The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-05
AMONG THE BALL PLAYERS
Kansas City Anxious to Secure Bassetfs
Release from Indianapolis.
Pfeffar Signs with the Chicago Club-The
Schedule Meeting at New York Wednes-
day 5000 General Base Ball News.


Csty Association Club, spent an hour in the city
On Friday morning, trying to arrange with
Manager Spence for the Indianapolis club to
open the season with his cowboys at the home
of the latter. Manager Spence, however. had
already begun negotiations with Msnges's West
arm League club of that place. and, while he had
made contracts, he concluded not to make
dates with Rowe until he had conferred again
with Menges Mr.. Spence does not care to
take his team such distance from home with
out a substantial guarantee, but there is every
probability that he will be given that, for the
rivalry between the two clubs at Kansas City is
intense, and they struggling hard to out
class each other in the matter Of spring dates.
Manager Rowe had to leave indianapolis,
therefore, without making the desired dates,
but he stated he would stop here c. his re-
turn, in q few days, from the East.
From here he went TO Cincinnati, and
thence to Brooklyn, in order to sign the remnant
lot Of players assigned to him by the Brooklyn
Metropolitan combination. What Rowe will
endeavor TO put through, however, his next
visit is not so much matter OF dates as me-
dianapolis club. 'I am after Bassett." said he
to a friend, land as Indianapolis has secured Es-
Textbook I believe / will get him. Bassett
played with Us IN Kansas City two years ago,
was very popular / consider him one of the
finest second-bssemen in the country, and more
than fair batter. think he must have had
an off year last season in batting. He stood
next to the leader in the batting order during
the season he was in Kansas City"
Rowe made proposition to Manager Spence
regarding Bassett's release, while here on Fri
day, and the latter appeared surprised when
told that the Western club expected TO secure
him. They'll never get him, said Mr. Spence,
positively; 81 would not consider releasing him
for an instant"
1t is probable, therefore, that the gentlemanly
second baseman OF last years club will be found
filing the same position the coming season.
fact that will please the majority OF local pat
rons
When Second baseman Pfeffer signed with the
Chicago club last week great many friends Of
the local club expressed their disappointment
for the impression seemed to exist here that
there was a probability OF the Indianapolis club
securing the noted second baseman. But, as q
matter of fact, there never was much. if any,
probability of such a thing Spalding is too
wise to part with man like Pfeffer, in they pres
emit condition Of his team. The experiences Of
last year indicated that he had reached q point
where he could not afford to weaken his team
any further. A great clamor was raised when
Kelly, Gore and Mccormack were parted with,
but the club soon showed that enough good ma
terial was left in it to enable it to cope with all
corners, and it won the series with nearly all it's
competitors, including the champion
Detroits. Now, one, with the
exception of Clsrkson: did more m to
fer. He and Clarkson are unquestionably the
stars of the team. To have parted with
either of them for the coming season would have
been to put his club out of the race for the pen
nant and to have released both of them would
have left his club weak. 1t is entirely probable,
therefore, that Spalding has never had any seri-
intention of letting either man go. lad he
sold Pfeffer to any one he would doubtless have
given Indianapolis first chance, and there is
also not particle of doubt that the Indianapo-
lis club would have been willing and eager to
have paid handsome sum for Pfeffer's release
But Spalding knew when to stop, and realized
that it would net do to weaken his team further
at least Mt the present
If Clarkson signs again with Chicago, and it is
TO be presumed that he will, there are great
many people who will begin to look upon
Chicago as a prominent candidate for the
pennant The immediate cause Of all of this is
the great pitching Van Haltren has been doing
this winter out on the slope. When the Eastern
clubs first appeared out there he was pitching
for one Of the local clubs and did fine work
against both the Philadelphia and New York
teams Then he joined the New York aggrega-
ton in their contests with the st Louis Browns
and held the latter down to five hits in the first
game and none In the second. His
work has attracted general attention, and
he is now admitted to be fine pitcher, whereas,
when he closed the season with Chicago his rep
utation was by no means established and some
had even pronounced him a promising failure so
far as pitching concerned. With but one
pitcher Chicago succeeded last summer in over
taking Detroit in the pennant race, but Clark
son weakened at last and the club had to fall
back for want Of pitcher. Butnow that Clark
son Is to have an able assistant in Van Haltren,
/ may not better work be expected of next sea-
sons Whitesl
Manager Spence is experiencing some difficulty
in coming to a proper understanding with the
climate of this region and thus far has been un-
able to come to an amiable adjustment of differ
ences with it He has been confined to his room
more or less for week past with attacks of ma
laria. which no amount of quinine will entice
away. He has, however managed to do a good
deal of correspondence with players and with
managers of other clubs regarding early spring
dates. The only open dates the local team has
are April IA, 10 and H.
Ben Armstrong in Sporting Times: "In
conversation with President Stern, of the Gin
cinnatis the other day. he told me of funny
incident that happened to him last He
had been annoyed by the unusual frequency and
magnitude of the discrepancy between the num-
Der Of admissions registered by the turnstle
and the number of tickets in the box, the turn
stile invariably showing number greatly in ex-
cess of the number of tickets collected. It was
very naturally concluded that the gate-keeper
was either incompetent or negligent In fact he
had been one two occasions to leave
his post in order to steal glimpse of the game.
So o change decided on To
sscure for whom of little
Mics famous head dives to second
base would have no charms, or one whom one
) of long John Rielly's onehanded pull downs
: from the clouds would not convert into howl
ing demon was the primitive object. There were
N number of applicants for the position. After
selecting more promising in appearance
than the others he engaged, after hrst cate
chisine him thus: .'Do you like to see game
of base balll" mo. sir, ;" was the prompt reply.
well, did you game of base-balll"
mo, SIR" answered the Individual, the half of
whose life had been wasted. ''Well. you'll do.
Now. here is a contract for you to sign. agree
ing to give me fifty cents for every one regis
tered by that turnstile, and for whom
you have no ticket" Having signed the
contract, he at once placed en- the
gate. AS the crowd began to roll rapidly
in nm walk al Jimmy Williams accom- uanied "