, 1879-06-08
Error1-Syracuse. 4: Cincinnati, 10.
umpire-c. E.. WilboT,' Rochester.
OTHER GAMES

1 "F---~@F~-'
OTHER GAMES.
New BKproHp. Juns 7.-New Bedforda,
Uticas, g.
Ho17oKz, Msss., Jnns 7.-Albauys, 20; Ho
Jokes, 3.
BALL-PLAYERS' SUPERSTITIONs.
To one having any knowledge Of the subject
there is nothing connected with base-bal! OF .
much interest IS the superstions md peculiaritie
OF the men who make profession OF the game
The statement may seem strong one, but Is ney
ertheless true, that nearly every ball player in th
country ia Afflicted with notions, crotchets, dclu
sions-call them what you wiIi-which exercise
very marked influence over his actions and ahiIi
ties while On the field and in the midst OF IN ex
citing game. Men who to the public appear t
have nerves Of steel are often the ones most sus
ceptibie to the influences mentioned and are note
among their companions ~ being controlled to
greater OF less degree By passing events.
Nor ia this popularity confined To fndigidua
players Often an entire nine is firm In the belle
that certain things are indicative OF good OF csi
results and more than one defeat Of weli-knowt
organizations has been, In a gtcat measure,
brought about bccause, when on the field, somt
ccoaker had feen impending disaster in trlfilng
incident which on other occasions would have
passed nnnohced- The two Oldest and best-known
Clubs in the league to-day-Boston and Chicago
-have their beliefs. which are shaled in net only
ed with the organizations. from President
down to gate keeper. The Boatons, for instance.
believe firmly and almost devotedly In the benign
influence Of white pigeon which hoyers around
the grounds. and whenever the boys are in q tight
place. and defeat seems probable, the appearance
OF the messenger OF pcacc Is an1lonsly looked for.
II the bird s seen all is we'll, put~ il he comes not,
tho game is as good as lost You may talk to d
Boston player Al long your breath will hold out
on this point ana argue how absurd such a belief
il, but be can never be convinced that the non
appearance OF that dove does not presage dcfent.
Another norion that tbs Bostous-or more prop
cry Harry Wrght-haye, IS that they will have
bad luck in case they play gamc On Queen Vic
torias birthday except the same take place In her
Maiesty's dominions. and, In 1872 or 1873. when
It was proposed to play game on the 24th Of May,
Harry put in strenuous objection, but the matter
was finally settled by going TO Canada, where they
received $500 in sovereiens for their days work.
To come nearer home, it may be said that the Chi
The particular one in which the boys are interested
this year concerns black cat On the day the men
were first called together at the beginning OF the
- to what wns hoped and expected OF them, in
walked a black cat Every man felt that it meant
something either good luck or BAD. In their
Stocking nine as the object either OF its wrath or
commentator. The greatest pains were imme-
diately taken to propitiate the anima1. and cat
this friendess feline which happened to stray into
the White Stocking grounds on the day the nine
for 1879 first came together After the first victory
WIS With them. Had they lost, pussy would have
been unceremoniouely pitched over the fence by
Cherokee" Fisner;' but they won, and on reach.
for the cat and ali were striving to pet it at once
It WAS not natural fear that made the White
STOCKINGS play so neryonslT In their opening
game with the Syracuse Club, but doubt as to
whether or not the cat was on their side- Any
one cnrous enough 10 visit the northern end OF the
all-grounds any pleasant day can see the old fell
though be s. directly in the var, not not ana man but
will take the greatest pains to walk around or
step over Champion .for this is his nancy
ing foot or two i is the particular business Of
Harbldge, on days when games are played, to look
after ''Chamn1on, and the balance Of the tenn
feel that while thus engaged be is performing as
ing.
When the start on the present Eastern tour was
to be made there was q long aud anxious consulta-
It was finally decided not to subject him to 7ho
per1ls Of snch journey. He was carefully placed
in the trunk which WAS to contain the uniforms,
Then on the day Of departure each man babe him
adieu, and went away feeling that 70 long as the
cat was In good health and spirits the nine would
gagged. This may appear ridiculous to some, but
it is q solemn fact, and even With the lead they
now have it is doubtful it the White Stockings
e.
is looked after 1t present BY Finley and in ever.
letter to the men he tells them just how 'tCham-
pion is getting along.
A great many people have doubtless wondered
why the White Stockings wear parti-co,ored caps,
since they are certainly not ornamental; and these
same people will be surprised to know that their
adoption is directly and solely attributable to gu
perstition on the part OF the Club officers. The
way the thing cau1e about was IS follows: In 1876
arti-co1ored caps were proposed, simply on ac-
count OF their noTe1ty. That year Chicago uon
he championship In 1877 The nine was supposed
% be stronger than ever, but defeat followed them
rom the beginning to the end of the season.
hen the present nine was organized the Clnp OIL
:crs held solemn consultation about the matter,
which resulted in the determination TO again return
q the OF the striped caps, and now they all be-
ieve that this action Was great stroke Of policy
Another notion that club managers have, is that
1 their teams play we'll in practice they are sure to
,e defeated in contests for the championship.
Tho superstition and peculiariues OF individual
players are innumerab1e. Every man in the Chi
ago nine has them Larkln, for instance, be-
ieves that in order to make his pitching effective
il necessary to play tune on the oanjo, on |
which instrument he IL very proficient *"The
rocky Road to Dublin ~ Is his fayorite and on |
lays when League games are to be played at the |
Fhlte Stocking Park. its familiar strains may be
lcard Issuing from the clubhouse. just before |
very game Flint gets deck Of cards and deals |
wo hande, bota Of which he phys at 'seyep up.''
lis opponent being an imaginary one. The NUM- |
'ef Of points that his tFliuts) hand Contains be
eleves. indicates the number Of base hits be will
make in the game, and strange as it nav scen the