ll mostly are fanciful dreams of those who know
nothing of the practical side of the sport and are stunned when they are
made acquainted with the real financial problems which confront club
owners.

But the money that is contributed to the support of the game almost
immediately finds its way back into public channels. Less than thirty
per cent. of Base Ball clubs realize what a business man would call a
fair return on the amount invested.

A well-known writer on economic topics interviewed owners of Base Ball
clubs as to their income and outgo. One of the best known of the
National League men took the writer into his office and spread the cash
book of the club's business before him.

"You may go through it if you wish," said the owner, "but here is the
balance for the last day of the year."

It read as follows: Receipts, $250,505; expenditures, $246,447.

"That's answer enough for me," said the writer. "I am through with any
more essays on the affluence of Base Ball 'magnates.' I think it would
be better to extend them the hand of charity than the mailed fist."

* * * * *

THE NEW ORGANIZATION OF PLAYERS

The formation of an organization on the part of the major league ball
players during the closing days of the season of 1912 was looked upon
with some misgivings by those who remember only too well what happened
when a prior organization of ball players was formed.

In the present instance those foremost in perfecting the organization
have also been foremost in asserting that the players' organization's
principal aim is to co-operate with the club owners.

If this object is followed with fidelity and to its ultimate conclusion
there is no necessity to fear any grave disturbances, but there is a
dread--that dread which is the fear of the child that has had its hands
burned by the flame, that a selfish coterie of players might obtain
control of the organization, set up a policy of unscrupulous defiance
and destructive opposition and retard for a moment the higher
development of the game.

There is no organization, either of unscrupulous Base Ball players or
unscrupulous club owners, which will ever find it possible to destroy
organized Base Ball. The results that organized Base Ball have brought
about will never be annihilated although grave injury could be
temporarily wrought by a force defiant to tie unusual demands made by
the sport to perpetuate itself successfully.

It is