Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-14
The Season Half Gone and Pittsburg's
Teams Are Lost in the Race
for the Pennant.
A POOR LOSING GAME PLAYED.
HanlOn's Men Will Hardly Draw Their
Usual Crowds When They Return Un-
less They Brace Up.
TIE TROUBLE WITH THE NATIONALS.
Alleged That Members Of the Team Are Drinking
More Than is Good for Them.

The base ball season for 1890 is now near
ly half over. And what has Pittsburg to
show that they have had two teams in the
race? Really nothing. The teams of both
the National and Players leagues have
been lost in the swim, being pracucally an
unknown quantity in the makeup of the
two organizations. In fact, from present
indications it would look very much as
though their only use is to allow the better
clubs to use them as a stepping stone toward
the pennant flag. Last week the Players
League team won one game and the Nation
al Leaguers did not even do that WE'LL This
fact Injuries the drawing of the cities where
they play and the Players League men have
not drawn expenses while on their Eastern trip.
POOR DRAWING CARDS.
The only salvation for the National League
team is their small salary list, which is in the
neighborhood of $40 600. This allows them to
live on a very low attendance while the high
salaried Brotherhood club is compelled to draw
large crowds or the hackers must go down in
their pockets. There is no doubt that If the
present ruinous state of affairs continue much
longer, the hackers of both teams will be put
ting out a great deal more money than viii
please them. In fact they will begin TO wish
they we're out OF the business entirely and had
the par value of their ball stock in cash.
There always reasons to be found for
poor ball playing That Hanlon's team is not
winning is no fault of his. He has done his
best and is playing better ball this sea
son than ever before. But his men go at their
work in a listless fashion that always will fail.
Every once in awhile they make spurt and
play a great game. In fact, they play game
that can not be beaten bv the best teams. Then
they relapse into their old state and make the
poorest kind Of q showing.
POOR GAMES, POOR CROWDS.
The Players League team here has been
drawing the best crowds in the country, but un-
less they brace up and play ball this week mat
ters will be changed upon their return home,
and they will find that all is not sentiment in
baseball. When they started on their present
trip they had a great advantage over the local
National League tean This was gained par
TALLY by their good showing on the held and
partly by the poor work of the Nationals.
However they are liable to lose all this adYan-
tage unless they brace up and play winning
ball.
The work of Mr.. O'NeiIrs men in the East
has been even worse than that Of the Brother
hood players. Not only have they lost every
game played, but they have been disgusting
the people by their poor exhibitions. 1t is said
that several of the members OF the team are
indulging in little too much drink
OF the men have been intoxicated but
they have appeared on the field after having
been drinking and were unable to judge a tiy
ball or hot grounder, thus allowing numerous
whole team IS demoralized by the actions OF a
few. and while one of the best players is impli-
Gated in the drink business it would be best for
the team to clear them all out.
WHO is TO BLAME?
There are pitchers in the team that would
make great records if they had the proper sup
port. One of the young men was heard to
mark the other day that he would rather have
-.ayed in a minor league than be in the Pitts
urg team anu spoil his record on account of
eing poorly supported.
Mr.. O'Neill is doing his best to get team in
he field. He has secured several good men,
nd Saturday, secured Osborne, of the Wheel
Igs as a fielder. If he proves all right, Kelly
i'll be released. Kelly is one of the best
elders and hitters in the League, if he would
eep in condition, but he can't play in the
iational League out of condition. He has
cen given the best chance of any player in the
eague, and had his salary increased on a
.omlse to stay sober. But he has disregarded
this, and has only himself to blame if he is
topped.
1t is to be hoped that both National and
Players League teams will change.their course
and give Pittsburg baseball in keeping with
her position among other cities in other
branches of business.