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Show Nocturnal Holdouts A POLICY of resigned acceptance accept-ance is slowly thinning the ranks of the big league magnates 16 strong, who a few years ago declared that night baseball was a thing of evil, to be shunned as a plague. Though there are a few staunch holdouts, a majority of the officials have not only seen the light, but they're asking for It as a steady diet. Lighting plants have already been Installed In three major parks, and may be in a fourth before the current season draws to a close. The first to break with precedent and inaugurate the novel idea was Larry McPhail, then business manager of the Cincinnati Reds. Baseball was becoming be-coming more or less of a dead issue in Cincinnati, and McPhail Mc-Phail knew night baseball was the answer. an-swer. Despite the protest of his fellow National league bosses, a lighting I plant was brought into use. and a Larry McPhail schedule of seven night games one with each club arranged. The venture brought results. The field was again packed with howling fans. And though other club owners own-ers weren't enthusiastic about playing play-ing night baseball, they were willing will-ing to take a cut of the gates attracted at-tracted by the nocturnal meetings. When Larry moved to Brooklyn one of his first moves was to install in-stall lighting equipment. Results were the same as in Cincinnati. American league clubs began to evince interest, and soon permission permis-sion was given St. Louis to erect a system. However, lights were never nev-er installed because no agreement could be reached with the St. Louis Nationals, who used the same park. Mack Follows Suit La,st winter Connie Mack, Athletic Athlet-ic chief, upset the dope by requesting request-ing that he be allowed to install a lighting unit. The Cleveland club followed suit. It won't be long before other clubs fall In line. Connie Mack's first night game added one or two new converts, including Clark Griffith of Washington. And night baseball will be a decided attraction as long as clubs don't overdo it. Too many night games would spell disaster by ruining the novelty. Should officials of-ficials be content with two night games per year with each club, then they can be assured of record-breaking crowds. Comiskey's Chicago White Sox are expected to be playing under the lights before long. Since playing in Philadelphia, the Sox like the ' idea, and the owner approves of it because of the additional revenue night games will mean. Many a loyal fan can't break away during dur-ing the daytime, but would rush to find a place in line after working hours. Throughout these United States are fans by the hundred thousands who are unable to attend week-day games. They would welcome the chance to do a little nocturnal rambling ram-bling toward the ball park, and their gate offerings would do a great deal in restoring financial security to undernourished un-dernourished club treasuries. Night baseball will always have a few enemies. Some players will object ob-ject to it on technical grounds, and undoubtedly they are correct in asserting as-serting that electric lighting for baseball leaves something to be desired. de-sired. Improved equipment has been a deciding factor in making night baseball more popular, and further improvemdnts will do much to allay present antagonism. Sport Shorts BILLY ROSE'S Aquacade at the New York World's fair has the longest swimming pool in the world . . Night baseball games can't run on indefinitely in the American league. That circuit has a rule prohibiting the start of an inning after 11:50 p. m. .. . Gunnar Bar-lund, Bar-lund, who has been doing pretty well for himself in heavyweight nv,fini rirnles. doubles as a news- 6.. o . paper reporter for a Finnish newspaper . . . Jack Dempsey has gone into the clothing business, and plans on entering enter-ing the radio field when television really real-ly gets underway under-way .. . William J. Clarke has coached Princeton's baseball teams for a quarter of a century . . . Jack Dempsey Navy expects io have the heaviest backfleld In its history next fall . . . The average light bill for a major league night game is $500 . . . Largest number of entrants in the history of the National Na-tional Open golf championship was 1 402 in 1937. Smallest field was 11 in 1895 . Eddie Arcaro, Newport, New-port, Ky., jockey, who won $346 000 last year, was fired by his first boss after a year's trial and told he would never be a top-notch jockey Gene Tunney is Tony Galento s fYvorite fighter . . . President Alva Bradley of the Cleveland Indians said the problem of the one-sided pennant race might be solved through rules governing control of minor league affiliates. That s one way to stop the Yanks. Pass a law! Radio executives and program Sponsors are beginning to worry about night baseball and program fB.nf.db, Western Nw.P-Pr Union., |