Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-26
A REVIEW OF SPORTS.
Local Enthusiasm Regarding
the National Game.
HOME CLUBS PROSPECTS.
Opinions About Denpsey's Alleged
Refusal to Fight EllingSworth.
SULLIVAN AND KILRAIN BATTLE.
Something About the Uncertainties Of the
Runners.
HOME CLUBS PROSPECTS.
SULLIVAN AND KILRAIN BATTLE.
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS OF THE DAY

may have been interested In the various
baseball struggles during the week. The
national game has notify any means lost its
charm, even though our representatives
may have been in that imaginary liquid
known as soup now and then. Busy as be
is in curtailing, or trying to curtail, indi-
viduality, Mr.. Ed Murphy was prominent
figure in a party yesterday whose only
theme seemed to be baseball Mr.. Muir
phys enthusiasm regarding the national
game only represents the feeling among
what we may term the vigorous and young
portion of the business community. He
certainly voiced the sentiments of the bust
ness class he represents when he said that if
Pittsburg had champion team the latter
would be carried round in tally-hos at the
public expense. mention this fact to show
that PIttsburg's love for the national sport
cannot be beaten. Probably no other city
has been tested more; there has undoubtedly
been, metaphorically, all the fiery
furnace tests possible, and still We
are Lot only in the ring, but we
are demonstrating the fact every day.
OF course, I'm not referring to the glorious
ingloriUus work of the teams. I'm referring to
the enthusiasm OF the Pittsburg lovers Of base
ball That enthusiasm is stronger to-day than
it ever was So strong is it that the shortcom-
ings of the team are generously excused, and,
in the language of Lew DockStader's minstrels,
with all her faults we love her still" that is,
our ball team. Before shall have another op-
portunity to say few more Sunday morning
words the team will be home, and l venture to
say that all of us will be glad to see the boys
and certainly will have hope sufficient to
think that they'll beat anybody who comes
here. There is at present an interesting prob
lem yet unsolved in the team. We are all wait
ing to see whether or not the youngsters re-
Gently signed will turn out good, bad or indif-
ferent. Much depends on the result ana it is
not unreasonable to say that if we can produce
about two frst-class o. anything near that de
gree, pitchers we will make anybody and every
body we tackle move about at very lively
rate.
The Weak Point.
Of course we all know that the weak
point of the team at present is in the
pitchers box. The games during the
week have added to the already large
amount of proof that the Pittsburgs would
have been at the top if our pitchers had been
CODOlIlO0. 1Q1S Is very Important IaCC, De- |
cause it is a fact and it shows that there are
clubs now among the leaders that are only there |
because of the temporary shortcomings of other
people. The playing of the Bostons proves that
they are not champions. and just as sure we
live that aggregation will not remain in the
van if the other teams can get into their best
condition. Cleveland continues to sustain the
gait that has surprised people from the start of
the race, and it may safely be stated that the
baby" will command attention until the finish
OF the race. New York. like Pittsburg, is sadly |
that while they are not pennant winners they
will be factor in causing some of the aspirants
TO lose the prize. Chicago is also out of condi-
tion, particularly in the pitchers box. Alto
gether the weeks games go to show that New
York is the great team when in condition. If |
heefe and Welch once fairly getin line, depend |
upon it, there is no team in the country |
that will beat the Giants. IL may |
not be out of place TO say that if the young men
recently signed by Pittsburg are failures ef- |
forts should be made to sign others. Jewels |
and prizes are not gotten without effort and |
sacrifice. If by trying dozen youngsters one |
or two good men are secured, the result will be |
worth the trouble.
The County League.
In talking about or commenting on the affairs |
of the 'big" baseball people, we ought not to |
forget the lesser folks Among the latter is the |
Allegheny County League, and it is undoubt- |
edly useful and interesting little organization.
I don't wish to offend the dignity of its men, |
bers by saying "little;" know that it has ten |
clubs, but mean that it is small in financial |
and influential sense. However, the League in
question has been almost the only organization |
to keep baseball alive In this vicinity for some |
time past The most ridiculous of schedules |
has had the Pittsburgs securing the country |
games that we could witness here have
been those of the County League.
1t will, I'm sure, be pleasure to all lovers of
the national game to know that the County
League games, at least many of them, have
been well contested and exciting. This fact
has contributed largely toward attracting large
that the financial returns, generally speaking
are encouraging. There is a rivalry among
some of the clubs in the organization that
seems TO be even more intense than that OF the
National League or American Association
clubs Nobody would want to see more deter
mined opponents than the McKeesports and
the East End Athletics. Without doubt they
are two good clubs and 1 anticipate most in
terestlng struggle between them for the
County League pennant Altogether the
League in question deserves all the patronage |
that can be bestowed upon it. After all, it is
almost entirely from such organizations that
players of national repute are recruited. Dur
ing the season there will be plenty of opportu-
mites TO give the County League helping
hand and think it will get it if the clubs can
only maintain harmony among themselves.
Has Dempsey Weakened
Several letters have reached me during the
last few days asking if it is true that Dempsey
has refused to fight Joe Ellingsworth. One
writer, evidently an enthusiastic admirer of the
Nonpareil, offers to bet 500 or $500 chat Demp-
sey will refuse to fight nobody. However, the
report that Dempsey has weakened in his pro
posed battle with Eningsworth has been ex-
tensively circulated. Whether it is true or not
is another matter. ] don't think it is true, and
also imagiDe-tsat it has been circulated by
Sempses enemies. There are many reasons,
and some very good ones, why Dempsey ought
and 70
From business point of view it would be the
very worst thing he could do. At present
Dempsey is engaged IN variety show, and the
leading feature, might say the only feature,
of his engagement is to box against all corners. |
He is the recognized m iddle weight champion
of America and he nightly appears as such. |
Rut were he tn definiteiy refuse To meet man |
in the ring on fair terms and for the champion
ship down would go his reputation and the
public would care as little about seeing him as
it would about seeing man like Jack Fogarty.
Demnsey is too shrewd a man to court con- |
dition of things like that, Like many others |
before him and like others to-day he would
certainly continue making what is. called a |
''bluff" rather than ruin his money-making
prospects in the way indicated. But aside from
questions, why should Dempsey refuse to
fight EllingswOrth? l don't know why. Allow
ing that Dempsey is what many people claim he
1s-an over-rated man-his record will show that |
he has not much to fear from the ex-amateur
who is now wanting TO fight him. Ellingsworth |
may be wonder and he may be miserable ex-
cuse for a boxer. We cannot tell vet because |
he has done nothing 10 show that he is in the
same class as Dempsey If remember right he
had four-round set-to with Fogarty on one oc.
casion, and both principals were roundly hissed
for the burlesque they treated the audience to.
Elltngsworth Is tolerably fair boxer and has
style which may be called AnglO-American.
He reaches well out but not so unatrractively
as such exponents of the American style as
McCahrey and Dempsey. While he does not
reach 50 far out, he, like most Englishmen.
keeps his stomach well guarded But while
these may be very good qualities, it does not