Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-28
I. A REVIEW OF SPORTS.
Why Local Club Discipline is
Strongly Needed.
STATUSOF THE CLEVELAND
Opinions Regarding Jem Smiths
Championship Claim.
SULLIVAN'S DUTY TO FIGHT HIM.
Talk About English and American ANA
teur Seullers.
STATUS OF THE CLEVELAND
SULLIVAN'S DUTY TO FIGHT HIM.
KIND weRDS FOR THE PRILADELPHlAS

The week has not passed by without few
surprises in the baseball world; surprises
that have interested everybody who at all
has liking for the national game. Last
week who would have thought that New
York and Cleveland would have taken such
tumble, and who would have surmised
that the local players would have braced up
and almost scored an entire weeks victories?
Few, indeed, would have ventured opinions
of this kind. But such are the uncertainties
of baseball. However, the most pleasing
surprise of the lot is the way in which the
home team has performed this week. The home
PLAYERS have completely outplayed the Cleve-
landers, who so far have been the sensation
of the season. On paper performance Of
this kind looks great, but in reality t is not as
great as it looks In justice to everybody con-
cerned the CIevelands are far below many clubs
in the League, that is, assuming every team to
he at its best. The Clevelands. however, have
been remarkably free from difficulties, acci-
dents, ETC., while other teams that they have
{ faced have been buried in msfortunes When
the Pittsburg club is at its best nobody who
knows anything about baseball will contend
thar it is not a superior club to that of Cleve-
land. take this for granted 1t is, therefore,
fair and logicaI& argue that Cleveland is not
by any means near the highest standard of
League quality, These remarks are not made
with any disparagement to the plucky fellows
from Cleveland; not at all. They are to be
admired for the excellent stand they have
made SO far, and deserve every encouragement.
But one has right for opinion regarding
their phenomenal success in the way of ylcto-
ries against first-class clubs. Manager Lotus,
who, by the way, is a very able man and
genial citizen, remarked to me the other day
that his team would defeat Philadelphia. i
admire the pluck and confidence of the Cleve-
land manager, but fear that his prediction is
founded more on enthusiasm than sound judg
ment. However, baseball is very strange
thing.
Reading the Riot Ac'.
A few days ago it was stated exclusively in
this paper that Manager Phillips had read the
riot act TO the players while at Cleveland. he
did this and with great effect. He stated in no
uncertain tone that the severesJ penalties
would be imposed on all players violating in
any shape form the rules of discipline laid
down by the club. He also pointed out that
poor players would be noted most rigidly. The
lecture. like the one given few weeks ago, has
tNlUeHbly udu lIS tucCb Lie bcdlu uds pAdStu
better and there is general de-
sire to work for the good of the
team. Manager Phillips said to me a few days
ago: I'VE have one or two men whose only
ambition is to make a hit. If they don't do
that they nearly chew their fingers OF. They
don't seem to care about any other features of
the game" He went on to say that this record
idea must be stopped, and every well wlshe- of
the team will be glad to know Of it That
more rigid discipline is needed there is no
doubt, and 1 don't say this without reason.
Here is an extract from letter that found its
way to this office few days ago: "A morning
two ago about O'Clock few friends and
myself were surprised to visit a certain place
and find prominent member of the Pittsburg
ball club rolling on the floor drunk and singing
in lusty but rather incoherent tones: We've
all been there before, many a time" As
looked at the player thought it would
be weeks before he would be On condition to
play again" have the name of the writer of
this letter. ana we can rest assured that his
word is absolutely reliable In view Of such
facts let not the public ever again complain of
the imposition of fines for questionable con-
duct, or in anyway sympathize with the vio-
lators of the rules. Bad playing creates gen.
sal howl, and we cannot expect good playing
if the players do not keep themselves in good
physical condition. If ever a team of ball play
ers had good inducements to do well they are
better paid; no team is more kindly dealt with
by their patrons and the press, and surely graft
tude ought to prompt good work in return.
Il has often looked very singular to me dur
ing recent years that our British consins SO
much superior to us in amateur rowing and so
very far behind in a professional way. There
is no comparison at all between the profes-
sional scullers of this country and those of
England. and why it is that the English can
always beat us when it comes to a lot of anna
teurs is a question that seems difficult to
solve. Probably there are more amateur
hara 81,
mean a larger stock TO select from. In my way
of thinking it looks like certainty that when
amateur sculling in America becomes an older
branch of sport than it is the Americans will
be ahead in that sport as they are in almost all
other branches. 1t is also fact that in very
many instances, indeed, as soon amateur
becomes a good sculler, he joins the
professional ranks in this country. OCon-
nor, and many Others are examples;
this to great extent accounts for the moderate
standard of our amateur Scullers. OF course
this is a pity, because in my estimation there
ought to be Just much national pride in
Rmateur rowing as in professional. 1t is rare
in England that good amateur becomes pro-
fessional, and this keeps the stock of amateurs
always big and the quality good.
English Opinion of Psottn.
Speaking of amateur rowing reminds me of
Psotta. His trip to England to uphold the
stars and stripes has been disappointing to
many of us. he did not come out an absolute
vic.or, although many people deemed him
sure winner However, he was not thoroughly
tested, because during his stay in England he
was a sick man. Regarding this feature, and
also his style, quote the following interesting
notice from the London Referee:
Psotta, the Yankee sculler was am assured,
not really clear of his liver trouble. That point
on which only Psotta himself and a medical man
can speak. he looked well enough, and sculled
well enough. and If allowance is be made on the
score OF health, or want of it, when all right he
must be very warm indeed. His seat in a boat is
high, like Beaeh's used TO be. but in get-up ac-
fion with his slide, and big wrench with the sculls
At the end of the stroke he reminds one very much
OF Hanlon when striking fast. The great Ned had
two quite distinct methods for boat pulling:
was long slow stroke In three distinct Ntugs the
other shorter, and pulled right through in
one swish from the moment OF frst striking
the water. Psotta shapes like Hanon in the
fast stroke, and pulls like him too. He pleased
sportsmen in mis- heat with Small, who BY the
WaT had been rowed to a standstill earlier in the
day in the Wyfolds. The Chester man ran into a
stcppcd. and waited for the other to begin again.
He could beat the Engllshman he pleased, and
practically no risk in pulling up. Stlu 4 was
What you may call very Pee 81 the tne American@or
Virkalls beat him in the final Of the Diain0nds
fhlch resulted as might have been expected.
orth's example-puIlsa few strokes al trenen-
Ous strength, and then takes blow. Renforth
Ould 90 on pulling IL necessary. Hardly any OF
is i1ltators could. Nickalls kept Psotta at high
resskre, so that the American could not dwell
GaH Hnoment TO pun himself together, and there
y cracked.
A Boom In TrottinG.
Ateyer those ardent and extreme ad-
RS of running races may say about the gen.
acceptance of their sport in all the leading
des in America the fact remains that trotting