New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-10
SEEKING PASTURES NEW.
THE POLO GROUNDS CUT UP AT LAST

with favor at Some people seem to think that
tne directors OF the local club have been rather tary
IN delaying so long efforts to secure new grounds
inc owners Of the club acknowledge that they did not
expect to be able to hold the grounds after the coming
SEASON. II they were able to hold them SO long
property In the upper part Of Manhattan Island Is In.
oreaslhg SO rapidly In value that the delay securing
| ne" grounds will be found costly. Just where the
ne" grounds will be is still uncertain. Many think
that the Lynch estate Onehundred and fifty fifth
ST. and Elghth-ave, furnishes the most desirable Site
Ihere is an abundance Of suitable property above the
Harlem River In the neghborhood of Mott Haven but
the owners Of the club do not care TO leave
Island II they can possibly avoid It, That the man
agement cannot fit up grounds for the coming
season is assured, for the season Of $50 is too near
at hand.
stin there are great many people who believe that
the champions win play at the Polo Grounds during
the coming season, In spite OF the recent rasIng Of
fences by the Bureau Of Encumbrances. They base
their opinions the fact that the local authorities
have been trying to Gust the club for several years
and have been unable do IT, and on the fact that
the case has been taken TO the Court Of Appeals at
Albany. Similar cases have been known TO drag
through this court for many moons and even seasons
ana there Is hope that the present will not be
decided at least until next fall The local stock
holders Of the club are noncommitta and say llttle
beyond remarklng, when questioned: ooh, If we
have to go, we will do the best we CAM
John B. Day, the president and moving spirit in the
club, Is apparently not much annoyed by the tearing
down Of the fences, for he started on tour of the
South on Friday morning and does not expect to re-
turn to the city before March is well advanced. Mr.
Day is the owner Of the Jersey City club, and has a
lease OF Oakland Park, Jersey City, In the Polo
Grounds must go, the Giants win probably play their
championship games there next summer Manager
Mutrie prefers securing temporary grounds at Hobo
ken, but the Of the club to favor Jersey
City.
The Metropolitan Exhibition Company. which con-
trolls the club also has lease Of the grounds at One
hundred and eighth-st and Frst-ave., where the
old Metropolitan Club played for a season. These
grounds could be remodelled and additional stands
erected at short notice The majority Of baseball
followers would much prefer to the Giants play
there than to have them cross the river. Oakland
Park IS easy Of from New York, and is pretty
little place but is not large enough TO hold the crowds
that 90 to the games Its accommodations are limited
to about 5000 people, while 10000 have been packed
into the Polo Grounds. AS the club viii have to Sc
cure temporary grounds for season only, some
people think that the Enclosure at St. George, Staten
Island, would prove the most advantageous The
Metropolitan Club Of course. had disastrous season
al ST. George but the old Indians had degenerated
10 such an extent that they would have been failure
on grounds in the centre OF Gotham. The Staten Island
Enclosure would need little changing, and could be Sc
cured at a nominal rental. Erastus Wnan's short
dabbe in baseball was costly but should he secure the
Giants as tenants for next he would soon re-
gain all the money he sank on the Indians and
fat vidend BESIDES by the increase Of travel on his
ferTyboats.
There was some talk yesterday about getting up pc
on asking that the Polo Grounds be left unmoestcd
II hlu IN
ont and the petition circulated thoroughly. people
NOT interested in the sport would undoubtedly be sur
nrtsed at the result That It would be ono Of the
longest petitions ever gotten up seems assured III
come enterprisng enthusiasts are seeking notoriety
they can have this suggestion free OF charge.
The BROOKLYN club evidently does not intend to
he oaurbt mapping Although the representative club
of tho City Of Churches s has four seasons lease
OF washington Park, It is even now securing suour-
ban Brooklyn for suitable site on which TO lay
ont new grounds The club-owners, when they ind
the right place. propose to purchase the property
outright and lay out the handsomest baseball
inclosure in the world At present the club has not
selected the new se but has three pieces OK properly
under consideration
awe intend 10 purchase outright" said c. II. Byrne
m the writer Yesterday. Then will reap the
benefits OF the increased valuation In the grounds
which a few years will undoubtedly bring Wheo We
leased washington Park few years ago, there were
c,nv vacant lots in that neghborhood. You can't
ard them now We undoubtedly helped to build up
that mart Of the city, and reward our landlord has
increased our rent Of Washington Park from $1,000
year TO S6,OOO.'
The odtms manager and player, who glodes In
the mast and can see virtues In the present genera
ton OF course thinks that the players OF ION years
ago are superior TO those Of to-day. This Is the EN-
IN a
REPLIES TO the veterans assertions;
rrh. coolest inhabitanr who says that me Dat
,, NOWADAYS amt half as good as IL used
- ha should hunt up sequestered spot and
ha,o some one kick him. Tho "oldest nhaoanb 10 use
a Main term. IS simply cod-blOoded liar. He may not
know t. but Just the he Is wildeyed prVaricaor
when he makes this statement Inc oatuhg Oh oooay Is
not onIv as good used to be- but great deal better
7, ,heS, lovers OF old.time ball would acknowledge the
corn they would say fielding Of olden times was not
haf az good as It is to-day. That's the size OF the
,,uation Tho ballpayers have not fallen OH In their
ability 30 hit the ball. and at tho same time tney nav.
Innroved in fielding. A hit in olden times that would
v,d bome run is now by 0uthedar with ease
In early days y ball that was captured even when ht
right into nelders hands, was loudly appauded NOVA
d.vs a taken while the fielder Is going at fun speed
h tho only kind that will arouse enthuslasmS In odeD
times an ounelder did cover much more than enough
round 10 bury himself In. In these latter days gooo
out-aeder must be able 10 judge ball the moment u
s bt He must cover all the territory in his field
mnT
haf can he reached with little exerton looked
upon as natter.ofcourso catches. Away back In the
SEVENTIES there was such thing as fielder taking his
ave off the ball. and with head down, running at full
sne,d until the right position reached. and then
make capture OF the ny. The batting In those days
appeared heavier simply because the neders were not an
the sane class those OF to-day Easy catches OF 10 day
were tasehlts twobaggers aud home runs In the earlier
stages Of the National game
c. Z. Rudolph, who claims that he Is an athlete
and baseball player has invented new idea In base
ball Whether his idea VIII ever amount to anything
remains TO be seen. As innovation, IL Is at least
worthy Of some note. Rudolph has invented a ball
for practice use which he has had patented Instead
of weighing IA ounces the regular ball docs the
new ball win weigh from Ia TO IL ounces. IL IS
made tho same the regular League ball. except that
instead OF having piece Of rubber In the centre u
Will have round ball of lead With this heavier oan
the Young man claims that players can practice WIN
better results than by using dumb bells ana OIner
eymnasium implements for hardening the muscles.
IL claims that the ball cured him of shoulder
hound y trouble unusually prevalent among Dase-
.lgaa al rluf Rnnn