Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06
k REVIEW OF SPORTS.
Some Features of the Great
Baseball Contest.
OLD AND NEW LOCAL CLUBS
Opinions About the Proposed Sulli-
van-COrbett Battle.
La BLANCHE'S LATEST MOVEMENTS

La BLANCHE'S LATEST MOVEMENTS
There will only be opportunity for one
more weekly chat before the real baseball
struggle of the season commences, and it
may be interesting to US to have little chat
to-day regarding the prospects ior the COM
mencement OF that struggle. Probably there
never was so much anxious anticipation re-
garding the outcome of season in the whole
history of the game as there is in this in
stance. There are two contending parties:
One, the National League, is fighting for the
right of a territory that 1t has made for itself,
and the other, the Players League, is con-
testing for the right OF holding up its banner
in any city that seems profitable. Both
parties are in earnest, and the fact is
that both parties cannot continue to
live under the circumstances and
conditions that now obtain. But
to tell which will be the one that will be
crowded out is prediction that won't ven
ture to make any more than saying that the
Players League looks more formidable to-day
than it has done since it was organized. In at
it will be highly successful during the hrst
part of the season is almost certain. There are
many features that lead TO this belief; features
that 1 have mentioned several times, but to
some extent it is problematical whether or not
the success will continue. l don't hesitate to
say that the opening of the seasons struggle is
all in favor of the new League, and it may be
well for those of that organization not TO allow
the excitement of early success to affect good
management and discipline The latter must
at all times be rigidly enforced, because being
left behind in the early stages of the race will
have little effect op the staying powers of the
National League.
About the Popular Clubs.
In the Players League there are several
popular clubs that according to predictions,
are to pulverize all others. Foremost among
these terrors is the Chicago club, which opens
the season here. Now freely admit that the
club named is strong one, but bless us, if we
thougbtfuIly weigh up each man of it and do
the same with the Pittsburs Players club
fail to see where the Western people have so
very much the best of it. 1 certainly will not
be surprised if Chicago is the victim OF bad
beating here on the opening day. Pittsburg is
better off for pitchers than Chicago; as strong
il batting power but il may be is a little behini
in the infeld and outfeld. say may be. At
any rate l think time will tell that we are not
tar. if any, behind the terrors from Chicago
1 also fancy that Boston's Players team is
a little overrated. They lack reliable pitchers,
and amid the many big hitters that is very
important feature. Madden. DAILY and Rad
bourne we all know have not proven them
selves everyday men, and that team has indeed
done well to secure Gumbert. There is team
which all along has been put far below Boston,
and when we examine things closely we'll find
that the team refer to ought not to be so
classed at all. refer to John Wards Brook
lyn team. After all he has good lot of men.
although be might have been much better off
for pitchers. When it comes down to a hot
argument Wards aggregation will make a
strong fight with the best team in the new
League. New York is another popular team,
and 1 really fail to see where it is on
paper one whit better than Ranlon's team.
OF course practical test may completely upset
all my calculations but, on paper, 1 hold that
Pittsburg is every bit as GOOD as New Y ork. To
make long story short all players being in
good condition, fail to see why Hanlor's team
should not loom up as one of the best in the
country
The National League.
don't hesitate to say that the old club will
have a better team than many, very many
people expect. The youngsters as we call
them, can play ball, and can play it verg well
The difficulty, however with some OF us is that
because they are youngsters, we cannot see why
they should be good players at all. This very
unfair estimate prompts many persons to make
double note of all mistakes
they NAV make Now let me ask the question:
Have we not continually seen not only in the
early part Of the season, but also during its en-
tire course, the most wretched playing on the
part of those whom we call "stars?" And have |
not aggregations of these stars been almost
at the rear from start to finish? The reply must
be in the affirmative and this being SO ought to |
urge us not to make the young men any worse |
than what they are. l venture to say that if |
some of the so-called popular teams make a |
bad beginning the most extravagant excuses |
will be made for them. l am aware that the |
good work of young men as a rule is not |
at all palatable to the older players, |
but this ought not to prevent |
any of us from recognizing the good qualities |
OF the younger generation Our mutual friend, |
Mutrie. will have as good team as there is in |
the country. HIS team will always be worth |
seeing if all goes well. 1t will be too strong for
Pittsburg, no doubt, but l anticipate Boston.
Cincinnati and Brooklyn, at least, will |
give Mutrie enough to do. Cleveland's team
of course in this paragraph am dealing with /
the National League, like Pittsburg, is mostly |
made up of young players and we must wait for |
On paper PHILADELPHIA is
stronger than either of the last named clubs
but it seems 10 be very little stronger than |
Pittsburg. But as look at the situa-
tiOn the National League depends more /
on the middle and latter part OF the |
season for its success than in the earlier stages
of the contest against the PLAYERS League. 1
Two months of hard playing may bring about
some very unexpected changes. Some of the |
National League teams, which contain many
young players, may become very prominent |
and popular. The baseball public is not guided |
by sympathy by any means, and if the young
players develop INTO good men and deal out
hrst-class article In the way of ball playing de-
pend upon it the public will recognize them.
OF course this development cannot be accom-
plished in day, but the important fact re-
mains that as they are coming up the stars
are going down.
The Players League Meeting.
The meeting held by the Players League on
Wednesday last prompts, ct least one yery
pleasing expectation, viz that we'll have no
more baseball meetings for a few months to
come. Both parties, that is, the Players'
League and the National League, have stated
that everything is now ready for the conflict
and that their respective policies for the
season have been definitely agreed upon The
case is now with the public and in that resnect
/ suppose it will be matter of the survival of
the tittest. But there are two or three features
of Wednesdays meeting that require little
Contrary to the admonitions and
the Players League declined To
change Its schedule. In this 1 contend the
meeting did not act with good Judgment of
course we all know that the thought of being
termed "weakenerS' prevented the better
Judgment of the delegates from oper-
ating. But if it can be proven that
changing the schedule was the better
here would have been any breaking down
,Lor+ If Nobudv Pan tbink ,rovo |