The morning call., 1891-02-02
LEAGUE LINERS.
Harris Signs Pitchers Cobb and
Toby Lyons.
George stallings VIII Catch for the San Jose
Team-McCloskey Arrives in
Sacramento.

brotherhood club early last year. Lyons is
reckOned as a crack pitcher, and it is said
Captain Mike Kelly intended to have him
with the Bostcns this season if the Players
League continued in existence. Lyons was
signed by Harris on the recommendation of
Billy Nash and Tom Brown OF the Bostons.
They say he has great speed and good
curves, and is capable of pitching every day
if necessary In Cobb the home team will
have one of the best. if not the best pitcher
who was in the California League last year.
The players signed to date for the San Fran
cisco team are as follows: Catchers, SWEET
and Clark; pitchers, Cobb aud Lyons;
second base, Sharp; shortstup, Hassamer;
felders, Levy. Danny Sweeney and one Of
the catchers. Should Harris sign Cartwright
foF first base and Van Zant for third, he
will have the heaviest hitting team ever
representing this city.
The Sacramento Bee last Saturday night
said John j. McCloskey, who Is to cap
tain and manage the Sacramento Baseball
Club next season, arrived in the city early
last evening, accompanied by his vile ana
child MeCloskey is a Gne-looking young
man, being about six feet In height and
weighing about $50 pounds. He was born
in Lindsay, Ontario, Canada. in 1864, but
when small boy went to Louisville, KY,
with his parents, where he was reared. He
became noted amateur player in that city
tanned and managed the famous Major
Hughes club, from which graduated some
Of the most noted players of the present
day. In 1885 he played with the Ell Paso
Crexasl club, and the following year he
was with the Arkansas City club, of the
Kansas League, with Herman Lang, Mark
hcQuay and other welEknown players. In
1887 Mr.. McClOSkey was with the st. Jo-
seph MOI Club OF the Western League. In
1888 Mr.. McCl0Skey organized the Texas
Ip1unp manaDg1 the Austin Climb 11VplDn-
ing such players as Ehret, Weaver and Ray
mond, and winning the pennant hands
down. In 1889 he managed and captained
the Houston Club. and again his team car
season he sold Rogers, Sunday and Joyce
TO the Toledo Club Of the American AsSO-
citation, and Joyce proved to be wonder
the past season with the Brooklyn Brother
o. hood Club. Last season McCloskey again
managed the Houston Club, and, nntwlth-
standing much hard luck, including the
sickness and death OF one of the best
players the team was only three games be-
hind Galveston when the league collapsed,
with fifteen games scheduled to be played
on the Houston grounds. After the dis
bandment of the Texas League McCiuskey
went 10 Peoria, Ill.,, and managed the club
of that city. Mr.. McCloskey has been
signed to captain and manage the Sacra-
-mento team for the season OF 1891, and has
been given full power to act. He had offers
from Syracuse, n. Y, and Portland, Oregon,
but preferred to experience for a time the
glorious climate OF California. lie says he
has baseball team selected for the Cap
ital City-some of the men having national
regulations as players-and their names
will be made known from time to time as ar
engagements are completed"
The following letter, received yesterday,
Is self-eXplanatOry:
Editor Cull-DEAR SIR: | noticed in your
paper some time ago an item ID reference 10 the
forming OF National Guard Baseball League
for the coming season. The idea struck me as
being very good one, and l am surprised that
nothing more has been heard or II since. l re-
member very well the organization you men,
TONED which was in existence al the old reerea-
ton grounds, and In which Al FrliZ and Captain
jim Riley took such sn active Interest Ii not
only gave she boys chance for exercise in base
ball aud made the game pOpuar-in fact, more
popular than It has ever been before or since
but Infused the National Guard with the same
split Of rivalry and active ambii Ion which char
aeterized the Base ball league Ii is 10 be hoped
that league viii be started This season. There
seems 10 be very good opportunity, and II may
prove beneficial 10 both base ball aud the militia
II seems that The Caliio4ia League VIII not
draw on local talent TO any extent for the make.
up OF lis clubs TINS season, so there VIII be sjffi
eIenI material left 10 form cfeditdble minor or
ganizaiion, which might play IN this city and in
other cities In the Stale where the National
Guard Is represented. There ought 10 be moth
Ing In Tile way OF having National Guard clubs
IN Sacramento aud San Jose 10 use the California
League grounds when the league clubs are play
ing Oh other grounds. As all admireI OF DO the
National Guard and The national game / trust
you VIII lU- lei ttl- lucd uiOl hltioLl IlcuAlOu-
Ing II again IN your valuable pap ], which seems
10 be always alive 10 those interests / remain,
yOuLs especially a CONSTANT READER.
George Stallings, who was a member of
the Oakland CLUB in 1889, and who played
with the Brooklyn League Club last season,
has been signed to catch for the San Jose
team. Stalings was one of the most popu-
lar players in the California League during
his engagement with the COlonels, aud he
will have many friends in this city to well
come him back to the Coast. Stallings is a
frst-elaSs backstop and hitter and Will add
much strength to Firms new team. He
was signed for San jose by Waller Wallace,
who enteTiains very friendly feeling for
the Gentlemanly PLAYER The signing of
Stallngs has ended Stevens chances of join
ing Finn ; aggregation. If the Eastern man
had not been engaged Stevens would have
been secured for the Garden City.
Young Sharp, the amateur, now playing
with tile Winter League clubs and who went
to the HaH allan Islands with Tom Power
team, will make his mark in the baseball
world II he cllngs To the diamond. He is
sure outielder and an excellent batsman.
He now leads the Writer League in batting,
having made nine safe hits out of fifteen
times at bat, which gives him the high aver
age of goo. He scored clean home-run hit
OF Cahll yesterday.
Fred Roberts Is reported as saying that
the statement is not true that he asked S225
or anything near the sum from Manager
Finn. The latter said when interviewed
about the matter: sit is true Roberts did
not ask that amount to play with me. What
he wanted was $500 per month, and l
dropped him like a hot cake" So the case
narrows down to question of veracity be-
tween the manager and player.
Ii the bill introduced in the Legislature
by Senator Campbell Of Siskiyou County
becomes law baseball on Sunday will be
unlawful in this State. The bill provides
against exhibitions of any kind on the Sab
bath. Should the measure pass the Califor-
ma League could not support high-priced
teams en- the returns from weekday con-
tests.
1t is understood that Harris third-base
man will be Van Zant, who was considered
one OF the best players in the Pacific North
west League last year. Van Zant, who was
that league with percentage of 1923. His
batting average was .307.
General O'Neil is still in the East hunting
high priyates for the Oakland team. but it
Is difficult to ascertain what he is accom-
plishing. A rumor is current that Zip is
not being overwhelmed with applications
from ball players.
Colonel Robinson last week announced
that he had practically signed Danny Long
Tor center field. It now tranSpireS that
Long has not consented to play with Oak
land, but will probably 60 East again.
Aitnough 1t IS conceded on all sides that
EDilgnt Wall play third base for the San
Jose Club, no definite arrangements have
yet been made between the PLAYER and
Manager Finn. "-0
Managers Finn and Robinson went down
TO San Jose yesterday to make arrange
ments for the letting of the contract Tor
building the grand stand aud fences of the
new grounds.
Frank Stapleton, the young Eastern
pitcher, is now with the Fresno team. Last
Saturday ID game against the Sacramento
Club he struck out eleven men.
osburne, whom Finn believed he had
signed for San Jose, leads the batting list
OK me Irl-State League. His average is 1897.
w. j. Clark, the new catcher of the San
francisco club, last year badA batting aver
age oil 29S and fielding percentage OF .901.
Norman Baker, the ex-Stockton twirler
WIG pitched Tor the Baltimores last year,
mas been released by Manager Barnie.
Harris Is negotiating with Cartwright. the
captain OF last years st. Louis Browns, to
play hrst base for the home team.
expect to sign Hines and Stevens of Isst
years Burlington Club. 's