The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-06-05
THE NATION AL G AME.
HARRY PALMER's COSBY LETTER
FROM BEANTOWN.
Boston stin Leading the League Teams in
tho Pennant Race-How New York, Chi
cago and the Other Crack Clubs Are
Stirring Up Things.

BOSTON CORRESPONDENCE
Another week in the League pennant
race has gone, and Boston still holds the
lead by a comfortable margin in its per-
centage Of games won.
Boston is playing good ball. It's play
ers are working well aad steadily, its team
work is strong. its fielding admirable, its
batting uniformly heavy, and its pitchers
effective and in good condition. What
more could ball team ask?
NEXT to Boston comes Philadelphia,
and it may be said unhesita,ingly that
the Phillies have held their high
position in the race purely by their
hard, earnest work In every game
they have played thus far. The PhIllies
have the batteries, in fact they are in need
of nothing but good field captain to put
than in winning form. OF course, Ar
thur Irwin would fill the bill nicely, but
asthe management apparently does not
want TO play him, another equally good
man is needed
New York is third and playing game
by no means easy to beat. The team has
experienced a bit of hard luck im having
some of its best men disabled, blu. these
are getting into condition rapidly. Keefe
and WEIGH have recovered from lame
arm, and Crane will be on deck in few
days. keefe, however, is not yet in shape
PlObaOll Will HOt Dt until WtIm
weather sets in. Slattery has got back
from Boston, and is ready 10 go in when
wanted, but from the present outlook is
not likely to be wanted for some time at
ALL except In case of accident TO O'Rourke,
Gore or Tiernan.
What game these three are playing.
Herman has got his eye on the ball finally
and is now hitting in something like his
last seasons form. AS for O'Rourke and
Gore, these old-timers never played such
fielding game during any previous part
of their career as they are playing now.
Both of them are making great catches in
every game, are throwing finely and bat
ting in great style.
AS for Cleveland, which follows New
York IN the race. the public has scarcely
as yet recovered from its surprise at the
burst Iof speed developed by this baby of
the league. None of the league people,
however, think that Cleveland can main
tain the pace 1t has been going, and all
agree that the long, arduous campaign Of
the summer is sure TO bring the baby"
down to where the playing ability of the
men justify it.
In the meantime the youngsters con-
tinue to play hard game to beat, and
are well up among the leaders in the
fight.
have completed it's first Eastern trip, and
the prospects seem good for its winning
half if not a greater proportion of its
games with its Eastern rivals. 1t can not
be denied, however, that Chicago has not
been playing up to its standard thus far
this season. 1t has been batting h I'd, but
its fielding has been very ragged in three
fourths of its games Few if any Of
these shortcomings have been due to poor
grounds, to wet infelds or outfelds, to
hard hit balls, or any of the unfayorable
conditions that sometimes make errors
excusable. On the contrary, the team has
been favored by delightful weather, and
every one of the boys, know, has been
in good playing condition. What, then,
has been the trouble?
The absence of Williamson at short is
probably more responsible than anything
else, particularly during the recent games
OF the team in the East, where it has
been compelled to meet the hardest hit
tiers and cleverest fielders of the League.
l fancy hear somebody say chest
nuts.
Perhaps the claim concerning William
son is a chestnut, but nevertheless it is q
true one. His absence is what is making
tbs difference in the teams playing.
However, there is good reason to believe
such will be the case no longer.
Charley Bastian joined Arson in New
York, and is now making himself at home
between Pfetier and Burns in the Chi
sago inheld.
If he plays his position as l believe he
Is capable of playing it, the effect upon
Chicagos work is going to be marked
from this time out. Bastian Will not only
ill the gap that Williamson's injury has
caused in the infield, but it is going to
greatly strengthen our outfeld by putting
Ryan back in center and sending Van
Haltren TO his accustomed post on in
LETT field. Moreover the acquisition of
competent, experienced shorts stop talent
is going TO iufuse every man of the team
with new confidence.
Jimmy Ryan has done his level best at
short No one who has seen him play or
talked with the 10y after his work was
/ over can doubt it. lie was unaccustomed
to such fielding, however, and seemed
wholly unable to gauge a ground ball on
/ the bound.
! Outr cid training stlnds man but for
little in infield work, and the best of out
fielders is pretty apt to find himself badly
worried upon attempting 70 fill an inield
position. Ryans work proves this, for he
has few superiors in his position.
That his unreliabilty at short has infu-
enced the balance of the infield and Of
4 the battery there can be no question. Nc
one felt confident, and Jimmy himself
least of all.
What other result, therefore, in view of
the free batting games We are enjoying.
could we anticipated The reasons for
our cratic fielding work are. TO me, plainly
apparent, and feel sure that with Bas-
tian in our ranks the trouble is going to
be to q great exsent eradicated.
CURRENT TALK.
The difference between Arson and an
hour glass is that the sand in one runs
out, while the "old man has an unlimited
supply of the material which is large
part of the makeup of a successful ball
] player.
Tom Browns trip around the world
didn't hurt him bit. He is running like
the wind. In the last esPht games he has
made sixteen runs and stolen fftet
bases. His record for twenty games is
thirty-four runs and twenty stolen bases.
The Hoosiers have really up to date
stolen more bases than any other League
team. They have also batted tremen-
dously, and if their pitchers bad but been
able to hold the other teams down, Ban
croft's pets would to-day rank great
deal higher in the race.
there are no fl .es on Anson's team
when il comes to batting; in fact tho
/ colts need take back seat from nobody