Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-14
LOCAL DEALS COMING ALL RIGHT.
A Few Words About the Alleged Fast
Time Made by Smothers in
100-Yard Race.
FEATURES IN THE LIFE OF CoBURN.
slHvns Lstsst Kovsmsnts-Ths Case Of the Suspended
AmStsurL


easiest thing in the world to wreck anything,
it requires very able men and considerable
time and money to restore things to their
normal condition. As result of the weeks
doings in baseballdom all that we can lay
hands on definitely is the statement that
nothing can officially be settled until next
month. Between now and then we may de-
pend on hearing some very wild rumors,
probably wilder than the threats of AL john
son. The difficulty is not only in burying
the P. L. now that it is dead, but
the American Association has landed on
the scene in the character of a kicker
The Association has chiefly two things in
view: one is to get club into Boston, and
the other to get rid of Toledo, Rochester and
Syracuse. 1 won't venture to say how these
objects will be attained, but attained they
will be. The Association cannot 60 along
with such proftless cities as the three last
named, and, what is more, the Association
won't have them. That is very plain to
Association club in Boston there
will be trouble. There ought to
be, because it is a generally admitted fact
that one of the conditions of the general sur
render was that the Association should be
taken care OF. The objectors to the placing of
an Association club in Boston are the his
torical triumyirs who never want anything
that is no use to them. They are a mag
unanimous trio, ever willing to share what
they cannot themselves use. That has been
their record, and l dare say ever will be if
they are allowed to keep it up. The avarice
and monopolistic methods which have char
acterized the triumvirs and others in the
past have done much to bring about dis.
content and trouble. There is, therefore,
much reason in tie Association insisting
on their claim of not only placing a club
IN Boston, but in Chicago. Why, while
other cities have been making money, the
two in question have been coming it If
the National League allows these triumvirs
to be masters of the situation more trouble
may be looked for. This is time of COM
promise, and certainly the n. L. magnates
in Boston are as well able to do their share
of compromising as the magnates in any
other city. But it has vet to be shown that
an Association club in Boston would affect
the finances of the n. L. club to anv ap-
preciable extent. fear that the opposition
OF the triumvirs is prompted more by de-
sire to be revenged on the P. L. leaders of
Boston than anything else. If this is so, it
should be stopped emphatically. Bad feel
ing must cease, and any arrangement that en-
tails bad feeling to any great extent will be
worse than no arrangement at all. Everybody
ought to be treated fairly-even the most rabid
leader OF the late hostile forces.
Local Club Affairs.
Matters in the local clubs are Just as difficult
almost TO fix up as the affairs nationally. 1t is
not wide of the mark to say that there has been
a meeting or two every day for the last seven
days, and still we haven't the new club. But as
events have turned out there is no hurry, be-
cause A. 6. Spalding and A w. Thurman have
declared that no player can be signed or en-
gagged before.next month at soonest. 1t is in
tended - enforce this condition very rigidly.
IT,: will give the local magnates plenty of
time TO get their affairs thoroughly in order
and proceed to organize on safe and salts
factory basis Yesterday Mr. O'NeilI and
Messrs. McCallin ana Kerr had long talk as
TO what kind of charter would be applied for,
but when told of the decree of Messers. Spald-
ing and Thurman, they postponed their con-
sideration of the matter. Manager Hanlon will
now go home and spend the holidays at his own
dreside, and by the time that he returns it is to
be hoped that everything here will be serene.
There is really no reason for trouble, because
there is every indication that the investment in
the new club will be good one. OF course we
are all aware that Director O'Neill has an op-
tion on the stock of Messrs. Nimick and Con-
verse. Ii is only an option, and Mr.. O'Neil
tells me that if he does not buy he will not SELL
believe him. He is earnest and enthusiastic
about the club and the fact that he is anxious
TO pay $4,000 for the interests of the two gen.
tlemen named, Is proof that he thinks he can
make success of the new organization.
Is He Phenom?
Sirce the sprint race between Smothers and
young man named Lehman there has been
any amount of talk regarding the time of the
race. did not witness the race, but one gen.
teman assured me that the winner covered the
century" in even time; that is, ten seconds.
declined to believe it, but subsequently an
old and experienced authority assured me that
the time was 10 10 1-5. We'll, have no proof to
show the contrary, and while 1 may
have my doubts about the statement 1
will allow the latter to go for what it
is worth. 1t is quite easy for
people to even deceive themselves in timing
1OO-yard race. But assuming that Smothers
ran the distance in 10 Is all have to say is:
He is a wonder because making that time un-
der the circumstances means that under first
class conditions he onght to be better than
even time. am informed that he is under 20
years OF age. l almost forgot to state that a
professional distance runner told me the other
day that Smothers, who is a colOred youth by
the way, actually ran 100 yards at Brownsville
in $40. Again say that this statement may
20 for what it is worth. But if Smothers ran
80 fast at Exposition Park what about
lehman Lehman According According to the smothers
3 l015 man, so that we are surrounded with
flyers and without knowing il. There are
many good runners who fail to reach l015 and
certainly il Smothers is the phenomenon
stated Lehman must be something near a
t'coTker.n The hacker of Lehman writes me
TO the effect that the latter will run Smothers
l25 yards if SmOthers comedies two yards start
and be, Lehman, will run Hammond under
similar conditions. Nichols, of Brownsville
can be accommodated on even terms, and
Beck, of ShaI psburg, can have two yards start.
Lehman's hacker assures me that any OF the
above matches can be secured by forwarding
forfeit to this office.
Trouble Among the Wheelmen.
Last week hac few words to say about the
case of the bicycle riders who have been sus-
pended from amateur ranks. Since my few
words were said almost all of the persons in
terested have had their say and the matter is
much easier to understand now than it was a
week ago. Many of the accused have made
statements and some OF the officials OF the ac-
eusing club have made counter statements and
altogether think it will not be difficult in this
instance to come to something like 4 correct
conclusion regarding the matter even before
the question is disposed of by the amateur mag
mates, wiseacres or whatever they may be.
After all has been said, think it is safe to say
that there is q very hipsy case against
the suspended wheelmen and 1 am inclined
to think that Mr.. Z. F. MatheWson, of the
Berkley Athletic Club has also come to
this conclusion even though his club
preferred the charges against the amateurs in
question. Mr.. Mathewson said on Wednesday
that the only question at issue is: Is it not pro-
fessionalism to receive expenses when in train
ing? 1t would therefore seem there is not any
serious charge at all against the suspended
members because il has been understood for a
long time that the expenses of amateurs while
II. 81,