Connecticut western news., 1888-06-13
THE BALL-PLAYERS.

easily find it. In Lowell he was fairly slaugh- tered. Mir. Nimick refused to state who would take his place or how the negotiations for cer- tain other new players were progressing, but there can be little doubt that he is after three men, two of whom are pitchers and one an out fielder.
 Washington is playing good ball, as far as fielding is concerned, but is weak with the bat, and the attendance is falling off ill conse- quence. The average attendance at any game is about 7CO, and this in the national capi- tai. Such however, will be the ca'c until the team is strengthened. Tom Esterbrook has been playing his position in fine style, his only trouble is weakness at tho bat. Hines is great favorite.
 The Cincinnati team is afflicted with more superstitious notions than any club in this country. Imagine nine of sane men who be. lleve in hoodoos and mascots and ''hard luck" Last year, during the season of disaster which followed Tony Mullane's dese ertion and sus- pension, Frank Fennelly-no less man than the captain of the team-declared at the club house, after defeat by 8 close score: "I be- lieve i'm Jonah! This team has never had any luck since I've been member of it. This is my last season here; I'm going to quit" And 1t will be remembered what a 'coaXlng tlme' was experienced before Fennelly finally put his signature to a Cincinnati contract last spring. The whole team is saturated with that ''hard luck nonsense, and as prominent parsonage as Manager Schmelz advances the excuse for the reverses in Brooklyn, Baltimore and Phila- delphia, ;'The boys miss McPhee and have lost confidence
 Nearly all the noted outfclders having ex- plained how they gauge fly ball by the ''crack of the bat, :" it is now in order for Hoy, the deaf and dumb centre fielder of the Washing tons, to explain how he gauges them. AL though he cannot hear, he judges and captures fly balls as we'll as anybody.
 McPhee will rejoin the Cincinnati team on on it's return home. They need few more men.
 After most careful study of Radbourn's work for two years, says Boston man, and after his pitching in games here, have come to the conclusion that his usefulness as pitcher is gone, so far as reliability is con- cerned. review of the games ill which he has pitched since he first worn Boston uni form will show this, that about once in eight or ten games he will pitch such game as no other man in this country can pitch, and which will defeat any club which may have the mis- fortune to be pitted against it. But in the other seven or nine games his work depends entirely upon the state of the game; if the Bostons are ahead and with a good margin to spare, he will probably carry them through, but if, either through their own errors or their weak batting, they are in the rear, he either cannot or will not do good work.
 The Western Association umpires are better than those of the League, and they receive $500 more pay.
 Jay Faatz is no longer captain of the Cleve- lands. He was too easy with the men and, though good field work director, failed to carry out the rules of the management as to practice and general work, and he was suc- ceeded by Snyder, who in future, when not on the field, will direct the team's work from the bench. McKean and Faatz will do the field coaching when Snyder is not in the team. The change cannot be said to be popular with the crowds, but was considered necessary. The Cleyelands are not playing good ball by any means. One day they play a strong game, with few weak spots in it. The next day the game will be all weak spots, and any team can beat them.
 It is said that President Lyons, of the Louisville Club will manage the club himself after the present trip.
 The New York players have enough practice to make any club play good ball. It may be, however, that they get too much of it. Ewing puts the men through their paces for three | hours every morning, Sunday excepted. The | hours, and batted every pitcher on the team. | The different batteries not only practice with each other, but they practice together. The inhelders and outtielders practice in their posi- | tions, and then they spread themselves out on the Polo grounds track and run for all they | are worth.
 The Philadelphia Press says: The Associa- tion has tricky ball players. Probably more than the League. Kelly is the king trickster in the League, and Welch of the Athletics holds the leading position in the Association. But Kelly gets away with more of his tricks than Welch does. The latter does his sfunny busi | ness" openly and daringly, while Keely works | quietly, and ill majority of cases carries his | point.
 The Association players are being fineI pretty lively by the umpires of late.
 The Brooklyn Club ends it's series at home with the Western clubs with a showing that any club should be proud of. The Brooklynf will now play with their Eastern opponents and then go West. The fine lead which they now have assures them place near the top o1 the line on their return home. Even should they lose one-half of the games, it will not af. | feet their standing to any great extent. l The Washington Club is in a bad way, finan- ! cially and otherwise, and unless Q radica | change takes place soon there will be vacan- cy iii tho League. Tho people of their city l have apparently lost all interest in the home | team, and they seem disbosed to punish tho management py withholding their patronage.
 The home season of the BostOns thus fa1 has not been particularly successful in tht way of victories. The team at present is not il frst-class condition. Kelly has been weakened by his illness and it shows in his play; Browr is sick man; Wise has a sore on his foot
 Madden has been indisposcd. Still, the de feats cannot be laid to these causes. Of late they have been playing what used to be desig- hated in New York as ''ycllow ball." and re form of some kind must be instituted. Th batting, with rare intervals, continues weak and at times the fielding has been of the stu oldest kind, such as would not be tolerated i, | n club of amateurs. The base running goes il | the same way, at times dashing and brilliant at times so weak and puerile as to cause onl, disgust.
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