Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-01

the prestige and dignity of the game Sc
cure and inspire confidence in the public
mind. If this were done all would be we'll
Ball Players as Stockholders
A day or two ago there appeared in this
| paper sslort article to the effect that Mr..
| Baldwin, father of Pitcher Mark Baldwin,
was anxious to purchase some stock in the
local club, presumably for Mark. This
caused an expression of opinion in local
| paper that was very ungenerous to Mark, to
! say the least, and certainly not logical The
| opinion was to the effect that if Mark Bald
win secured stock in the club he would
want to do as he liked, and would only
want to work when he did not feel inclined
to do anything else. Now, even If the
holding of about $1,000 worth of stock
would permit Baldwin to do this, am sure
he would not be so inclined; in fact know
of no player who would. But, bless US, the
holding of little stock in club does not
allow either player or anybody else to
run it. We have seen that fact proven In
the local club. But hold the opinion that
it would be well if every player held club
stock, and it is chiefly because of this
opinion that I now draw attention to the
matter. I know of no greater incentive In
life toward causing q man to look faith
fully after o business and work hon.
estly and energetically for it than having
an interest in it Self-interest is potent
influence, in fact one of the most powerful
and if Mark Baldwin or any other player of
the local club had $1,000 invested in the
club stock depend upon it they would do
their best to try and make the investment
grow to s., 500 as soon as possible. All the
encouragement possible should be given
play ers to invest money in club stock.
President Whites Plan.
Ex-President O'Neil of the local club
stated the other day that when he attends
the National League meeting he intends to
suggest the adoption of President Whites
plan of schedule for the championship
season. The plan briefly stated is that the
season be divided into two sections of 20
games each. The club having the highest
percentage of victories in the first 20 games
to secure pennant, and the club having
the highest percentage of victories In the
second 20 also to have q pennant. If
two clubs secure the pennants
series for the championship penuant.
This seems to me to be very plausible
plan. Whatever there may be to say
against it there is much to say in its favor.
The feature that recommends it most is that
it will tend to sustain an interest in the game
from the beginning to the end of the season.
During the first Of the season team may
be playing amid the worst kind of misfor-
tune and be down at the bottom of the list.
As the season progresses the team may get
into better condition and a new start in q
new race will revive interest in its perform
ance and give the club generally better
chance to make money. Whether the plan
is adopted or not discussion of its merits
~ (, x-.1 ho nfyY1
The Hunting Season.
The quail shooting season has COM
menced, and that fact reminds me of the
numerous complaints of illegal shooting of
that dainty bird 1 have received recently.
Some of these complaints are very interesting
because they contain suggestions regarding
the game laws. A few days ago friend of
mine went out to kill pheasants and squir-
rels, and dare say he would not have hesi-
taIed about bringing a few quail had he
seen any. But he did not see any and that
fact caused him to make some inquiries and |
these inquiries gave him to understand that |
ali the quail in the neighborhood had been |
shot within the last few weeks by shooters |
who, like himself, had gone out to shoot |
pheasaHts and squirrels. There is a mean
ing in this | take it to mean that the ar
of the present game laws gives |
any amount of opportunity for illegal shoot
ing; in fact, il seems to me that the present |
laws are to very great extent farce. On |
September l it is lawful to shoot ducks and |
reese and othef game. On October pheas-
mt shooting commedces, but the shooting
If quail is not lawful until November /. So
ar so good, but when men are out shooting
,heasants between the first of September
md the first of November, who is to know
whether or not they are shooting quail?
There ale not game keepers or game
yardens sufficient to watch everybody;
lot by any means. 1t would be a ridicu-
Gus proceeding if there were. The truth is
hat under present arrangements there is
10 effective way of preventing illegal shoot
ng of game, except by making the COM
nencement Of the shooting of the various
anne birds as uniform as possible. Of
curse, under the most rigid game laws the
Torld has ever known there has always been
coaching, but the object should be to reduce
oaching to minimum. For sometime it
as been rampant in Western Pennsylvania
Those Professional Sprinters.
For some time past Western Pennsylva-
ia has been infested with gang of pro-
essional foot runners, who have, in the
Oldest way, "worked" dozens of country
owns in Allegheny and neighboring coun-
les. During the last two weeks about
Oxen letters have reached me from
yaynesburS, Washington, Pa, Browns
lille and other towns, telling of number
these characters who are going about the
ountry defrauding honest people. draw
ttention to this entirely in the interest of
onest sport, and particularly in the inter-
st of sprinting. Foot racing is one of the
est branches of sport, but when it is
ragged down to the level of thieving
1,,-n oh xrho ~, Sc |
ob the public, it is time to call halt
DOT racing really has become so low that
the majority of cases professional sprint
means nothing more nor less than pro-
,ssional thief, and the thieving is of the
lost audacious kind. 1 may be told that
here is nothing wrong in "ringing a man
/" against another. Of course, there may
OF be, but the ''ringing" 1 have reference
, is swindling; it is part of confidence
,heme several parties have been playing in
lis neighborhood. If 1 have man whom
want to match against anybody to run
ice you may bring Hutchens against him
ones. That is all right. But here is the
Ian of robbing that complain of A man
lnds into town and commences work as
arber, for instance. He makes
,quaintances and soon lets them see
lat he is remarkable sprinter;
/ fact nearly q ten-second man. Our bar
er has ''pal'' planted in another town,
nd this pal, who is known to be nothing
Ike a ten-second man, is matched to run
lie barber, fer instance, and the latter's
ew friends, feeling sure they found won
,r, plunge on him. The race is run and
le barber.wonder is beaten in about 11k
conds. He disappears and SO does his
pal, " but only to bob up serenely in some .
town to play their confidence game '
,aip. What I claim is this: That there is I