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Show THE BASEBALL SLUMP. Of course tho Salt Lake baseball players, on form, should have won tho pennant. But somotimos form collapses, and structure roared upon it falls. And somotimos tho other follows don't run true to form, but insist on making their record bettor than there had been any rorison to expect it would bo. That is whatjins H happened in tho present case. Tho Salt Lalce H boys have played about as good after leaving H home for tho invasion of tho north as they H played beforo, but tho othor clubs acted as if jH they wore broke, and bettered their batting, H their base running and their fielding. So Qiat H it was a new condition. If they had played H after August 1 as they played before August 1, H and Salt Lake had played its steady game She H game that now is history for the whole "season Salt Lake would have won tho pennant, walk- H ing. H Somo good mon tell mo tho reason is differ- H cut. Thoy say this way: When tho series that H should have been played in the north were H changed to bo played in Salt Lake, the Salt Lake H players took tho position that thoy wore the H visiting club, and consequently that they should H havo their expenses paid. There was some- H thing in tho argument. But tho local manage- M ment refused to pay expenses in Salt Lake for M Salt Lako players. And there is something in H that argumont, too. But the players, repulsed M in the point, punished tho management, the M fans and their own rocords, by lotting tho north- M ornors win. And thore is something in that, too. M But Presidont Kilo knocks tho reasonable- jfl noss of tho story by declaring it isn't a fact; that JM tho Salt Lako players made no such demand. H I am glad to bo told thoy didn't. There are H somo very good baseball players in thef Salt fl Lako toam. More than ono man there can read mm his title clear to a place on bigger leaguo teams. And not a man of thorn can throw a M game without something in tho naturo of sui- fl cide. There is no employment today paying so M well as baseball. Men capablo of playing the H game, with tho American capacity for progress fl and improvement, havo every inducement to go H forward; to givo tho best that is in them; to H win from a minor to a major league; to take H rank with the great baseball playors of the na- H tion and that moans tho best in tho whole jH M Hj, world. The pay is falter than bank presidents H draw. It is 'bigger than famous educators. It H is beyond the salary limit of the preachers who Hr illl the churches and Whose sermons are puD- H; hshed Monday morning. H A man who can make good in baseball can H lay up money, and lmvo a'forluno when his H days of athletic dominance vanislr. lie would H' bo a fool who would throw a game. Ho might H spite his owners. Bui ho would spoil himself. |