, 1891-02-22
PENNANT FIGURES
The Difficulties Found in Guess
ing League Champions.
TEAM HANDLING GREAT FACTOR

Eulanoed-some characteristics of and
Points About the Methods of Arson,
Ward. Ewing and Kelly.
In figuring upon the p~ennant prospects
Of the National league teams this year, the
average baseball expert or enthusiast will
find himself almost at his wits ends be.
fore he gets through, and then he will
hardly dare his choice without
an and" or an "if' for fear his friends
will later on give him a smile OF com
miseration when his team gets down into
the second division in the percentage rec
ord. The reason for this extreme difficulty
in picking a WHINE during what is known
as the paper season is the very even
strength Of the teams. OF course, after a
month Of actual play. the task will be much
easier, but one OF the most delightful
things to the simon pure enthusiasts is
this preseason guessing.
In ISIS and 1889 | named the champions
before a ball was tossed, and held my
ground all season. Last yGFr 1 pfgkgd the
brotherhood champions, but my League
choice finished sixth and left me in mourn
ing This year, like all the other cranks,
/ am Mt present all at sea. According to
the outlook now five OF the teams seem to
be 50 equally balanced, all things con
sidered, that the question Of superiority Is
apt 10 depend more upon the fnesse and
ability OF the captains OF the teams thar
the skill Of the combatants, and every one
who does any guessing must take this
point into consideration If he hopes to
come anywhere near the final result.
There are some great captains who will
be In authority this year, and some who
will not, and there are some who are not,
generally speaking, thought to be over
loaded with ability who will ave charge
of teams. Arson will, Us usual, guide the
Chicago team, Ewing will have New York,
Ward will hustle the B~rooklyns, the pres
ent champions, Hanlon will be the boss in
Pittsburg, and Mike Kelly is slated for
Boston. Cincinnati, so far, has neither
captain nor manager selected. The cap
tains Of the Cleveland and PHILADELPHIA
teams will probably be figure heads. AS
Bob Leadley will direct his men from the
bench and Harry Wright will do the same
for the Phillies. Kelly will have the as.
sistanco Of Frank Seeley, and Ewing will
be the gamer by Mutrie's knowledge and
experience.
There will be three teams individually
stronger than Chicago, but there will be
none that can vie with it for discipline and
united effort, unless possibly it be the
Brooklyn team. Arson is n strict, but
withal a just man. lie exacts the most
implicit obedience from his men, and, what
is more, he gets il, however much some Of
the players may kick in private. So p4uc-
tilious is Arson on this point that IL any
player. even though he were the best in the
nine, set his orders at defiance for any
length OF time he would be pretty sure be-
fore long TO find himself either severely
punished or in another team. For in
stance, Baldwin, DAILY and Mnrtiu Suui-
vRn. Arson doesn't care much about the
outside kicking, 50 long as his orders are
ObeyCl and the players play ball.
Ryan and Duffy are instances Of this
kind. Every now and then they will feel
aggrievcd and get suIky, but thoy play ball
every minute they are on the field. II
they did not Arson would find n way to
bring them into line or get rid Of them.
There are certain hours for practice on the
home grounds. and woe 10 the man who does
not turn up unless he has an excuse that
can be subjected to a microscope with per-
feet safety. II the team gets to playing poor
ball while on the road Anson will get them
out in the morning on the local grounds,
and keep them busy for hours. Such
discipline and practice, when added to An
sons knowledge Of the tricks and strata
gems of the game, make the Chlcagos
formidable always and ofttimss uncOn-
querable.
Wards methods are not unlike AnsUuis
in many respects. He makes his men prac-
tlce a great deal, but he does his most eff
fective work during the progress of the
game. lie encourages his men all the time.
and yet Is considered to be something Of a
martinez. Ward believes in touching the
pocket to sustain discipline, II yet always
gives the offending player a chance before
filming him, unless it be a fragrant case
where strong measures are necessary.
Wards entire team last season had the
greatest respect and admiration for him,
and vyua a worry hapnv faunf1v W.r1 ,a
derstauds the rules Of the game as well as
any player there IS, and is ready at all
times to avail himself of every point that
cAn be made. He is remarkably expert in
getting on to the weaknesses OF opposing
pitchers, and oftentimes their signs, and
these things help not n little to make up
his success.
Ewing does not believe in much prac-
tice while his team Is on the road. When
the team Is at home. however, he expects
them to practice every morning, and they
generally do, but he does not make as much
OF n point Of it rs Arson. Players cannot
get excused from practice with Arson, but
they have no great difficulty in doing so
with Ewing. Buck is severe on his men,
and does not hesitate to 'lace" them on
the field. Indeed he does quite as much
scoldinE In public as he does in private.
He always manages, however, by a bit Of
bAaA At9 - Auubotu over MS EeUukeS after
ward, and II a player is doing good
work Buck is not scant in his praises. He
does not do much filming. When he does
fine he makes It the limit in most cases.
Last year Ewing did more filming thar he
has ever done before in his career, and the
aggregate Of the fines imposed was larger
than all the fines put on the New York
team for three or our years previous.
Ewing's great forte is in smoothing over
quarrels and differences among the men,
and his ability in this line will stand him
in good stead this year, as his greatest
task will be to preserve harmony in the
team.
Kelly is different from all the others.
He never Gnes. II there is any ining to be
done the directors nave to do it. Kelly
does most Of his work rs n captain on the
field of battle. He calls the players down
at any and all times, and seldom tries &c
square things. Kelly thinks that every
man ought to play ball all the time, and
that he should always be on tho alert. All
he asks Is that u man shall try his level
best. He never in Is fault with errors.
but does with stupid plays. One would
think that lis men would dislike him, but
they find Mike such a good fellow of the
field and so Wiling to praise good work
thMl nlS I---lnnss. which i crne-~liv do