The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-05-30
Condition of a Baseball Club-A Com
prehensive Criticism.

The Cleveland Leader gets off the fol-
lowing good thing on the Forest City nine
of that city
"The pitcher for the summer of 1872
has been practising for several weeks out
side of the city limits, and though not
feeling well, can throw regulation ball
with such swiftness that it cannot been
unless covered with phosphorous and Of
ten the friction occasioned by its passing
through the air causes a heat so great as
to burn the ball to ashes before it reaches
the catcher, who only fuds a mass of cind
er in his hand. The assistant reserve
pitcher has only been practising but a
few weeks, but he can throw ball through
lS inches of oak plank now and if he
keeps on the man on deck will be COM
PEELED to encase his stomach in a monitor
turest aud other armor, or suffer the
consequences.
''The catcher has been for three weeks
past engaged in breaking up pig iron at
the New-b burgh rolling mills, and to still
further tougher his hands, he allows the
twenty-ton trip hammer to drop on them
two hours each day and they are now
about the sized of windmill and if ball
gets by him it will by traversing the at
mosphere of an adjoining county. The
reader can gamble on this.
"The first basemau is trying the diet
system to steady his nerves, and can let a
government mule kick him all day in the
abdomen without winking. He will new
er move his foot from a sand bag unless
on the line of his duty, aud runner for
the first base may light on him like a
night hawk on June bug without making
him swerve hair.
''The second baseman has developed
himself more especially for miscellaneous
and active service He can stand on his
head, catch ball with his feet, reverse
his position and knock grasshopper of
from a mullen stalk, at distance of eigh.
ty rods, nine times out Of ten. There
will be no use in runner to dodge him,
for he has globe sights on his nose and
can plumb man in the hull or rigging
just as he chooses.
"The short stop is probably the best
man for his position that can be found
this side of the Suez Canal. He is shor.
ter himself, and has lived on pie crust all
winter, can turn thirteen somersaults
without splitting on his hands, and catch
ball with equal facility in either hand OF
his teeth.
"The third baseman has been making
some krout and riding velocipede al
winter, to develope the muscles OF his
lower limbs, which are immense, and gave
him the appearance of being troubled with
elephantiasis. But don't fool yourself
he can run down giraffe in three min.
utes, and can bat a ball so far that his
opponents never think of chasing them
the same day they are hit, but proceed
with a new ball.
1.-The three felders have been frisking
about in the country all winter, and drink
ing angleworm oil to give suppleuess tc
their limbs They go on all fours faster
than many professionals can run, and are
so timber that circusmen die of like sheep
after seeing them perform once.
"Iu fact we may well be proud of our
club for the present year, and if there is
any organization ID the country that THINKS
it can compete with them, let them draw
on US at six mouths sight through the
United States Treasury Department (ol
sooner if they get a sight of US, stating
how mauy dollars worth of confidence
they feel iu their favorite club.
1--WE do dot forget our club manager
who is all that father could be to boys
and who dose much more than his name
would indicate to make the season and
its matches successful. The scorer fol
the present year has been selected as the
champion whittier of the State. He has
purchased a bran new jackknife, two
thousand shingles, and will keep hi
notches on the double entry plan, /. e
one entry for the other side and two cut
for his own"
n