, 1879-03-23

ueIuS5 Ou 4suuotul.
BASEBALL.
AN uScALLED-FOR ATTACK.
The New York Sum, whose baseball news t1)
Is arranged and presided over by party with
more venom than sense, is rapidly falling into
the rut travelled so long by the New York sport
ing papers regarding Chicago and anything that
comes from it. Like many another person
whose stock in trade consists chiefly OF pretcn-
sion a1tl cheek, the Sun'x baseball man has be-
gun setting himself up as prophet, business
which almost Invariably results disastrously to
whoever engages in it. Already this wise man
has begun his yawp concerning the champion
ship OF 1879, and by which club it will be Won.
Having been ignored BY the League, the man
agement Of which wished nothing to do with
crooked players or those who upheld them, the
Su,t's man is naturally very much opposed to
that body, and especially to President Hubert.
His latest effort at prophecy md muu-slinging
is Us follows:
In 1878 the clubs entering for the League pen
nant were only six, and these we're pretty evenly
matched; bur the season WIS NOT hnlf over before
it was seen that only four clubs had anv chance for
the pennant, and, ut the close the three CLUBS oc-
cupylng the position OF first. second. and third In
the race were the Boston, Cincinnati, and ProVi-
ocnce Clubs. This season eight clubs will enter,
and OF these eight it is pretty certain that BY July
next only four will stand any chance or winning.
and it is pretty certain that among these the Gin
cinna1f, Boston, and Providence Clubs will be the
leaders, the chances being very equal for the sue
cess Of either. One re1son why the position 1s
thus is that the old Boston team has been divided
up among these three ciubs. The Cinc,nna1is have
three Of the old nine. in the persons Of James
White, Ross Barnes. and McVey, and Proyidence
has captured the Captain Of the Boston team,
George Wright, anu also James O'Rourke. The
fight for the League pennant therefore, though
confined chiefly to these three cluos bids far to
be more exciting than ever before. Not that the
side issues in which the other five clubs will be
concerned will not be interesting, but that the
brunt of tue fight will be borne by these three Lead
ers The contest for the leuu IN the minor posi-.
tions, in which Chicago, Buffalo, Syracuse, and
Troy will take part, will be tough one. Cleveland
the others to victory OF course, afl Of the eight
competitors think their chances US good Tor the
pennant as the others do; hut those who arc we'll
competing teams know well enough that the great
struggle will he made by Dostou, providence. ana
Cincinnati. The latter have the best team they
have had in the field sinco they were or!anlzea,
and the Providence team, which won third place
last year, huve been greatly strengthened; the
Bustons, ii not weakened ly the loss OF old play
ers, have certainly not added 10 the strength OF
their last year's team. Chicaeo's nine have Flint,
catcher; Lae:n, pitcher; Anson first base; Quest.
second base; l1anknson third gase; refers. snort
acld; Sha:Ter, right field; ilnrb'dge change catch
er: and Gore, substitute. This Ii q much stronger
team than that OF last year: but 1t Is not team
that can be made TO worS IN harmons, even t y .ue
While THE TRIBUNE does not assume to be
tba chamnion of the Chicago Club, it feels at
liberty to saw that such talk us the above is
slushy nonsense Of the most pronounced charac-
ter, and a discredit to the paper that publishes
it, There is not the slightest reason why the
White Stockings should be singled out for sour
r;o,s and ,,ncal1cl-for abuse, and its manager
;,a>,oroa ,,,,tit for t,,e nosition he holds, As
...,n,-o- ~ .bs r;no Ansop wi,1
Captain anu manager ol 1le nlne, f>nson W.,
undoubtedly give the officers oi the c'uo aad
the people of this city fair amount of satisfac-
7rha ,,o, rot II ,r;l1 hc tirnc enough to
LII. LII. 1vhc,cr 1I Suss hostility to him is due
talk: nnc.ne. ~ s11I 1os do,1innI ~ 1ratifr 1he
70 .e ,acs nome;tas .1. nc n it's renor1ers is not
pnnrn' but in any event criticism from such
source is praise indeed.
TIE NORTHWESTERN LEAGUE.
To the Editor ot The Tribune.
ROCKFORD, ILL.,, March 2l.-rhe next mestlnss
Of tile Northwestern League VIII oe nelo Tues
Jay, Apr1l ~ .ns ~ 1uis sr;.,.r schotnfc ~
ID, ~ anI ,t n1'e,,ne snasnn adonti,,.r y con-
ea!ies aof .!'e 1 In,re n1 tra,sact s,,ch other
msine S. rs may come before the body. The
Dubuque, Davenport, Omaha, Springfield, and
Rockford Associations have already lnadc app1l-
cation for membership, and it is expected that
Milwaukee aud Peoria will join, ana hercW1th
exteHd coro, r;ies 10 son 80 cleeates
tne Noitn"es'e'' ~'.S ~ ,,.,rs HfCErr
n.oa;as,. Sn.,h,vastarn Icaone
..'a4r ltee.asAs s.,s,1,s '17'
hoohs o4.n Ns"s ~, ,,u.,
spte.aI o'' tInnnh o. -noreer change
cot,,,or s,,I ripht field OF the Roclfords this
season. is practieing with Critchley and the Man-
sell brothers in Auburn n. !; ,u,,,
It is expected 1hat tne l'oehlo.h 1lu9 ~ W.. ~.
tl'.t~s en<<,,.. :. 'i,l,s' cI,Is'
'rE. Rowe hrothers. pitcher and catcher of the
Kockfords this season, arc hard at work getting
In trim, as fAe coming gIeat te.sn.
~ R"al.f,,r1s xilI rruort for duty this week,
l4's A''eAAo0' SuonT STop.
LOCAL GOSSIP.
sna1dine Rros. have lust issued another edi-
ton OF tie G"ide, making tota1 OF 'o'ooo
copies printed.
Work at tue ea,l pa1k Is ;S .ae's, aae ~,
aud iAe close @ OF ,ne pIesens e @ "eeA "n1 oe' '"@