The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-04-19
THE BASE BALL FIELD.
Players Arriving Daily--News and Notes
OF the League.


Ottawa opens the season on May 1st
and End with Dubuque, playing al
home until the 10th and meeting OF
tumwa, Cedar Rapids, and Monmouth
for two games each in the order given.
The club then goes to Monmouth for
the 10th and 18th, plays In Ottumwa
on the 18th and l4tb, in Cedar Rapids
the 18th and 18th, in Dubuque the
18th and 10th, and then comes home
for two games each with Aurora, Jol-
let and Sterling. This winds up her
home playing for May.
The players are arriving rapidly
and will all be here by the end of the
week. In the meantime, Manager
Dallas is working the eight men who
are here at the Driving Park every
day, and their we'll knit figures look
strong and athletic enough to win
several remnants. The black suits
are handsome and give the nine fine
appearance.
THE TEAM.
Ottawa's place in the nlinOis-IOwa
League is no longer conjecture, for
she will win the pennant. for the rea-
son that the men signed are equal TO-,
If not better, than any in the Inter
State League, and do not fall far be-
hind the men in the Western League,
composing such cities as Denver, Mil
waukee and Omaha.
The reason for this is that Manager
Dallas, who organized the Southern
League in 's7, and knows nearly every
ball player In the country, made his
arrangements for players long before
he singed as Ottawa'S manager, and
had each man located.
The Southern League went to pieces
last year, and all the men who had
been developed in 81, 'SS and SO were
thrown out of work this season. or
these, Manager Dallas was practically
given his pick, and several men who
lead in their positions and who are ac-
knowledged to be ball players, are in
the Ottawa team,
The batteries are G. N. Smith and
Geo. j. Briggs, pitchers; and j.. f..
Dallas and Leon Golfer, catchers.
Ottawa knows who Dallas is. Briggs
was invited to join the Chicago League
Club because he made a record with
out a blemiSh in 'S9 with Appelton,
Wis, but unfortunately for Chicago,
Manager Dallas had signed him.
Smith is a daisy and was wanted by
Pittsburg on account of his work at
Elkhart, Ind. Golfer played in the
Michigan State League last year and
made splendid record.
Jas. Hillery, Billy GeiSs and Mig.
Burgune will fill the bases. Burgune
made a record of 900 in 'SS in Peoria
and in 'S9 he managed the Fort Mad
ison team. He plays third and is a
hummer. GeisS was with New Or
leans in 'S7 with fielding average OF
9l2 and a $50 batting average. lie
holds down second bag. Hillery sits
on first base with fielding average of
944 and 3l2 batting average in
Birmingham, Southern League, in 'SS.
Joe Boissenin, Joe Wright and John
Dawson will eat balls in the field and
cut off home runs at the plate. Every
body knows BoSsenin, and he plays
right field. Wright lead the center
fielders In the west last year and is
one of the best tlelders and batters
who ever dOnned uniform. He holds
down center field. Dawson played
with the Writings at Chicago last
year and is blue jay from Indigo
vile. He fills left field, Manager
| Dallas has a good short stop in mind
and will have him signed in day or
two.
The Joliet base ball club, says the
NeacS, has signed a manager, in the
person of James j. Donnelly, of Ohio.
He comes highly recommended as a
player Of great ability and experience,
and from the Investigations made by
the local officers, it is believed the
club has secured competant leader.
Mr.. DOnnelly has been manager of
the GAINESVILLE, Ohio, club for several
seasons, and has been interested in
bringing to the front such players as
Gumbert, the Chicago pitcher, and
other league players. He is a pleas
ant, agreeable gentleman, light in
stature, but possessing evidences of
agility and keen judgment--features
SO essential in good ball players. Mr..
| Donnelly will be both manager and
captain of the Joliet team and will
play either first base or in the field.
The list of players, as signed, will
be carefully revised by the new man
ager, and the regular club selected
from those only who posses the neceS-
sary qualifications and meet the ap-
prevail of the manager.