Wichita eagle., 1889-09-01


with the Newark club as third baSeman. In
1885 he was re-engaged by the Newark cluo,
and remained with it until the Buffalo club
sold its big four" to Detroit, then Buffalo
purchased Hatfeld's release from the Newark
club, and he finished the season with the
Bisons.
In 1886 he was signed by the Portland (Me)
club, of the New England league, and stood
second in the official averages as IA third base
man. In eight games that he ofhclated as
pitcher, his opponents made forty-tnree base
hits and earned only seven runs, and he rank
ed first in the pitching averages at the close
of the season. His batting average for lOl
games he took part in was .26l, and was four
points better than Slattery's of the New
Yorks who was then in the same league with
Hatfield In 1887 Hatfield remained with the
Portland CLUB and did great all round work
that year, in batting, fielding, base running
and pitching He stood seventh on the bat
ting list, with an average of AIS, and was
credited with no fewer than al stolen bases,
he leading his league in that respect.
In ninety-tnree games as third baseman he
stood second on the official list, with an av-
erage of .S53, the man above him taking part
III only twelve championship games, and that
with two clubs. He pitched in twelve cham
pionship games, and the average OF base hits
made off him by opponents was the smallest
in the New England league. In 1888 he was
signed by the New York club, and played in
twenty-seven championship games, but did
not play enough games In any one position to
give him a fielding average. However, he
made so creditable showing that he was re-
engaged for this years team, and his work
thus far has been of the highest order.
Early in the present season, when the New
York club was sorely i'll need of pitchers,
Hatfield was pressed into service, and his
work in the box was as good, if not better,
than that of any of the regular pitchers. In
a championship game, May II, in Boston, he
held the hard hitting team of that city down
to four scattering safe hits, and, had he been
properly supported, the New Iorks would
have won the game. During the last west
ern trip of the New York team, Ward was
unable to play in a majority of games, and
Hatfield very creditably filed the short
stops position, besides doing good service at
the bat He is very swift and accurate
throwsr, besides being a fine base runner.
4. B. SANDERS.
A B. Sanders is one of the crack pitchers
of the Philadelphia Baseball club. He was
born at Catharpin, Va, twenty-four years
ago, and comes from one of Virginia's Oldest
families. At the age of he began his studies
in the public schools of his native place. and
was kept right at them until he graduated
from Roanoke college in 1885. 1t was while
he attended the latter institution that he first
began playing baseball as the college clubs
pitcher and change catcher. He never played
until 1888, and in two years time developed
into one of the best college pitchers in the
country.
The Altoona club, of the Pennsylvania
State league, made him fattering offer,
which he accepted, and in the spring of 1887
he played his first professional engagement
with that club He Immediately took the