The record-union., 1891-02-09
BASEBALL TALK.
Senatorial Cracks Whose Services
Are Not Wanted.
Manager Gtnsberg and Captain Nc
Closkey Working Up a New
Team for 1891.

Only little more than month
will elapse until the California baseball
season will burst upon the epublic, and the
managers of the various league teams are
preparing for the fray. Considerable
activity is already being manifested in
the cities that are to be represented, and
1t is expected that the approaching season
will be fully as exciting as the one that
closed last November.
The man who furnishes the base
ball score-cards at the Haight-street
grounds in San Francisco thinks he
knows the personnel OF the entire nine
that Captain McCloskey has selected for
the Sacramento team, and guesses as fol-
lows: Armstrong (of last seasons
Stockton team and Spear, catchers; Hoff-
man, Huston and France, pitchers; Nc
Quirk, first base; Hutchinson, second
base; Reeder, third base; Peoples, short
stop; McCloskey, left field and Captain;
Sunday, center field; Works, right field.'
No doubt the guess is a fairly good one,
and probably some Of the men whom he
mentions will be with Sacramento this
year, but when he says the whole nine is
completed he makes a mistake. Captain
McCloskey has not engaged complete
y
names of any of the men whom he has
signed until he has one for each position.
1t is settled fact that neither ReitZ nor
Bowman will play with the Sacramento
club this year, but nevertheless will not
be forgotten by those who attended the
games last year. They were undoubtedly
the two best men in the club, and are
acknowledged to be such by the audiences
at San Francisco, Stockton and Sacra-
mento. Reitz' fielding work throughout
the season was marvellous, and although
he was not a strong batter, he changed
his position so as to bat right-handed
when he played with the San Diegos
recently, and the result was he batted all
of the pitchers with a frequency that
was astonishing. Just why he has not
been signed again, no one knows. The
club that signs him will surely have a
fielder who cannot be taught many points
in baseball by any player in the West.
properly treated by the Sacramento man
ager. He says he offered to sign at his
former salary, and that Mr.. Ginsberg
told him the terms would be satisfactory,
but a week or so afterwards, when he
presented himself, he was informed that
another catcher had been accepted in his
stead.
I'm going to stay in Sacramento until
see one game, anyhow" said Bowman
to reporter, land then / guess I'u go
back home"
There was not better catcher in the
league last year than Bowman, and he
was the only player in the team who
could coach and instil little ''ginger''
into the players when it was necessary
His backstop work was very seldom
criticised, and with Reitz at second it was
not often that a runner stole that bag.
Bowman thinks his services are worth
$3.50 per month, and says he does not in
tend to lower his standing in the profess
sion by accepting poor salary.
Roberts is another man who has not
yet found an engagement. He is player
whose title as the champion outfielder in
California was never for moment dis
puted. He is the surest catcher in the
State and an exceptionally hard hitter at
the bat.
Goodenough is also idle, and has poor
prospect of obtaining position in any of
the California League clubs this year.
It is understood that the League Di-
Tectors are endeayoring to secure the
services of Charley Gagus and Jack Sher-
ldan as umpireS.
Manager Harris, of San Francisco, has
his team all staked out, it is said, and
ready to be put into harness at the proper
moment. He regards the pennant as
good as won already. The names of his
prospective champions are: SWEET and
Clark catchers, Cobb and Lyons pitchers,
IISJ DdSc, koLdi SSCOHu DdSb,
Van Zandt third base and probably Cap
tain, Hassemer short stop, Levy (Rube
Levy left field, Sweeny DAM center
field, with one of the catchers in right
Pop SWEET, Rube Levy, George Cobb and
Dan Sweeney are well known out here,
but the others will be perfect strangers.
the eelsng e p shys s Of alsh Mbo
started for this city from Chicago the
other day, will, if he plays here as he has
played in st. Louis and other cities, at
once become a firm favorite. OF Sharp
nothing is known, except that he comes
from Ottumwa In the club he played
with last season his fielding average
would not startle crank, but his batting
record was above 800, made against what
some are pleased TO term roller skate
pitchers. Hassemer played in the Pacific
Northwest League last year, as did Van
Zandt. Harris says Hassemer can play
Jerry Denny-and Jerry ought to know
says of Van Zandt: He can play third
with his eyes shut better than any man
who has yet played that position out
here?'
Lyons comes here strongly recon-
mended as good pitcher by Billy Nash,
whose opinion is worth something more
than the ordinary judge of players abil-
tiles. Clark is another unknown, picked
up some place in the cornfielGs of the
West. They may keep up with the pro-
cession, but if they do not there will be no
delay in securing men who can. There
are plenty of players to select from, and
Harris says he will have them if those he
has signed are not fast enough
Manager Finn, of San Jose, has, it is un-
derstood, signed all of his players except
the pitchers, for whom he is now negotiat-
ing. Geo. Harper, who did such good work
for the team in this city last season, will
probably be one of them. Another man
on whom Finn has his eye is one'who
made quite a reputation in the National
League last year. Lookabaugh is also
likely to officiate in the box for San Jose.
The players whom Finn has already
signed are: Stallings and Speer, catchers;
second base; Ebright, third base; Everett
short stop; McGucken, left field; McVey,
center field, and one of the catchers, prob
ably Stallings in most games, right field.
Willie Walter Veach. well known on
hundred diamond fields throughout the
country, will be 4 manager this season,
remarks San Francisco paper. He has
signed in that capacity with the Burling-
ton (Ia.) team "Peek-a-Boo' at present
is working at the Folsom Water Works.
The meeting of the California League
magnates, which was to have been held
yesterday, was postponed until next Sun
day, when the Schedule Committee will
submit report The meeting will not be
held at Oakland, but in San Francisco.
Charlie (Texas) O'Neill, who played left
field for the Oaklands last season, has
signed to play with the Tacoma team of
the Pacific Northwest League.