The Washington critic., 1888-01-28
T. BASEBALL GOSSIP.
Preparing for the Contest on the
Diamond.
THE MANAGERS AND PLAYERS
The League Schedule Arranged
Satisfactorily to All,

ETed. Sullivan, who has just re-
turned from his Northern trip, said
10 q CRITIo reporter this morning that
no new men had been engaged lie
is pretty well satisfied with the nine,
and considers it one Of the most even
in the League. The dates for the
early games have not yet been chosen.
Charley Daniels has been secured as
an numpire Anson has signed with Chi
cago; Sunday with Pittsburg; Bogart
with indianapolis; Trot and Farrell
with Baltimore; Nhitacre, Athletics;
Zimmer, Cleveland, and Joe Merrick,
Louisville.
The only important event in base
ball circles during the week was the
meeting Of the League Schedule Com
mitiee in Pittsburg. As the dispatches
10 Tmr Cihuc have indicated, Wash
ington and Indianapolis will again
meet each other on the holidays,
playing in the latter city on Memorial
Day and here on the Fourth of July.
Washington deserved something bet
ter. The season will open on April
90, two days earlier, and close October
10, five days later than last year. This
is done to get in all the Saturdays pos
eible, and so far as closing late is con-
cerned, Managers Watkins and Phil
lips thought tho League might Just as
we'll be playing championship as ex-
hibition games. Manager Wright tdif-
fered from them on this point, but
was outvoted. lie thinks there is moro
money in the exhibition games with
Association teams. Each club will
play l26 games.
The adoption of the percentage sys-
fem rendered the work more COM
plicated this year than last, and the
managers say the schedule they have
Just completed is by long odds the
best ever framed. They say it can
not fail to give satisfaction to all
Manager Watkins stated that Pitts
burg and Detroit had even given
themselves the worst of the mileage
all through in order to benefit the
other clubs.
Manager Watkins of the Detroits
while in Pittsburg received q flatter-
ing offer from Kansas City to manage
the new Association team. The salary
offered was big one, and every in
ducement possible held out, but in
vain. Watkins said that he appre-
ciated the honor highly and liked
theKansas City people very much,
but was 80 fixed that he could not
possibly leave Detroit, and must,
therefore, decline the offer.
New York people are beginning to
fear that Manager Mutrie has for
gotten that there is such thing as q
championship contest, so little effort
is being made to strengthen the
Gotham nine. Third base is lamenta-
Hatfield, who filed that
ling too light with the
Gland, the now infielder
&c Northwestern League, is
but his fielding record is
Foster and Titcomb,
-O,Iy y TIC ..sllieS and ia,er
with the Jersey Citys, are the only
important acquisitions (D.
President Young is experiencing q
change of heart, evidently, about the
umpire business. He now says "The
salaries of the umpires will undoubt-
edly be raised next season. We want
the very best umpires obtainable, and
the, only way TO secure them is by
paying such salaries as will make il
an object to serve the League" This
should have been said before Gaffney
and, Doescher were allowed 10 60.
However, if Mr.. Young is left un-
hampered, we can depend on OBJ
tanning good umpires; that's certain.
The Pittsburg management is hust-
ling. The club has been strengthened
more than any in the League. Now
comes the news that Sunday of the
Chicagos has been signed. Sam Bark
ley has come to time, and it is prob
able that Calvin and Miller soon will
The management have got their eye
on the pennant, and realize what {
flow Of natural gas will follow the ac
QUESTION of that Haunting rag.
Interest in baseball is Increasing il
indianapolis. Already 500 season
tickets have been sold, and a new
grand stand win be,built in March.
Sam Thompson is the only one o
the old Detroit players yet signed
but nearly all of them hav been hear(
from on the subject.
The interest in the spring meeting
between the Detroits and the Cincin
natis is beginning to raise 10 yer,
high degree.
al. Reach and John T. Rogers hav,
purchased for 500, 900, half cash, tn,
Phillies' grounds. -.--
The Stoddard Lectures.
twill be particularly. gratifying to tn