Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-20
SPORT IN ENGLAND,
Sculling Has Been Reduced to as
Low a Standard Across the
Water as it Has in America.
WRERE HAMILL'S C0L0RS ARE.
Something Will Happen Soon if the Present
Situation in the Baseball World
Continues.
PITTSBURG'S NATIONAL LEAGUE CLUB.
Boom in Boxing and Plenty Of Talk Going About the
Leading Pugilists.
WRERE HAMILL'S C0L0RS ARE.
rITTSBURGs NATIONAL LEAGUE CLUB
Boom in Boxing and Plenty Of Talk Going About th
Leading PugiistS.
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT

LONDON, July ia day or two ago had
long conversation with Harry Kellvs the
veteran ex-champion sculler. He is the
host OF a well-known, though not fashion
able, saloon or public house at Newcastle
on Tyne, and if his own statements are to be
credited. be is not doing extremely well.
Of course time has made many changes on
Kelly since he won the championship in
1866, but he is still a good-looking and
vigorous man. He still has in his bar the
colors of Jimmy Hamill, our former Pitts
burg champion. The colors were used by
Hsmill when Kelly beat him the two races
on the Tyne. at each corner of the hand
kerchief are nine stars and the center is an
arch with a big keystone, representing
Pennsylvania. Kelly likes to talk about
his race with Hamill, but while he does not
like to speak very disparagingly Of the de-
parted Pittsburger's rowing, he gives one to
understand that in his opinion Hamill was
q very poor rover. Pictures of all the old
timers and modern rowers adorn Kelly's
bar.
The old ex-champion expressed himself at
length about the rowing of his day and the
rowing now. He said TO me: "Rowers are
not blooming bit better to-day than they
were years ago and rowing is not bit bet
ter. People laugh at my saying this, but
every race proves it. All the best rowers in
the world have been on our waters lately
and they did no better than anybody else
has done as far as a matter of time is con-
eerned. But what 1 want to argue is that
had none of the modern rigging been on the
scull boats nowadays and only the old style in
operation, why the old-timers would have been
lar ahead of the young men of to-day. The old
fixed seats demanded strength and stamina.
and the old timers were possessed of these quail
titles. Of course 1 do not mean to say that the
new appliances in boats have not improved
them, but mean that had the old rowers been
here to-day and the boats just as of old, the old
rowers would have been better than the rowers
of to-day. Why, there is only one man whom /
have seen who knows how to utilize sliding
seat All other scullers are handicapped by
them because they don't know how to use
them. Certainly Hanlan was good rover, but
he was very conceited and had q very high no.
tion of himself and very poor one of every
body else All the other rowers have been and
are overrated. O'Connor is certainly an over
rated man and always has BEEN"
SculIing in England.
Mr.. Kelly weut on to talk about sculling in
England, and really gave very discouraging
picture as to its future. He did not hesitate to
say that there is only moderate material in
England is not as reliable as it used to be. This
is perfectly true in England Just as it is in the
United States Fraud and crookedness have
ruined the sport in both countries and the out
look for revival of frsI-caSs sculling in En-
gland is very bad indeed. Bubear is out of the
country, and it would not have lost anything
had he never been in it, and in his absence
rhere is hardly respecta bly, fast sculler left.
1t may be late in the day to say anything
about O'Connor and Stansbury, but have had
in the past so much to say about sculling in
Australia that my readers will, l think, pardon
me for word or two. only wish to point out
one thing, viz, that Stansbury's easy victory
conclusively shows that was right in claiming
that he was the most legitimate" champion.
Baseball Affairs.
Americans in England, of course, are not un-
mindful of the existence of the baseball or
gauizatfons in the United States. know that
am not, and 1 clutch THE DISPATCH with
avidity when it reaches here. Looking at this
unfortunate fight from a distance is quite diff
ferent from looking at it when right in its
midst. am not SO sanguine about several
things now that 1 deemed certainties several
weeks ago. According to the information
receive, and that is my only guide, don't
think that all of the clubs in the two big
Leagues will finish the season. OF course 1
cannot speak definitely on this point, but l
can say positively that two or three clubs are
losing heavily and are ready to throw up the
sponge at any time. Two of these clubs are in
the old League and the other is in the new one
However. aside from all this. will anybody tell
me what hope there is for the Pittsburg League
Club next year If the conflict goes on? If it
does not go onthe club will be swallowed up
by the new League club. because, far as
can understand matters, the latter has
decidedly the best of it But isn't it an
interesting thought to have Pittsburg repre-
senJed throughout the country with such a lot
OF players as have been Ill the PitIsburg Ma
uonal League team this season? Certainly
admire the pluck of those who have put up the
money for them, but what can there be said
about the management and general executive
Intelligence of tthose who run the club? The
Don Quixote manner in which the club has
been handled ought to sicken even the yeriest
craIks. The entire existence of the club from
the commencement of the conflict has been a
mistake. The directors have only been doing
during the playing season what they should
have doue in the early spring and what this
paper advised them TO do, viz, get their young
men TO go away and make a team, that is, Sc
lect team by testing them all. However, it is
useless 20 cry over split milk. This years
lesson will undoubtedly be severe lesson to
many people. What the result will be cannot
tell. but 1 still cling to my policy that have
oft advocated, that is, TO have the breach
healed up as soon as possible. Both COM
batants are the arena. and it is folly to bring
everything to utter destruction by warfare
for which there is no reasonable necessity.
/ will not be surprised il at the end
of the season = consolidation of IT,
perests is effected ] don't mean
by consolidation league of 10 or II clubs
That would be just as rulnous as the present
conflict No sensible business man would ever
think about making league of 10 or II clubs.
That question is an old one, of course. but II
notice tnat ii has been reproduced. There are
go many faults and defects in it that L would
be surprised TO see it seriously entertained.
What mean is that the two parties ut present
eo1tending will either put their interests to-
Cether in eight OF the best cities or make an
arrangement by which each party could get
eight cities that seemed about equal. Either
Of these plans would be better than contending
tire most stupid quarrel on record. know of
no reasons against these TWO plans except SEN
fimerfal ones. and have an idea that recent
experiences will have taught many people to
knox that sentimentality does not always make
baseball business successful.
While on the subject of baseball. let me say
few words about the clubs. According to the
last tables OF the clubs standing received here,
see that Chicago. in the Players League
rs tied with Pirtsburg for fifth place.
Well now, this carries out a prediction of mine.
Very well SO far. Just when the season CON-
uenced and we had opportunity of seeing
the Chicago cluD play, predicted that the team
was not destined 10 crown itself with glory.
and that Pittsburg would beat 1t out So far
my words have come true. and / am still in
clined to think that the prediction will be full
filed at the end of the season. On paper the
Chicago team looked extraordinary, mostly be-
cause every man in it was estimated on the
performance of his best work; but MANY of the
players were well on the waue last year, ana
really the team was one more of name than
anything else. Pittsburg has disappointed me
TO some extent but am informed that the
team has had the usual hard luck. The stand
ing OF the two New York clubs ought to cause
New L Iork patrons of the game to rise up and
declare themselves Last year that city had