"I was not able to understand how it could be right to pay an actor, or a singer, or an instrumentalist for entertaining the public and wrong to pay a ball player for doing exactly the same thing"

In this quote, Al Spalding is revealing his confusion and shock at the double requirement in society when it pertains to paying different types of entertainers. He questions the logic behind paying actors, singers, and instrumentalists for entertaining the general public, however not paying ball players for essentially doing the very same thing. Spalding sees no difference in the value of home entertainment supplied by these different types of entertainers and believes that they should all be compensated similarly. He is highlighting the unfairness and disparity in society's requirements and standards when it concerns compensating individuals for their talents and abilities.