The morning call., 1891-02-09
LEAGUE LINERS.
Gossip Concerning California
Clubs and Players.
Reported Makeup of the Sacramento Team
& Baseball Directors Opinion OF Third
Baseman Van Zant.

81 Gunst, one Of the Directors of the
Portland Oregon team, is at present in
this city. Harris asked him, few DAYS ago.
what he thought OF Van Zant, the new third
baseman of the San Francisco club. who
played with Tacoma last season. Gunst re-
piled: I" He was so far ahead of the other
third-hasemen in the Pacific Northwest
League that l could not class him with any
OF them, and the league contained a great
many speedy ipfelders." Little Danny
Sweeney was said to have been highly
pleased when he heard Van Zant would be
in the same team with him. Sweeney and
the third-baseman played together in the
East. DOoley also speaks in terms of
praise Of Van Zant when the latter's
name is mentioned. Harris is firmly
convinced that he has at last secured
a strong man TO guard base No. g. While
he was man aging the Haverly and San
francisco teams he always experienced
trouble with his third baseman. Anderson
died before playing in a championship game
and Connie DOYLE proved useless here, al
though he PLAYED the position 'out of sight
after going East When Harris was up
north Van Zant was not in the league, but
arrived in Tacoma subsequent to the man.
ayers return to San Francisco. Every per-
son who has witnessed his fielding and
batting says San Francisco Will have the
best third baseman in the California League.
Van Zaut Will be made captain of the local
club.
Edward Cartwright, the first baseman of
the San Francisco team, is expected in this
city this week. In a letter to Harris the
player stated that his family would accom-
pany him. The family consisted. he wrote,
of his wife and eight birds" Harris is now
wondering if his new man is the father IF
eight children. Cartwright will be one of
thechlet attractions in the California League
this season. He is now on the reserve list
Of the St Louis Club, but will be given his
release, as Captain Comiskey has been signed
by Won der Abe to hold down the
initial cushion for tho Browns Cart
wright Is a native of JOhnstOwn, Pa,
and Is approaching his thirty-second
year. He commenced playing ball
professionally with the Youngstown Club
in the year the American Association was
born. He continued playing there i'll 1888
and 1884 and the following season found
BIN out of the harness. During the winter
OF 1896 he wandered down South aud the
Mobile Club found in him treasure. He
was in New Orleans the following year and
IN 1855 and 1889 he played with the Kansas
City Blues and the st. Joseph Club. From
the Missouri team he drifted to Hamilton,
up IN Ontario and then remained until July
18th, 1899. leaving Hamilton to Join the St.
Louis Browns. He weighs 21S pounds and
is i've feet ten inches in height. He is
ranked among the heaviest hitting first
basemsn in the country. Cartwright had
no reason to fear lie would not be signed
In the East this season. His heavy batting
. and field work make him valuable man,
and he would have been seen in one of the
big clubs in the East had not his desire to
s. ythe country led him TO sign San Fran
CISCO contract
Van Haltren's friends will read the fol-
lowing with II iphira "a
which way the wind is blowing in the
Worlds Fair city: The makeup of the
Chicago team Is causing deal of argument
and surmlse. Arson holds to his players OF
last year with pralSeworthy fealtY, but the
fact remains that he could not win the PEN
nant with last years team. While an evenly
balanced organization 1t is not strong enough
In certain departments to stand ~ at the
top this year With a few changes, how
ever, il Can be made strong in almost every
branch. The refusal of the clubs mana
gers to release Gumbert and Van Haltren
was cause Tor congratulatiOn 10 the local
lovers OF the sport Hutchinson, Luby,
Stein and DWyer could not have won the
pennaDt, but the first two with Van Haltren
and Gumbert Will make as strong a pitching
quartet as there Is in this country.
Carroll is an excellent fielder, but there
is hardly place Tor him in the team. With
Van Haitren signed the club will not have
to Try an extra man. "-ChicagO Tribune.
Catcher Stevens is engaged in carpenter
ing work GA the new Haight-Street grand
stand. Stevens is foreman carpenter. and
occasionally remarks that if he had never
left his trade to chase the sphere on the dia-
n0hd he would be the possessor OF a snug
bank account. ~ have several times re-
solved tOq quit ball-playing," once said the
bachstop, and it was an easy matter to
stick to my resolution during the winter
months " hen the ground was covered with
snow. But when the summer time came the
Old fever would be raging stronger than
ever and il required little persuasion to cast
aside the saw and plane for bat and ball"
Stevens was not one OF the stars last year,
but he a. an intelligent. cool-headed, earn
est player, " no sunk his individuality to in-
sure the success of his team, and he will,
be one Of the men who will be missed.
Manager Robinson Is pursuing the same
tactics at present that he employed before
the opening Of last years season. He with
held from publication the makeup of his
team Un;il almost the very last moment
with view OF springing a sensational sur
prise on an expectant baseball public eager
10 hear of an aggregation of stars. The
public however, did not surprise worth a
cent, and before many months had passed
Robinson released three If his "phenOms"
for incOmpetency. Wonder if the 0Nei-
Robinson sensation IS going up this time
ike rocket and coming down with the
velocity OF a scantling?
The home crauks this year will "root"
for the following team-the San Francis
eos-nOw completed: Catchers, Pop SWEET
of San Francisco and Boston and w. j.
ClaI Ike OF Ottumwa, Iowa; pitchers, George
W. Cobb of last years Oaklands and Toby
A. Lyons of Boston; first base, Edward
Cartwright of st. Louis; second base,
James Sharp Of Ottumwa; third base, Van
Zant of burlington and Tacoma; shortstop,
William Hassamer, formerly of the West
ern Association and last year with Port
land; left field. Reuben Levy of Kinder
gaIteuyille; center field, Danny Sweeney of
last years OLklands; right field, one of the
catchers.
Bill Everett, the big shortstop who has
been signed for San Jose, is now in Denver.
He wrote to friend in this city lately that
be was sorry be had engaged himself to
Finn as he could have secured sit" in
the Denver club. Speaking about the letter
one OF tie league managers said: "If Ever
EFT wishes to be released from his contract
he should telegraph his desire to Finn. The
latter will give the shortstop his dismis sal
without moments hesitation Finn does
not regret signing Everett, but he would be
Just as well pleased to have either McDon-
aid -or ReitZ instead"
An agreement has been reached between
MessTs. Harris and Finn concerning the
raising OF the penuant before the COM
mencement of the first game. Firms team
won the league championship In 1880, and
Harris will allow Sir Michael all the glory
attached TO the victory. As the San Fran
cisco and San Jose teams issue from the
clubhouse Speer, Lookabaugh, Everett,
Upright and Manager Finn viii break from
the Santa Clara club and. aided by Rube
Levy Of the Friscos, will hoist the champion
ship flag TO the breeze.
The release Of Ned Stapleton after he was
signed by the owners of the Sacramento
team would indicate that ]. J. McCloskey
will be manager Of the Capital City club in
fact as well as in name. The men signed
by McClOskey have all been at one time in
the Texas League, concerning the affairs of
which the manager is thoroughly posted
McCloskey in one way Is right in insisting
upon selecting his own team. lie alone will
be responsible for the work OF the Senators
during the coming season, and he evidently
does not propose 10 be handicapped by out
side interference.
A statement has been made that Manager
McCloskey Of Sacramento has given out
that the following players will be Senators
this season: Catchers Spies and Arm
strong; pitchers = Hoffman. Huston and
France; first base. McGuirk; second base
Hutchinson (of last years Chicago league
~. -s,ll Il