Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1914 — IN THE WORLD OF SPORT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

IN THE WORLD OF SPORT

Philadelphia Jack O'Brien Returns to Ring.

Philadelphia Jack O’Brien has reentered the ring and is hot on the trail of the new crop of white hopes that have sprung up. He has an idea that he can whip Gunboat Smith, who recently whipped Arthur Pelky in San Francisco. PhiladelphiaSJack says he can hit as hard as in his best days and that he is rapidly regaining his speed. Well, Jack, cotbe along and prove the truth of your bold words—if vou can. How about starting off with Johnny Kilbarie or Abe Attell?

Blames Tinker For Jumping. “We have treated Joe Tinker in a regular business way and in a gentlemanly way,’’ says Vice President McKeever of the Brooklyn baseball club, “and he has treated us unfairly. We assume that he is a member of the Baseball Players’ fraternity, and as such he should have waited before signing with outlaw baseball at least until the national commission had taken action on the demands of the fraternity.’’ In regard to taking the Tinker case to the courts. Bernard York. Counsel for the Brooklyn club, said he bad not given the subject sufficient study to be able to say just yet whether resort would be taken to the federal courts or the New York or Illinois state courts. Speaking offhand, he said inasmuch as the Brooklyn club is a New Jersey corporation and the Tinker deal with the Federal club was presumably made in Chicago the injunction would be sought in the United States court. York conceded that in this event the fight of organized baseball against the Federal league might reach the United States supreme court.

As to the Federal League. Public sympathy appears to be with the Federal leaguers, and there is no doubt that they will get a certain amount of support purely through sentiment. A baseball fan is a fickle institution and hates peace. But he also likes his good baseball. He will be for the Federate strong at the start, but unless they show as good baseball as the players in the older leagues he will not stick. Next to trouble the baseball fan loves his money’s worth, and unless the Federal league gives it to him he will run right out and leave it flat. The promoters of the new league know that and for that reason are very cautious about trying to put a team where there is too much competition. The one thing needed by the Federal league is money and plenty of It. Notwithstanding reports to the contrary, the backers who have been mentioned have not enough to carry it'through and must depend upon the sale of stock to raise the necessary funds. Mr. Weeghman of Chicago and Mr. Steifel of St. Louis are wealthy, but the report that they are multimillionaires is 1 erroneous.

, Olympic Fund Fiasco. The British Olympic fund, whose sponsors aspired to secure $500,000 through a national subscription, has turned out to be a monumental fiasco In October last the special Olympic games committee decided unanimously that if the futid did not reach $125,000 by thd end of 1913 the committee would not be justified- In proceeding further in the matter. On the expiration of the time limit the subscriptions aggregated only a paltry $55,000. Of the total sum subscribed only $32,500 is in cash, the balance having been merely provisionally promised, and out of the cash collected the committee already has expended $17,500, which leaves a balance of $15,000 to try to discover and train a team to avenge Great Britain at the Berlin Olympic games in 1916 for the defeat inflicted on her by the American athletes at Stockholm.

Photo by American Press Association.