The Washington critic., 1888-04-14
WHITNEY THE CAPTAIN
The Big Pitcher Elected t, Direct
he Senators.
RECENT GOSSIP ABOUT THE NINE
Tho ward Case the First Gun of
Rebellion.

O'Brien has resigned the captaincy
of the Natounls and Whitney has
been chosen to fl the position Ir.
win has been made assistant captain
Whitney will irect the movements
of the nine when on the field. When
he is not playing Irwin will act. This
is wise choice, O'Brien, although
one of the best Of fellows, has not the
snap and alertness necessary in
field marshal. This is the point in
which Ward especially excelled He
had the faculty of keeping up the
spirits of the men when they were
playing a. losing game, taking advan-
tage of every opportunity offered and
turning a defeat into victory by n
happy exercise of little headwork
at a critical moment. Arthur Irwin,
John Morrill,, Ed. Hanlon and An
son all possess this ability in
marked degree. Who doubts
that many of the Chicagos' victories
were due almost wholly to- Anson's
superb captaincy? The magnificent
squirt of that club from sixth place TO
second last season was largely owing
to Anson, who never lost heart even
when asight ol the pennant seemed
impossible with the aid of the most
powerful telescope. To Whitney as
the veteran of the nine the honor of
captain rightIully belongs, and TIE
CRlTIc entertains no doubt that tho
duties will be well performed. His
able assistant, Irwin, possesses the
good will of his associates, add will
be cheerfully obeyed. He has u
prompt, decisive manner, an eye for
opportunities offered, and il would
surprise no.one If he developed the
abilities that characterize his brother
on the Philadelphia nlne.
The duties of captain are much
lightened bySthe absence of iealousies
or ill-feeling among his associates
There Is very little, or none at all, of
that feeling among the members of
the local nine. The men are going
in strong for team work this year, and
for such work, entire confidence and
good feeling must exist. The out
field, the in,field andathe batteries
have but one ambition--to raise the
rank of the club. II they succeed,
every member Of the team will be
benefited quite as much as il they
played. for Individual records. As an
instance of the good fellowship pre-
vailing, it may be said that
when Murray, hurt his foot some
weeks ago in New Orleans, both Mack
and Deasley urged him not to worry
about returning to his position. to
take plenty of time to recover, and
that they would eheerfuily 60 behind
the bat until he was perfectly we'll
Grateful tor such demonstration of
friendship, Murray has sought to
hasten his recovery as much as possi-
bic that their good nature should not
be imposed upon unnecessarily long.
Recently he has been ableto put on a
ball shoe and join the nine in. practice
at Capitol Park. Itis safe to expect
!, that by the time the season opens he
will be able to take his place behind
the bat.
The nine report every morning at
Capitol Park for practice at ilso' clock,
and for two hours Timber themselves
up with running, batting, and catch
ing. In the afternoon they 90 there
again at and get in condition for the
game, or when there is no game they
have another two hours of practice.
At night they retire at a seasonable
time, and it is not likely, judging from
experience thus far in the season,
that the work of the team will be
handicapped this year, as it was last,
by the habits of any "lushers." A
report has been circulated that some
or one of the players has been
drinking to excess already. 1t can be
authoritatively stated that the report
is without foundation. When they
returned to the city and their
friends, after their Southern tour
some may have taken o glass, or two
socially, as they7had a peTfecti-ightto
do, but as for drinking to excess, OF
sueh,a.way,ast injuTe. their work,
there has been nothing of the kind,
and as long as Jim Whitney holds
the reinss there will be- none. The
Washington public can rest assured
thatthey have to represent them a:
temperate and gentlemanly q lot oi
men as there are to be found on the
ball field.
The team has all been signed
There are fifteen, and they are as fol
lows Deasley, Donnelly, Daily
Gardner, Gilmore, Hoy, Irwin, Mack
Murray, Myers, O'Brien, O'Day
Shock, Whitney and Wilmot. Nc
more are. expected, and there are NJ
deals in progress for.any players. Ol
course an eve will always be kept on
for fiist-cfass material, but the policy
Of the management is to build up {
team rather thnn buy one,
President Young Of the League ha
been informed that the followin,
players have signed Ed. Hanloi
with Detroit; John Weyling, Ath
letic; George Y. Smith, Brooklyn
Scott Stratton and l.. r.. Browning
Louisville, 4John Milligan, Nat Hud
son and Charles King, st. Louis
Fred. Kuhne, Albany; John kirby
and Philip Reccius; Memphis; JOSEPH
w. Katter, D. CrotheTs, John Bates
r. j. Trout, Shea Cross, NJ. p
Wehrele, AL. Ike, NJ H. Lawler
Texas League. Boston has release,
G.. +. Daily, who has becIl accepte,
by Indianapolis. A. l.. Gibson am
G. A. Spark have been suspended b.
birmingham, and c, II. Williams By
Charleston.
The event Of the week in base
ball circles has been the strike" o
the three New York players, Ward
Kcefe and Brown, for higher salary
In the case of Ward, whose demant