Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-07

sides heavy batter and magnificent fielder,
one of the trickiest players in the country.
In an exhibition game some fourteen months
ago he caught "Arlie" Latham, of the st.
Louis team, mapping by fine trick. Latham
had made base hit, and the. ball had been
returned to Crooks, when the latter called
for the twirler to pitch the ball to the bats
man. Latham Immediately stepped off the
base, and moment later was caught by q
fine throw of Crooks, who had smuggled the
ball up his sleeve.-Exchange.
The first base ball play of Andrews dur
ing the Sioux City series was an exhibition
of fine work, such as is seldom seen at the
hands of any ball player. The number of
low lightning throws he scooped up from the
dust at his feet, were sufficient to have
broken up the best guardian of the bag the
profession ever knew but Wally never said
a word, but continued right on saving wood,
and went through the series without a
ghost of an error. He batted too, like Tro-
jan, ran bases we'll and made his full share
of the runs. Andrews, in fact, IS playing as
good a first as any man in the country.
There is not a particle of doubt about it,
but the Omahas are one Of the greatest base
running teams in the country, and this is all
the more remarkable when it is taken into
consideration that there isn't a single star
in this particular line OF play in the whole
team. From this seasons record, however,
every one of them are entitled to this COM
pllmentary title, as they are all running
bases IN the most daring and successful
manner. Omaha so far has stolen half as
many bases again as any team in the west
ern association and more than any team in
the country. In the three recent Sioux City
series their total record was 35. 1t matters
not who the opposing battery is, 1t Is all the
same to them, and an impartial analyzation
of their work will prove that they are the
banner base stealing team of the country.
If the law makers and rule tnkerers want
to do the base ball public nice turn let them
devise some way or means of accelerating the
game Such an innovation right here in
Omaha would be God send, as in no city IN
the country does the game drag like it does
at the local park. Some times, by actual
time, it requires the sides five minutes to
change, and the people grow weary and dis
gusted with the needless waits. The players
take their time coming in and going out, and
often fool away as much time In overhauling
the bats as it ought to require for them to
I fill their full term. This is a duty of the
umpire. He should permit of no such un-
necessary delay, and there Is one in this as
sociation that does not permit it, and that is
Sandy McDermctt, the only efficient one on
the whole staff. Briody might make an um-
pire If it wasn't for his timidity and his fears
of the condemnation of the players, hard
fault, however, to overcome. Again, he Is a
dead home umpire, and unless he changes
his tactics, will have but short-lyed expe-
rience in the position. Another bad feature
about the games at the local park, is the long
and senseless waits for new ball when one
is fouled or knocked over the fence. A new
ball, under the circumstances, must be forth
coming, and it is gross neglect to keep the
people waiting for the resumption OF the
game. Several of the games here last week
were over two hours in duration, and two of
I them two hours and half.