What Jeter and Harry Wright have in common

[T206Collector]

I am tired of fighting the good fight for understanding on three different threads.

I understand the concerns of the vintage memorabilia collectors, obviously as I am one myself. But to hate the game as a business today, when it has been a business since 1869, in my view, is an oversimplification. So much of your gut feeling on this was expressed by fans in 1869. But people continued to love the game, and support it as wholesome entertainment, when it has been a money-driven industry for nearly 150 years.

My favorite quote in support of my philosophy is this one:

"As an amusement enterprise baseball today is scarcely second to the theater. It caters to millions of spectators and represents an investment of perhaps $100,000,000 in property and players. The property holdings of the National and American Leagues alone represent an investment of about $15,000,000. The sixteen major league clubs pay over $1,000,000 a season in salaries to players and spend nearly as much in securing and trying out new players. Add to this the salary lists of thirty-eight minor leagues, and the wages paid by thousands of semi-professional clubs, and the immensity of the baseball business as an amusement enterprise may be imagined."

-John J. Evers, Touching Second, 2nd Ed., May 16, 1910, page 24.


My appreciation for the history of the game accepts The Steiner Phenomenon as just another chapter. I may not agree to spend $600 on a Jeter ball, but I don't hate any of the participants... Neither the fans, the teams, the players, the sellers of memorabilia, etc.