Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-09

gregation was the cynoSure of all eyes and the
theme OF all baseball conversations. All ap-
New York may win the pennant, but look out
for Pittsburg." But oh! what failure; what a
miserable disappointment followed. All the
hgurers and all the estimaters were sadly
knocked out But there were more cases than
that Of Pittsburg, and notably one. Did not all
the hgurers and estimaters deem Cleveland out
of its class? Did not the proverbial "every-
body" say: Cleveland will do well 10 get re-
spectacle last" What were the facts?
Why Cleveland coped with the big lead
ers at the most exciting stages of the contest,
and as result virtually tied with Pittsburg.
While am free to admit that the new League
have n majority of the very best players of the
old League, it has almost all the inferior play
ers also. 1t is only fair to assume that out of
800 or 400 young players there can be selected
GO or 70 equally as good as 60 or 20 of the worst
players OF last years National League. Be-
cause player is young and new TO more
not follow that ne will be anything like the
worst player in that organization. Tins is so
true that l notice the new League as well as
the old is picking up promising PLAYERS wherever
they can be found. Altogether these alleged
estimates may be interesting but past expert
ence has proven these are extremely unreliable.
But the great feature of next seasons contest
will be the equality of the teams of the respective
organizations. The public desires close and ex-
citing struggles, and the organization which
has the most evenly matched clubs will be the
most prominent. If Chicago is to be the in
vulnerable foe that we are told it will, it will be
unfortunate for the new League. 1, however,
don't think il will and the new League mag
mates would do well to exercise that power
which think they have, that's to try as much
as possible to balance the strength OF their re-
spective clubs before the season commences
Whether the old clubs or the new clubs are
playing the best quality of ball will NOT be such
an important factor as which organization has
the most exciting struggle. ---.
Trouble All Round.
Undoubtedly the National League is in very
uncomfortable box just now, and as a result
the lesser lights are extracting from it all the
conditions and favors possible. 1t has come to
this: A minor league rises up and asks an here
Uofore unheard of demand from the National
moguIs The latter hesitate little and then
the NJ. l. says: Now if don't get what want
lookout. I'll have to get help elsewhere" The
demand is granted and the little fellow
goes away grinning in his sleeve. What
a blessing this new league has been for
the minor organizations 1t is on all
occasions used as whip to get the big people
into line. Why, even the placid Billy. Barnie
used it the other day. "lf you don't mind we'u
connect with the Brotherhood" has a terrible
influence on the old magnates and is almost as
talismanic as was Aladdin's lamp. Well, now,
does this not mean that what we call the ma
tional agreement is of little more stability and
solidity than piece of tissue paperf If these
minor members of the national agreement will
at present extort conditions, perhaps some of
them unreasonable, by threats of tramping
rough-shod over that agreement what is its
real worthH l venture to say very little,
indeed At pest it is at present used
as a hatchet by little people to chop
down what they want. Some people call this al
legiance; call it trickery and expediency. But
ii means more than meets the eye at present;it it
means that if the new League is successful this
year we will either have two so-ealled national
agreements or none at all. Most assuredly the
new League will have NOR, than one minor or
ganization behind next year if it is succe isf"l
this year. More than one minot league has
time and time again raile against the national
agreement and they have so far merely toll ar
ated it because they would ha :e been alone N
the country had they deserted. Butif the new
League lasts il will be a nucl sus for a larger
body, it will be haven for all those who object
to the rule of the older and larger bodies. This
winter has so far developed some surprises, but
if the new League is successful next season
there will be more for next year.
The ScuIIiug Championship.
William O'Connor is now on the water en-
route for Australia. During the week he
stated definitely that his object was to row for
the championship of the world. Some time
ago he posted forfeit to row anybody in the
world for substantial stake and the title.
Nobody responded, and he Naturally has gone
to find an opponent His course so far has
been fair, honest and legitimate But report
has come into circulation to the effect that
Kemp and Matterson are arranging to row for
the championship, and that the winner will
refuse to row again until the customary six
months have elapsed. There seems to be con-
siderable nonsense about report of this kn5,
because Just about the time thas Searle died
Stansbury challenged any man in the world.
In view of this, Matterson and Kemp can pos
sibly row for the title. But the idea 4 Matter
son rowing for the championship is more
amusing than anything else. O'Conn >: fully
expects TO secure race With Stans
bury without much troubla- l will be
disappointed if the Canadian does not get all
the racing he wants. and Just as soon as he
wants it, when he arrives among the Austral-
ians. They have become foremost among sport
ing people, and at present Dame Fortune is
throwing her radiant smile around them in all
directions. Of course, O'Connor will be under
considerable disadvantage. The climate will
be strange to him and the rivers will be new.
He thinks, however, that he will soon get over
all difficulties that may appear from these
sources He is ambitious TO be the worlds
champion, and that he has confidence is found
in the fact tina he is going to the other side of
the globe to try to get the honor.
Mace and Mitchell.
The two or three words that many of us read
in THE DISPATCH yesterday morning which
said that Mitchell had punished Mace badly
must have recalled the past vividly to many an
old timer. What changes the whirligig of
time brings round. Just imagine how strange
it sounds: Mitchell punished Mace very
badly" Windy-couceited- - stage-performer
Charley Mitchell punished Jem Macel Fancy
that Well, time will floor us all irrespective
of whether we meet Mitchell or baby. The
contest was for the receipts. each contestant to
receive one-half This, undoubtedly, was the
great object of the ''old man, although am per-
suaded that he had vanity enough to think that
a period of 20 or 80 years had not at all dimmed
his remarkable eye, or stiHened his neck of
lightning motion, or weakened those legs that
enabled him to make shuttlecocks of men who
would have battered .MitchelPs head of in
short order. Mace, like many more in the
world, can see the impress of times decaying
finger on everybody but himself. If he has sue
ceeded, however, in obtaining f4OO or $500 his
friends in America will be glad; for the old man
needed it 1t would be absurd to make any
comments on the contest simply as a contest
Mace, with go years on his head and Mitch
sir ell with only PE.. tells the whole hole
considering the contest was for an equal di-
vision of the receipts, it does not say much for
a vigorous young fellow to punish an old man
whose career will be remembered when the
name of Mitchell will have passed to oblivion.
Tell me first-class man who lives to-day or
has ever lived, who in his prime would have
battered and bruised an old man of so years
Why if the youth could not show his superior
ity any other way than by almost knocking the
life out of the old, bald-headed man, he ought
to be kicked out of the building for assuming
the least tarnish the record of Jem Mace
Why the year in which Mitchell was born Mace
became champion of England by defeating big
Sam Hurst. Had the latter lived to-day and
been in his best form, what would Mitchell
have done with him, or with Tom King? Echo
answers what? All the Mitchels boiled into
one, if it were possible. would not make a good
Jem Mace. Mark, want to be fair. credit
Charles Mitchell with being almost as pretty
and effective boxer as we have had; but no
body can make me believe he is frst-class
A nrrho rolx firrt,4