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Show PLAY BALL ! Can't Milford Support A Base Ball Team? Regular Weekly Games Would Prove Good Business Proposition Why Not Have Wednesday Half Holiday, Noon To Four, P.M. Milford has probably, the strongest amateur base-ball team in t h i h State. This is not superheated atmosphere; the boys bave easily defeated the best amateur teams that could be secured and they can continue doing it. But, somehow or other, there seems to be but little enthusiasm iu Milford over the national game. Why is it thusly? There must be a reason. From talks had with the members of the local ball team, the NEWS believes the fault is not with the boys, that they are ready and more than willing to furnish the gilt-edge gilt-edge ball if the public will furnish the support and patronage. Good, clean, snappy base-ball helps any community. The writer played ball for fifteen years in the east aud knows whereof he speaks. There, the doGtors, lawyers, merchants, judges, ministers, laboring men and all classes and conditions of folks, meet on a common ground, the ball ground, and are better fitted to grapple with their daily problems by reason of the relaxation. There, the stores and other business houses close up for the weekly half-holiday, and ever) body "goen to the game." iiut, while baseball in the small town is a pleasant diversion, it also may be made a very profitable diversion, as well, profitable to the home merchants. mer-chants. Suppose, for instance, that the, business bus-iness men of Milford shouldagree to close their houses every Wednesday Wednes-day at noon. Suppose that our ball team should arrange a series of games for Wednesday afternoons, during the Summer months, good, live games, games that would be worth seeing. Suppose, again, that the ball team, assisted by the NEWS, should see to it that these games are thoroughly advertised throughout the county, so that auto loads of "fans" would come from Beaver and other points in the county to see the games, and folks who had no cars, but who "had to come to Milford, anyway," should drive in in the morning and remain till after the game. And suppose, I some more, that after the game, say ; about four o'clock, the stores and business houses would reopen. Is it not a little more than probable that Milford business would gain by the presence of an additional crowd at the ball games ? The writer has seen this plan tried out, time and again, and always with uniform success. Now, it is all in getting used to any innovation; if all the business men will agree to close at noon Wednesdays Wednes-days and reopen at four, the public will soon adapt itself to these conditions, con-ditions, the business men will be ahead both financially and from the point of healtn and happiness: the clerks will have a chance to get, a breath of fresh air aud 'he public in general will profit by the Wednesday game. Why not try out this half-holiday scheme for even a few weeks and see how it works out? This paper si ands ready to do all in its power to help make the proposition a success. We would get nothing from it except the pleasure pleas-ure of helping in anything that would help the to town. The ball team memoers win get nothing out of it except the good, healthy exercise and the same pleasure pleas-ure of helping their home town. Some money would be required, of course, to fix up the seating arrangements, put the diamond in shape etc., but Milford folks are generous and if a committee of persons interested in the welfare of the town should canvas the community, there is no doubt but that Milfordites would settle the financial finan-cial end of the business very quickly. Think it over, Mr. Business Man; don't turn the proposition down cold, without due consideration. Don't say "It can't be done" and forget about it. It can be done, it has been jdone in other towns not nearly the : size of Milford. Let's forget business for three or (Continued on page 10) PIay Bail! earas!-' to tJ eatf' i (Continued from page 1) I hfSov' ng te: )f " .four hours each week and all "go to n i 'i game." We'll all be the better Tft'a little fun occasionally. ea Let a business men's committee Y,ndle the proposition and if there is ?Tiy surplus at the end of the Beason, gPUt it into a fund for public cele- oratious or something of that sort. ?The ball boys will be willing for they have said so. i |