Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-10
tREVIEW OF SPORTS.
Why the League Schedule Has
so Many Faults.
BASE BALL MORALITY.
An Incident Between Manager Phil
lips and a Local Judge.
GOSSIP ABOUT THE PUGILISTS.
-
Comment Regarding the Prospects of
the POOlselling Bill.
GOSSIP ABOUT THE PUGILISTS.
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS OF THE DAY

GENERAL SPORTING NEWS OF THE DAY
With the appearance of the schedules
of the American Association and the
National League comes a general and
live interest in the National game.
Nobody need infer from this that
there has been no interest, that is public in
terest, taken in baseball during the winter
because the contrary has been re-
markably the fact Those proverbial
'sold timers solemnly assert that at no
time in the worlds history has there, in winter
time been such amount of public interest
taken in baseball matters as there has been
during the winter Just disappearing from us.
But the appearance of the schedules has
prompted club officials to greater activity,
players to a greater anxiety about their con-
dition and has set the public guessing as to the
merits and dement's of the teams. Doubtless
everything indicates an extraordinary baseball
season; certainly CLUB officials are expecting it
and planning for ii. However, if the opinion of
several good authorities turn out to be any,
thing like true we may expect considerable
dissatisfaction regarding the League schedule
Whether it be something like the harbinger of
cised probably more than any of its predecessors.
Most assure6ly in its construction it is vastly
inferior to that of last season, and the objec-
tions of such gentlemen as Messrs. Nimick and
Phillips were not only reasonable but neces-
sary. There is every reason to believe that the
committee having in charge the schedule did
not confer with each other much longer than
the Emperor of Russia would give audience to
arabd Anarchist. 1t required many weary
loo
ule, and when another is arranged in fewer
hours there must be something very strange
about it. For two clubs to play series of four
games on one of their grounds and then proceed
direct to the grounds of the other to play other
three or four is very stupid and unbusiness-
like arrangement. 1t is just as thoughtless as
keeping any club away from its own grounds
six or seven weeks. The League magnates
have now and again much to say about the
mistakes of players, but they certainly ought to
devote little time in the investigation Of their
own shortcomings.
Disappointing Meeting.
1t is some time since the old fable of the
mountain and the mouse was better illustrated
than it was by the League meeting during the
week. Everybody expected great things to be
done; that the bull, that is, the kicking players
would be taken by the horns and dragged into
submission. Nothing of the kind was DONE
however, and not even talked of according to
the reports of members of the meeting. The
League magnates are shrewd people; they don't
court combat because in very many respects
their position is insecure. But they have a
diplomacy that battles and some times
hoodwinks the most powerful and ag-
gressive opponent How beautifully the
case of John GlasscocR was arranged
despite all the emphatic declarations of Presi-
dent Brush and others to the effect that Glass
cock could not possibly get more than 81 500 for
the season. The player, accompanied by his
lawyer, was at the meeting to demand. accord
ing to contract, the same amount of money for
this season as he received last year. viz. $1,000
The sagacious League knew better than to
tackle question of this sort in open hostility,
and Glasscock was given his SS 600. But we are
told that $500 of this is for Glasscock as captain
of the team; this specious arrangement is to
give confding public to understand that the
latest limit OF salary, $780, has not been tam
pered with. Common sense will certainly tell
us that Glasscock is receiving 5000 for his ser
wees to the Indianapolis club, divide or classi-
be interesting to know how Jerry Dennys
objections have been disposed of. He was put
into class B, which means 81, $50, and he most
strenously objected to play for this. Almost
simultaneous with the League meeting he
signed without kick. What was the sooth-
ing balm.
The Association Magnates.
The most important piece of business that
the American Association authorities did on
Tuesday was to keep clear of any graded
salary plan until that adopted by the League
has been tested. This is probably the wisest
step that the Association could have taken
For once at least the authorities of that or
gsnization have displayed a safer legislative
wisdom than the League people. There
Dc n-Na
the action Of the League and 'Tara that
of the Association on this matter
The question at issue is one Of the most import
ant that baseball officials could discuss. The
League, however, at the last hour of meeting
and the last hour is always a weary one intro
duced. discussed and adopted graded salary
plan that in many respects revolutionlzes the
status of baseball The scheme was swallowed
wholesale. The Association, however, has had
the same scheme before it for months; has
heard all objections to it. both legal and moral:
has heard dozens of amendments suggested
and still hesitates to adopt it. This is the true
the wise and the safe way to legislate and the
Association will be the better for it, Sweeping
reforms that are lasting are never made in a
day. At the end of the season / will be sur
prised if the Association does not find many
things to remedy in the scheme the operation
of which they have resolved to watch.
Baseball Morality.
Afew days ago Manager Phillips told me an
interesting and an amusing incident that took
place in the Central Hotel, this city. He and
q well-known local judge were the principals
The incident occurred at the supper table and
the judge was sitting close to Mr.. Phillips
Neither man knew each other. Presently the
Judge commenced talking warmly to a
friend about baseball and baseball
players. He censured the entire busi-
ness as vehemently as if he was
condemning Jack, the Ripper" Phillips
couldn't stand it, and interrupted the Judge.
with remarks to the effect that he, the judge,
knew nothing about baseball. Matters were
becoming extremely hot, when
attorney introduced the disputants to
each other. Then Manager Phillips remarked
Judge, come TO game and I'll give you box,
and If you don't find better order there than in
your court you can have the box for the sea-
son." mention this incident to show that
there is in supposed wise circles grave misun-
derstanding about baseball matters. The game
taken by itself is not assailed, but the people
connected with it are. l confess that there are
people in the baseball business whose actions
are now and again questionable, but certainly
the same can be said of the legal profession in
all its branches. We must look TO the general
rule, and if do this we'll certainly find that the
baseball business is as honorable as any we
know of. But the desire ought to be to keep
its moral status up; not only SO, but
to try and make it better. Among
can be made good, If the classification plan is
a reasonable enforcement of the requirements
for good moral conduct from years end to
years end. Al2months' contract wouldn't make
things one whit better than they are now: be-
side clubs couldn't well dictate to players what
employment they should follow, without bring
ing up the salary question in three or four
phases All that would seem necessary is to
apply the moral code of the classification plan
to each player during the winter. If any player
is convicted of a crime Or in any way brings
and tends to bring the game into public disre-