Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-23
BASEBALL GOSSIP.
Some of the Opinions Caught in Base
ball Circles.
The Prospects Sized Up as Near as Possible.
Running Sketch of the Local Players
and Their Points.

the home team and the Dallas nine.
Apropos of that fact interest in baseball
is beginning to assume its annual dimen-
sions and baseball topics begin 10 take
their usual share in street and clubroOm
gossip. OF course with no games yet
played 1t is impossible to say how much
of a grip any single team has on the
coveted pennant, or even to size up the
individual players or any team
accurately, but despite that fact
speculation is INDUCED in quite
freely, and all opinions formed
now have at least the merit of being
capable of easy revision, for they are as
yet not very heavily backed. In another
wee k baseball will be in the ring to stay,
and Fort Worth will have won or lost a
game The home team should win that
game and start the season under favor
able auspices.
On that point the Dallas team, it is
reported, is anxious for a change of
schedule so that the opening game will
be played in that city, and that it may
have the increased chance of winning
the game by beng on the home grounds,
however much there may be in that ad-
vantage. They claim that the Dallas
team opened away from home last season
and this year they should have the first
game. However that may be, it is too
late to alter the schedule now, and the
management here do not propose to have
it changed if there were time. The
schedule was decided upon by delegates
from all the teams in the league and it
would require a majority vote 10 change
it, which could hardly be obtained at
this late date.
The Austin Statesman in regard to one
of the team here says: The report in the
Fort Worth GAZETTE that Mr.. TRULY was
engaged for the Fort Worth team and
would play there as second base is not
correct. Mr.. TRULY was applied to by
Fort Worth but advance money was not
sent to him until some months after
ward, and not till he received his adj
vance from Austin and had arrived here
under an engagement as manager for the
Austin club.
The report in THE GAZETTE was entire
ly trustworthy, as was amply demon
strated yesterday morning when TRULY
appeared in the city and began work
with the team. TRULY will cover second
base this year, and it will be with the
Fort Worth nine. He remarked with
pleasant smile last night that he had
come to stay.
In estimating the strength of the team
which Fort Worth will put into the field
this year there is only the little pTelimin-
airy practice and the records of past
seasons to judge from. But if this means
anything it goes good way to show that
the nine in the field will be hard to match
in the league and almost impossible to
beat. The Outtield, composed of Con-
nor, McVey and Maurer, will without
question be the strongest IN the league,
while the infield will compare favorably
with any. The batteries will be strong,
as the work already done testifies. The
representatives of the team behind the
bat are ex perienced men, and Mercer,
the new man in the box, is showing up
in great shape. The only thing that
could be questioned would be his endur-
ance, but his staying qualities are said to
be as good as his general form.
At the bat the nine will probably have
some surprises for opposing teams, and
will raise good many balls that will be
difficult to reach. In fact, the prospect
all around is exceedingly good, and the
N anagement feel quite a relief from the
outlook of some time ago. Below Is
little sketch of each of the men, caught
on the fly.
J. j. Fogarty will manage the team
this season, and with his 200 pounds
avoirdupois will stop the balls on first
base He halls from st. Louis, having
commenced his professional career in
1886 with the Topeka club of the West
ern League. The next year he played
with the Scrantons, Pa, Of the Inter-
national League, and in 1888 he played
ho nol I'm rlD rf nf
last season he was there again, but later
joined the Fort Worth team which he
will manage this season. He Is genial
fellow, and is deeply interested in the
success OF the nine. He stands five feet
eleven inches high.
John BeIlman is one of the backstops,
and comes from Louisville, KY. His
first professional engagement was with
the st. Joseph club of the Western
league in 1887. The next season found
| him with the Danville club of Illinois,
and last year he played with the Dallas
team. As base runner and thrower he
was fine, and he was considered one of
the finest catchers in the league. He
stands FIVE feet seven inches, and tips the
scale at $50 pounds.
Bart Duane, the other catcher, claims
Dubuque, Iowa, as his home. His first
engagement was WIFI OSnhOSu CluOS
the champions of the Northw estern
league in 1886. The next season he was
with the Dubuque club, and played with
the same club the following year. Last
year he was with the Austin club. The
base runners who viii steal bases on Bell
| man and Duane will have to have wings
or skates on their chests, as both OF them
are excellent throwers. Duane is five
feet seven inches, and weighs $50 pounds.
Harry TRULY, who is to cover second
base for Fort Worth the coming season,
halls from Ironton, Ohio, and COM
menced his career on the diamond as
| professional player in 1887 with the
Rockford Ill. club. The next year he
was with the South Bend, Ind, club.
Last season he was with the Austin club,
| and was the best second baseman in the
league. He is also hard hitter and
good base runner. He is FIVE feet, nine
inches high, and weighs $50 pounds.
John Rademaker, who will play short
stop, comes from st. Louis. He played
with the Little Rock club in 1887, and
the next season played short stop and
second base in this city. The Dallas club
signed him last year, and he was without
| doubt the hardest hitting shortstop ia