, 1891-08-08
ON THE DIAMOND.
Rem milford, Jr., Has His Say
About Some Things.
THE GREAT FOLLY OF FIGHTING.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of the Minor
Associations-The Unique Contest for
the Pennant of the National League.
There are two distinct angles from which
the crank can study baseball. but only one
has charms for him Yankee Doodle's
sport has assume the Importance of a
great business, but the simon pure enthu-
siast does not care a straw for the financial
side OF the game, and yet the two must
needs be closely allied. The more exciting
the race and the hotter the conflicts be-
tween rivals for place, the greater the gate"
and the opportunities to pay the liberal sal
aries enjoyed by the pets of the diamond
There have been clouds gathering on the
baseball horizon prefacing a threatened
storm which will draw attention to the
props" OF the game.
No plans will ever be devised which will
enabl a d-dollar town to sup
port a twenty-thousand-dollRr team with
out suffering the pangs of hunger on the
LIST and 18th Of each month. In no other
business is the percentage OF risk SO great
as Investments in baseball. Not a cam
paign closes which does not witness the
digging of a few more graves in the ma
tional games cemetery. In their mad
PUSHES to gain talent with the one idea of
winning that much coveted pennant bust
ness principles are thrown to the winds
and everything save the commendable leap
for glory is forgotten. Only one cluI in
eight can hope to capture the flag. Then re-
action follows disappointment. Books with
a surplus OF entries on the debit side are
balanced, and finally a few more recruits
join the parade of magnates who wear
green collars at the seances of Experience
lodge, Ancient Order OF Has Beens. 1t
costs money to taxi all the degrees.
Although the season is but half over,
there nave been signs of distress in two of
the major organizations, and several OF the
smaller state leagues have been swallowed
up. st. Paul was the first to give evidences
of dissolution in the Western association,
but Duluth took the club, and the threat
ened disruption of the circuit was averted.
Now comes the story from Omaha, where
Uncle Dick Mccormick sunk 5000 and
then drew In his sign as a philanthropist
when he found there were few people who
would share with him the glory OF carry
ing a team that could win games, but
wanting in an ability to draw enough peo-
pie to keep the bank account fat on salary
days.
A companion piece TO this tale Of woe
was the recital OF Louisville's misfortunes.
That member of the Associations family
has been in hard lines ever since 1888. and
even II there were no strained relations be-
tween National league and American, the
latter would have trouble enough on hand.
II out Of the misfortunes of the hour peace
comes, then these cited ills may be deemed
blessings in disguise. The American 1850
citation may live outside the pale Of a ma
tional agreement, but it will be a puny life
unsatisfactory and of no profit
The ruin of the American association
would be a calamity, but to remain with
| kanla trr1fftal -aaINr 20 uNrflya rrn ~
baseball Is a mistake that might bring
about such an ever-to-be-deplored event
Under one flag would come the old rivalry,
the heated battles for the worlds cham
pionship banner in the fall and the spring
and autumn engagements Of League and
Association clubs Surely there is a mu'
tual benefit to be derived from peace. and
peace the public demands. There is but
one barrier, and thus far it has proved a
weight about the necks of seven Associa,
ton clubs, dragging them down toward
bankruptcy. Cincinnati has proved such
a costly toy to the Association that ONT
special meeting has already been held tc
face the crisis.
History but repeats it,elf. Both tn,
Union association and Players league
tried to exist outside the ines of II national
agreement. Both failed The American
association can hope for no other fate. II
is singular how passion will lead magnates
blindly on to destruction. For the sake OF
Cincinnati alone the war of 1891 was de
clared, and the picture the Association has
to contemplate is a team drawing fewer
people at a quarter tariff than the Leaguers
are doing at half a dollar and with a club il
last place. The League has tied up $50, 0O(
for the sake of their foothold in CINCINNATI
and 1t is folly to think that they will lister
to terms Of compromise which would dictate
the evacuation of that city. 1t was folly
to bring about a hand-to-hand conficI
after the bitter experiences of last year
and it would be a greater folly to continue
the strife on those lines.
What a grand race that is in the League
New York and Chicago have been engaged
in moving in and out of first place for sew
eral weeks, and Boston is almost neal
enough to take the front parlor. Never il
the history of the pioneer body has ther'
been such a struggle. Eight clubs punched
within 900 points is quite a record.
Several new faces have been added u
the League directory. Pittsburg has Sc
cured Shugart and Cincinnati J.. ID. Cur
tbs from the Western association. The re
lease of both were acquired by purchase
and these clubs will have new cards or
their next eastern trip. Curtis falls he'll
to the shoes of Lefty Mari, who wa,
NOT relehSeu 80 muCn on hccounJ oI IL
falling off in batting, but because he wa!
not quick enough to see a point on tn,
lines.
Philadelphia's pitching corps has beer
increased by the addition of a Delawar,
(O.) college boy-Sayler-but he cannot b,
termed anything more than ar expert
ment. Chicago expects to introduce
youthful twirler named Nicoll, an Illinois
Iowa league pickup, on their coming tour
The young bloods are not to be despiset
this year. The veterans among the Giants
Of course, have batted out many a victory
but in twenty of the first thirty-nin,
games won by New York, Amos Rusie wa
in the box INT Jack Sharott officiated il
four others. The League season is bu
half over, and predictions in the face o
such n hnnchadu 6nht ara foolish