The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-12
THE NATIONAL GAME.

THERE are seven left-handed batters on the
Detroit League nine
A HIGH laced shoe is the hest for ball play
ers, made on the English walking shoe last.
THE railroad fares of the League and Asso-
citation will foot up to nearly S5O, 600 this sea-
son.
JOHNNY WARD hasn't forgotten how to
run the bases, according to reports from New
York.
THE Southern papers say that Twitchell, of
the Detroits. is the most graceful pitcher ever
seen down there.
PURCELL. of Atlanta, and Dickerson, of
Chattanooga, are the oldest ball players IN
the Southern League.
THE Philaielphias (National League) won
the local championship from the Athletics
(American Association).
The Atlanta Georgia. people are of the
opinion that their club has a walk-oVer for
the Southern League pennant.
THE eight leading organizations will
employ over seven hundred players, whose
salaries will aggregate SSVO,0OO.
ALL st. Louis has actually worked itself
into the belief that the Maroons can and WILL
win the National League pennant.
ALL the Southern League games are draw
ing big crowds, and interest in the contest Is
greater even than it was last season.
IT is said that the players of the Metropoli-
tan American Association Club have Eeen
promised $500 each it they win the pennant
THE pitchers seem to be getting the better
Of the batSnen as much as ever, and Dig
strike-out records are Of almost daily occur
renee.
ROGER CoNNoR is batting in style which
indicates that if not at the top Of the league
batsmen again this year, he won't be very tar
down the list.
EVERY club in the International League
has already set forth its claim for the pen
nant, and each one has proved concluslyely
that it will win the championship.
TIE New York Herald thinks the New
arks will win the championship of the Eastern
LEAGUE without putting themselves to much
Inconvenience. Hartford demurs.
The Chicago and Philadelphia clubs did
not lose game South. The Chicagos' per-
formance IS the more creditable because they
played many more games with different
clubs.
A New YORK paper asserts that Finley,
of the Columbia College team, is considered
by many to be the best amateur catcher in
the country. He is certainly far ahead of
many professionals.
DEALERS in baseball supplies report the
largest business ever known, which would
indicate that the game is steadily gaining
favor, and that this will be one CT the best-if
not the beSt-season on record.
TIE base-stealing record seems to have
stirred even the most sluggish players up,
and men now run to second whom previously
nothing could coax further away than two
feet from first base but safe hit.
IT Is proposed to organize North Georgia
base ball league, comprising the Madison,
Washington, Lexington Harmony Grove,
University and Athens clubs, together with
such clubs as wish to join the league.
A coLoRED base ball league has been
formed at Jacksonville, Fla, including Mem
phis, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Macon, Augusta,
Charleston, Savannah, st. Augustine, Mont
gomery and other Southern cities.
KENT HOWARD who was the leading bat
ter of the New England League, and for that
reason was signed by the st. Louis National
League Club, has discovered how difficult it
to maintain minor league reputation in
the fast company of a big league.
The proposed Virginia State League ought
to be a, success, considering the population Of
the cities which propose entering, viz:
Lynchburg, with 2S, 900 inhabitants; Dan
vile, $4,000 Richmond, $1,000; Norfolk,
$4,000; Stanton, 1900, and Roanoke, 14,OOO.
The Detroits are the biggest set of men
ever gathered into one team, Manning being
the only mediem-sized man in the team. In
Brouthers, White, Thompson and Twitchell
the team has giants, while Rowe, Richard
son, Hanlon and Bennett are very large,
heavy men.
THE Bridgeports have followed Washing
toms example, buried horseshoe under the
home plate for luck and then went to New
York and allowed the Giants to beat them
II to O. Meanwhile the Washingtons are
catching it right to left The horseshoe
theory doesn't seem to pan out at all in
practice.
The st. Louis Republican says: "Bauer,
Of the Maroons, is perhaps themost muscular
ball-player in the profession. During one of
the recent games at SEortsman's Park, some
one in the crowd where Bauer was standing
made an insulting remark about the Maroons,
and Bauer almost male hcle in the fence
with him"
A NUMBER of Atlanta players have al
ready been heavily fined for drunkenness
and late hours Managing Director Ryan
admits this and says If will do it again
whenever they break the rules. They know
the rules, and they know the consequences of
breaking thenl Our team can play ball and
It has got to play ball"