Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-05
SOUTHERN BALL.
Why the Game Degenerated in
the Sunny Land
MORE SALARY THAN RECEIPTS.
Waiting for Something to Turn Up-Rad-
bourn and His Wartime Expert
ence-Two Pennant Races
Practically Ended.

the business end of a swordfsh. Depart
ing magnates have left behind them foot
prints and depleted purses. The south is
the greatest OF all the morgues, but al
though professional ball is dead in the
land of cotton and cane the amateurs keep
interest in the game there alive. There is
a whisper that with the coming OF pence
and Thanksgiving dinner in the national
agreement family the Southern league
will be revived next spring. There WAS
always too much enthusiasm about the
control OF baseball affairs in the south.
Salaries were always far above a reason
able limit, and that is what killed the
game in Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta,
Charleston, Chattanooga, Mobile, Birrn-
ingham and New Orleans The percent
age of home talent in southern leagues Of
the past was very small, and many of the
players were veterans who had outlived
their usefulness in other leagues but who
demanded kings ransoms before they
would deign to accept positions.
recall one incident OF the extravaganza
which prevailed in Memphis latter days.
Kirby was one of the old League twirlers
whose arm had lost its cunning. After the
St. Louis Maroons had discarded him
Cleveland picked him up and gave him a
chance to pitch for his life against Cincin-
natl The game was commenced but never
finished. Hits ratified off the Reds bats
like acorns from an oak during an October
blow. The runs soon reached double fig
ures, but before five innings were COM
pleted storm stopped the slaughter.
Memphis eagerly snapped Kirby up and
l., a,
sapped the financial life Of the Bluff City's
club and their diamond is covered with
moss and black eyed Susans. 1t was such
follies as that which encompassed the ruin
of the game In the south. The players are
not to be blamed for working the angels
for all they could, but it was poor way
to perpetCate the game.
From J. Walker Ross, one of the erst-
while baseball authorities in southland, l
have received this message: Baseball is
recovering slightly in New Orleans, and
you may be surprised if | tell you that
there is some little talk of a league next
season. There must be big change in
baseball government, however, before we
can hope to make success of the game
professionally in these parts"
There are several states in the land of
tive in any professional league, and North
Carolina, Florida and Mississippi are all
in that class. The Texas league was the
healthiest state organization that ever sur
vived several campaigns, but it, too, fell
upon evil days when salaries larger vhan
the gate receipts were demanded Then it
was that the Sand Crabs and other Lone
Star celebrities joined the Pelicans and Sea
Gulls as baseball extincts."
There are but few southerners now in
League and Association company. Will
Nash, of the Boston leaguers, is a native
Virginian, and he servsG his apprenticeship
with Richmond when that club spent sew
eral months in the Association. Uncle
Arson found John P. Luby down in Gal
weston, where he was known as 1.-The Texas
Steer" Mr.. Luby came from the earth
quake city, Charleston. Little Duffee, of
the Columbus team, is from Mobile, and
Sanders, of the Athletics, is Tennesseeau.
These are about ali who are very promi-
nent.
There are enough players emulating the
example of Mr.. Micaw ber-waiting for
something to turn up-to provide talent
for fine southern league, not to mention
rejuvenated western and eastern associ-
atoms Never in the history Of the game
were there SO many players with reputa-
tons warbling, I'm sitting on the style,
Mary" Many of them have been waiting
for months, and they will wait good
while longer IL the baseball factionists
agree to longer disagree. Some well known
men have gone into possible final retire
ment this year. Fred Dunlap was the
first. Only few brief years ago and he
was the king Of the second basemen. Dun
lap was not scholar, but he possessed the
faculty of discerning the value of money,
and he has a rent roll that is big enough to
keep the wolf from the door.
Deacon James L. White was the second
old timer to give it up. He had drifted
into some little club in the New York
league. Charles Radbourn holds the third
rank in this list and not one of the retire
ments can be termed voluntary acts. One
of the delightful little libels Of the year
was that Radbourn was an army veteran
1t was whispered that Rad was mem
Der of "The Last Illinois," and the after
moons during which he ofiiciated at Gin
cinnati were called Grand Army DAYS"
Radbourn enjoyed the story as much as
any one else, and during the Brooklyn's
first western trip he was drawn into de-
bate with Pinkney on a matter that &C.
CURED in the '70's
"How do know?" queried Pink. Pm
not quite as old as Methusalehl''
"Oldf" retorted Radbourn. well,
you're no spring chicken! / can remem-
Der when you was a drummer boy in my
regiment, The Last Illinoisr"
The revelation" tickled the boys and
served to make Pink red hot One Of
the most laughable scenes incidental to a
game occurred at Cincinnati this summer.
Radbourn was in the box, and he was
being touched up in lively manner. At
the end Of one inning, after the batting
had been exceedingly warm, Old Rad
dropped the ball just as somebody began
to whistle familiar air. 1t WAS taken up
in the grand stand and pavilion too. In
less than minute thousand pairs of lips
were puckered, and Rad walked in 70
the shrilI accompaniment Of Marching
Through Georgia"
Radbourn, like both Dunlap and White
is a Nan OF means, and he has sought a
quiet nook at Bloomington, Ills, to enjoy
the fortune that was the fruit Of a valuable
baseball combinations good arm and a
wise head.
One more season is fast drawing to
i. L.. I