The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-31
THE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
Detroit Still Leads in the Race for the
Pennant, but by Only Two Games.
IA Bomb-Shell in the Camp of the Chicago
] Club-Eleyen Of the Players Taken to Task
Concerning Their Personal Habits.
Correspondence of Il India napolis journal.

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social Western series for the season for the
White Stockings, and yesterday they departed
&cr Boston, where, on Wednesday, Thursday
.Qpd Friday next they cross sticks with the
Reds" winding up the week with the Giants
on Saturday, in the first of a series OF three
games on the Polo grounds in New York.
There has been but little if any change in the
16sitions Of the clubs during the past fortnight
Detroit still holds the first place: but with
smaller lead-that of two games-than she has
boosted for many series past She is still play
ing strong and steady game and there Is as
yet no evidence of the break in the teams work
upon the diamond which it has been predicted
would take place.
Chicago follows in second place, and New York
still holds third place over the Philadelphias,
fourth. Boston follows in fifth place, st. Louis
IN sixth. Kansas City in seventh and the Wash
ington aggregation brings up the tail end of the
string For two weeks to come the White Stock
ings, together with the other Western clubs will
tour through the Eastern circuit of League cit
les, returning to Chicago for weeks play upon
the home ground commencing Aug. 10, with st.
Louis and Kansas City clubs. Following this
series with the Wolverines upon their own
grounds, Aug. 20, 81 and g. So far as your cor
respondent can see, the interest that will at
tach to these games bids fair to be as great as
that which marked the two last series between
these mines, provided, of course. that Detroit
continues her present speed, and that the race
should be as close then as it is now. Indeed,
think that the interest will be even greater, if
that is possible. Never did base ball team and
ats delegation of admiring supporters leave a
asague city in a more depressed state Of mind
than the Detrots and their accompanying delega-
ton suffered at the close of the last De-
troit- Chicago series in this city. 1t was a
disastrous trip for the visitors in point of the
number OF defeats sustained, and proved all the
more crushing blow because of the high hopes
of the team, and the absolute confidence of its
accompanying delegation in their ability to win.
;The feeling was not wholly one of depression,
however: it was very strongly tinged with a
deep-seated determination to have revenge, and
predict that if the Wolverines are in any kind
OF condition when our boys 60 there next month,
Detroiters will be afforded the treat of wit
Messing one of the most savagely contested series
of games upon record. Our boys record in their
last series against Detroit was as brilliant as it
was simply because they played ball more brill
1antly and with greater skill than had supposed
them capable OF, notwithstanding that l hold
Now, whether they will play the same ball or
not IN the next series question seriously. They
can play credtabe ball and still fall short of the
Exhibition they gave Chicagoans in those games,
hnd it is my opinion that with the Detroit team
In good trim it will require nothing short of
brilliant playing to defeat them during any stage
bf the race
The principal theme for comment in baseball
circles here during the past week has been the
little bomb-shell OF surprise, bordering almost
HnON condemnation wi tha MI
of the Chicago club last Thursday. refer to
The act of President Spalding in calling the men
into the club house just before the first game of
the series with the Kansas City team, and timing
Several Of them for breaSing their pledge to alb,
stain from intoxicating liquors during the sea-
son. So cleverly had the whole affair been man
aged by the clubs president that it took the
men, their friends s and the public completely by
briefly told, is just this No club in the League
bad better reputation-and no club has it to-
day, for that matter-than has the Chicago
club for sobriety and attention TO business.
firm believer in the inability of any man to
bear the physical and mental strain of a sea-
son of professional ball playing, or to acquit
himself creditably upon the diamond when his
daily habits were marked to even the slightest
extent by dissipation and the use of alcohol
President Spalding at the commencement of last
season and at the beginning of this inserted a
clause into the contracts signed by his players
IN which they bound themselves to abstain from
season.
Last year there was not even an lntimation in
any quarter of infdelity upon the part of the
men TO the provisions of this agreement, and
never before did the Chicago club play 30 brill
liant and mastery a game Of ball as they did
although, so far as is!known to the contrary, the
boys started out in good trim and firm In their
determination to let liquor alone, reports have
reached the club management that they were
not Rdhereing to their pledge as firmly as was
AXOACted them war
TO the officers and directors of the club, in that
they reflected to q great extent upon the eff
piency of the CLUB management and upon the
good character and reputation of the team.
Mr.. Spalding was at first inclined to pay no
attention to the reports, but finally becoming
alarmed at their frequency, and being urged by
Several of the directors Of the club, the chief
quietly and unknown even to Captain Arson,
took prompt measures to determine the truth or
talsity of the reports in question. By arrange
ment with detective agency in the city the
khe actions and habits of every man in the team
Doth at home and abroad were watched and
Sareluiiy noted through period of six weeks,
and at the end of that time written report was
made to President Spalding. The course adopt-
% oy the chief. upon receiving the report of the
deteetives, was in exact accordance with the line
OF polcy he has always followed in the manage
ment of the clubs affairs. Armed with docu-
mentary evidence he proceeded directly from his
Dfdce to the grounds. and found the men in their
c!ub-room dressing for the game. As the chief
entered ne closed the door behind him, and with
an expression Of countenance which
the men scarcely understood, but which
they nevertheless did not like, called
them together. Boys" said he, ''for
the first time within two years, or perhaps
longer. it has become my unpleasant duty to call
you to account for certain derelctions of duty,
at which am deeply surprised, and which GER
tainly do you no credit as ball players. You are
retained by the management of the Chicago ball
club. as you well know, at liberal salaries, and
under certain conditions as outlined in the con-
tract you signed, yet it has come to my knowl-
edge that IN enc respect, and that a very grave
one, you not living up to your agreement
with mo and the club" The chief paused aud
looked about him. but not a word came from any
man present. Each was doubtless taken too
mucn Dy surprise to do more than listen in half