The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-12
LIFE OF A BALL PLAYER.
TIE OPENING OF -EE SEASON
GETTING INTO TRAINING.
TIE Effect O. Defeat o. Victory on
the Ne--Occupat.ors OF the Players
II the Winter Months

/ solely IS player. he IS public character
and 70 that extent his life belongs 70 the
( public Ultimately il Is tie public which
/ employs him. ard IL has, therefore. the righr
20 know al tie i@.ail5 Of bis life which NAV
in any way affect this relationship. Il NAY
/ inquire not only into his actions and record
upon Tie fed. nut even into his private al
fairs 50 far g. - assure Itself thai his habits
| DO noc lsssJn IL va-1e a player. But ball
player hss alsO a LIE .ndeoendsnt Of MS pro
lesson. eIciu Ive-y rs own, into which he
/ Is entitled % t-e same privileges and rsS1s
1 under DO otner obligations than attach ia
other members d tie community. l cal
| pa ticular atte1tion 70 the dGal relation j
| the distinction It implies, because it is 50
/ often overlooked
Il Is OF MS life as 4 player that intend %
write. As purely private person his man
ne- Of life viii depend entirely upon him
/ self and tae7e will BE- as muc1 difference il
| this respect as there Is differeace OF taste
and character. But IS a professional there
are. generally speaking, certain set lines
which in common with other players he
must follow
| Though the regulation contract does not
| call for his services before April l, he Is
| usually asked % report week o. ten days
/ earlier, a request which, in most cases. re-
| ceives a cheerful compliance. No matter
| how bitter the experience Of the previous
| season nor how willing as its close, he may
have been 70 lay down MS bat, the five long
! winter months Of rest have covered up
| every regret and 50 shsrpensd his appetite
! for play, that be Is eager for the seasons
| work 10 begin The first warm
| days Of spring revive the Old love and he
| can scarcely wait until the snow has left
| the fed clear An old ball carefully laid
away for early spring practice, is brought
| out Of the trunk and a sensation Of warmth
steals over MIN as ne grasps II IN his hand.
| The old bat. too, Is fondlei with the same
affection that g sportsman bestows on his
favorite gun, and though It feels remark
ably light, he dreams Of the destruction it
will soon bs dealing out He IS sure that
he viii hit harder, field better and run
faster than ever, and a few Of his most in
innate friends are let into the fact that he
Is going 20 play ''the game of his life
How ABSURD in these ''magrates" TO pay US
for doing that which We prefer % every
thing else. Why, rather than be laid on
toe shelf. most Of Us would be willing 70
pay something, ourselves. for the privilege
OF playing.
The day Of assembling is always pleas
ant one. Seated around TIE club house
stove-for the weather is still cold-stOries
are tod, greetings interchanged. experiences
Of the winter gone over again, and the en-
| parties of four OF five, those of the players
who are unmarried, find board and lodging
convenient TO the grounds, but woe to the
poor boarding mouse mistresses who are
| guileless enough TO take them in. The party
will make more noise, sleep longer and eat
more than a dozen ordinary men. As a
| rule, ball-plavers are noted for prodigious
appetites, and there are some who, when on
the road, will ride on the front platform Of
the smoking car in order sooner TO reach
the lunch station. 1t would make dys-
peptic's heart glad to see team of hungry
players swoop down Unexpectedly on one
of these five minutes for refreshments
stands In less time than it takes TO tell it,
they will have devoured everything in sight
and be on the train and away again before
the confused attendants have quite realized
what the excitement all meant.
Since the regular championship season
does not begin until about May l, the month
Of April is devoted TO practice. The first
week generally is. and always should be.
given 10 gradual Numbering. The best
exercise for this Is hand-ball, or the use Of
light bells or clubs, or pulling weights and,
when the weather permits, light work with
the ball and bat, After week OF this the
training becomes more serious. The PLAYERS
report at the grounds every morning at $50
o'clock, and at 10 o'clock are expected to be
on the field ia full uniform. Each then
takes his regular fielding position, and one
of the extra men hits the ball around to
each successfully, and all the plays are exc
cuted which might arise in a ga e. After an
hour Of this fielding practice, each takes his
turn hitting against some one OF the
pitchers, and in this way another hour is put
| in at pitching and batting. Finally, to
wind up the forenOon's work and induce a
free perspiration, brisk run of a quarter
or half mile is taken, and then, after bath
nd a ssrnh ba MIA fraa
until after lunch. Occasionally the routine
of forenoon practice is varied by putting
the catcher under the bat and a runner at
first who attempts to steal second when
the ball is pitched. So also, private signals
are worked" points Of play talked over,
and numberless little schemes concocted by
which 1t is hoped, later on, TO entrap the I'M
wary base runner. In the afternoon, prac-
tice or exhibition games are played which
serve as the means Of testing, IN actual
play, the points previously worked up in
practice. Incidentally. these games also
serve to replete the clubs treasury.
For the first week or ten days the players
life is a burden to him. Every bone and
muscle aches, and his entire anatomy feels
as though it hal been passed through
thresling machine. Every movement
causes twings OF pain. To throw or run
or stoop is torture, and even to put on or
remove ones coat forces a grimace. OF
course, the ones who suffer most are those
who have taken the least exercise during
the winter, allowing the muscles to become
soft and unused to work. But even those
who have done considerable preliminary
gymnasium work are not entirely
exempt Indoor condition is by no
means outdoor condition, and it Is not
possible to entirely escape this spring lame
ness. 1t Is owing doubtless to the damp,
cold winds which strike one when he is
heated and perspiring from violent exer-
ton. Bali players seem able to stand most
any amount of heat. With the system in
good working order and the pores open, the
hottest sun seems harmless. Bit they don't
so easily become accustomed to Id. II is
one of the worst features Of the business,
that in chilly weather one is continually ex-
posed to the danger of catching cold. The
average life OF professional players is ex-
tremely short, con idering the robust health
and strong constitutions with which most
of them start equipped. II is aremarkable
fact that large percentage of the players
who have died have fallen victims to some
affection Of the lungs, aud ] believe this to
have been due not To irregular habits and
dissipation, as some have unkindly sug-
gested, but TO the frequent colds to which
they have been subject There are men
playing ball to-day VINO have been years in
the profession, and they are sometimes
pointed TO as proofs Of the claim thas there
Is nothing in the game itself 10 shorten life
But il Won will look these men over YOU will