE CARD DEPARTMENT, ning one combat.