The Washington critic., 1890-05-19
GOSSIP OF THE SPORTS.
NEWS OF THE BALL FIELD, RACE
TRACK AND PRIZE RING.

lCbln SCen 10 nave lOSI lnelT eye lot Oht-
ting, and in the last two games have
not succeeded in hitting the ball at all.
To this fact is attributed the defeats of
Saturday and yesterday. In Saturday s
game Mace pitched remarkably fine
game, only five hits being made off his
delivery. Only three of these, how
ever, were clean hits, the other two
being scratch hits inside the diamond
On the other hand, Mccoy was batted
rather freely, and, combined with the
errors that were made. sufflced to give
the ctory to the visitors.
Yesterdays game was, according to
the dispatches, one of the finest ever
played in Newark, and Washington re-
ceived its first coat of whitewash. Both
pitchers did great work, but the errors
of Sullivan's men helped their oppo.
nents to victory. The Ncwarks played
perfect fielding game, and their sacri-
flee hitting was one of the features of
the game.
Just at the present time the local
team is In pretty bad shape, and it starts
on its long trip under very unsatis.
factory auspices. The team is nothing
more nor less than travelling hospital.
O'Brien, In addition to the blow he re-
ceived on the head in the last Whining.
ton game and which has affected his
batting to great extent, had finger
badly split yesterday. Jordan is
not fit to play; DIaloney is sick;
Bird has a sore leg, and the
men are pretty well broken up.
Until they recover their old form again
we can expect to hear of more defeats
than victories. In their present crippled
condition the team is playing against
the strongest team in the Association,
and that it should lose to 1t is not to be
wondered at. Perhaps when the club
gets among the weaker members of the
Eastern contingent 1t may be able to
hold It's own. 1t is to be hoped so at all
events, for Baltimore is crowding us
pretty close for first honors Just at pres
ent, and its team is in first.class condi-
tion and has been strengthened within
the past week.
There is some talk of strengthening
the Washington Club, but there does
not seem to be any reason why this
should be done. The team is strong
enough to successfully cope with all its
adversaries, but, unfortunately, at the
present time, is in crippled condition.
AS soon as the men get well, which
will be within few days, everything
will be all right, and we shall resume
our victorious march toward the pen
nant. The men understand each other
now, and the Introduction of any new
players, unless 1t was understood to be
only temporary, is unnecessary and
would only result In the demorializa-
tion of the others.
Wilmington continues to lose games
with characteristic monotony. If it con-
tinues for week or two longer its posi-.
ton in the race will be so accurately de
termined that it will not be able to get
out of it no matter how much it Is
strengthened. The club should be put
upon an equal standing with the others
if it is in the power Of the Association
to do 1t, and the sooner 1t Is done the
better it will be for every member of the
Association. 1t may sound strange in
the present prosaic stage of baseball
when every one is endeavoring to
corral the almighty dollar to advo-
cate such action, but 1t Is for the
best interests of all the clubs, and
in the end will prove financially
profitable. The best plan that was
ever devised to assist the weaker clubs
and one under which baseball would
have prospered more than it can ever
hope to now, was the millennium plan.
Shortsighted magnates who lived but
| fol the present thrust 1t aside, however,
with the result that our great national
game is rapidly deteriorating, first, be.
cause of the inequality of the clubs
| second, because of the indecent scram
J BILE for the spoils, in which the weaker
is made the cats paw of the stronger
Billy Dacey has not yet replied to the
answer to his challenge, and there is 8
shrewd suspicion abroad that he does
not intend TO. Dacey evidently knows
the man he would be pitted against, and
he knows he stands little, if any, show
against him. Dacey is a clever fighter
and match between him and Hopper
or Young woung be an interesting one
but when Billy commences to sign him
self lightweight champion" and tc
aspire to men like McAuliffe and Myel
he issgetting out of his class. In thu
first place he Is not the light. weigh
champion and never will be until hl
has defeated McAuliffe or Myer or both
And speaking about the lightweight
championship, it is In pretty muddleG
condition just at present, with severa
aspirants for the honor. Carney holds
the English championship and Nc
Auliffe the American, and ever sine
their memorable fight several years ag,
each has been making faces at tn
other and trying TO renew the fight {,
settle the question. Since the Nc
Auliffe-M Myer fight in Illinois, whicl
ended in "a draw, McAuliffc has studi
ously avoided Myers challenges, bu
just now II looks very much as /
he could not do so any longer
The Illinois man has his money
up. and is willing to fight be
fore any club in the East wher,
he can be assured of protection
and Mac will either have to fight o
lose the title. He always was shift
fighter, of the win tie. -wrangle order
but at present he is In a corner an,
there does not seem to be any escap
for him. The sporting public desire t
see the different grades of pugilish
championships settled and If all tn
other would-be champions would de
termine the question by battling tn
recognized champion, every one woul
be better satisfied.
The great filly Flyaway has broke
down, says a Louisville dispatch, an
her retirement from the turf to th
breeding farm is necessary. Yesterda
morning she was given a short spi
and near the completion of 1t falteret
and was led back to the stable hopt
less cripple. 1t Is probable that hC
roon NTH Haltar Slxnltar on fho Ia r.
track at Nashville fastened her breal
ing down. 1t was the opinion of a
trainers and turf men here that sh
was by odds the best filly of her age !
America and her mishap is a serior
one to her owners, inasmuch as sh
threatened to sweep the iillies stakes a