A Little Common Sense Regarding Rain Outs

Gambling and rain outs. Rain outs and gambling. I feel that I've gotten a bit far afield. I just want to write about baseball for gosh sakes. Now where did I put that list of the twenty-five best 19th century baseball games played in St. Louis...

To the Editor of the Globe-Democrat:

St. Louis, May 6.-Your editorials of the past two days on the subject of base ball have been characterized by such good common sense and fairness that I feel impelled to say a word in endorsement of your position. With all due deference to the young gentlemen who claim that it is the universal custom in the East to invariably hold on to the gate money after "game" has been called, I would like to inquire if "game" has been called, I would like to inquire if "game" will not be very surely called on all occasions, whether the weather is threatening or not, or even if it should be actually sprinkling? With the desire to hold on to $3,000 or $4,000 gate money, which they have a right to do according to this custom, particularly and peculiarly their own, how many club managers will throw the opportunity aside, when, by simply placing the men and having the umpire call "game," the money can be retained. Let the gate money go with the game; that is, if enough innings have been played to constitute a legal game, the gate money to be retained, otherwise, to be returned-and the public will be satisfied, but not with the unfair and unsatisfactory ruling now in practice. Had the public been fairly deal with on Thursday, twice as many people would have gone out to see the game on Friday, and the managers would have lost neither money nor reputation. The gate receipts will be very light on cloudy days if the objectionable rule remains in regular operation, and as for quoting the custom in the East, I would remark that this very fact may have something to do with the very light attendance at three-fourths of the professional games played in that part of the country last season. Perhaps the people there had been victimized often, as the people have here on two occasions, and their interest in the game diminished in about the same ratio. Unless the people get what they pay for the "National game" will soon degenerate into a mere catch-penny affair.

Umpire

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 7, 1876