National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-04
NATIONAL BASE BALL CLUB.
Its Present Dubious and Unsettled Pros
Loss of Several Valuable Players.


An anxious admirer OF base ball comes to
the front In the following style:
EDITOR NATIONAL REPUBLICAN: am ono of
the many readers of your paper who admire
the game of base ball, and would like to know
where and how the Nationals stand for SO.
II for the first time since 'Si to be SHUT outp'
From what read can sec no excuse for the
management If such should be the case. They
have had good chances of being member of
both League and Association. If they had
shown the League, after being promised (by
vote the first vacancy, a desire to share their
part of the Providence franchise, they would
have no doubt been League club months ago.
If they had shown u united front and determi-
nation to stand by the action of the Associa-
ton in the Metropolitan case, they might have
been numbered with the Association clubs.
see that they are now to DO taken in by the
League. This, in compliance with the pro-
ceedings of former meeting of the League is
final. Why wait longer to sign the best players
needed that are not signed belonging to the
League, thereby showing them and the good
patrons of the game here that they are not
waiting to get the world thrown in as good
measure with their membership, but will play
good ball next season. and mean business.
BASE BALL.
Base Ball" asks good many questions and
makes good many suggestions thatnre echoed
in the minds of many other local admirers of
the national game. 1t Is not easy to say def
nitely where and how the Nationals stand
for 80" 1t is certain that by bad manage.
can Association have gone glimmering. APP
parently their only chance for membership In
any recognized organization is In their present
dubious League membership becoming some
thing more solid through the selection of an
eighth member of that body. As tho case
stands now the Nationals are unolicially in
the League, their membership to become
official and permanent only in case that n
satisfactory eighth member can be found. As
to the eighth member, 1t now seems TO be q
case Of Indianapolis or nothing Rochester
was talked OF, but refused to come in, aud all
suggestion of Pittsburg entering the League is
mere idle gossip. The League magnates do
not view indianapolis with much favor, but
must perforce make that point their selection
If they determine to have eight clubs. In the
meantime II is worth careful consideration
that Spaulding Of the Chicago Club is laboring
actively to induce the League to go through
the season with but six strong clubs, an 4 has
gone to the trouble of preparing schedule of
games to demonstrate to his brother managers
that o six'club schedule is practicable ana
Nationals, so lately holding membership in
the two most powerful base ball organizations
Of the country, will be left high and dry for
the season OF 1886.
As to how the club stands 1t can be said
that as League club II is apparently without
organization, officers, or players. Several of
last years excellent players had signed Amer
icRn'i contracts prior to the late resignation of
the club from the Association. If any OF them
or any other players have contracted since to
play with the club as member ofthc League,
no public notice OF the fact has been given oyt.
Several of the League players who at one time
were set down for our team have gone else
where. notably Hines, who has signed TO play
in Boston, and Carroll in 81. Louis. II is
probable, however, that Shaw and Gilngan are
still available for this point. Burch, tseems,
has been captured by Barnie, and will play in
Baltimore. The battery abilities of Hines
Bureh and Carroll, to say nothing of their
fielding and base.running, renders their loss
one that win be severely felt, and It is not
easy TO discern where their equals can be
found, II may be that Boston and St. Louis
will give up Hines and Carroll In case the Ma
tion0ls are finally admitted to the League, but
again they may not.
1t may be that order will presently spring
from the present rather chaotic condition of
things, and the future OF the local club be sat
isiaCtorily assured. The gentlemen now in
control of Its affairs have every incentive to
bestir themselves, and certainly must do so If
they wish 10 convince the public that their
course of action has been for the best In the
meantime those who, like "Base Ball." feel in
cined TO ask questions must enwrap their
souls with patience and await the course OF
events,