Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-19
A REVIEW OF SPORTS,
Preparations for the Opening of the
League Baseball Season Next
Wednesday.
THE VARIOUS TEAMS COMPARED.
Prospects Of Battle Between Bob FitE-
simmons and Ed Smith, Of Denver,
for Big Purse.
TIE VARIOUS TEAMS COMPARED.
AMATEURS AND PROFESSIONALS.
opncr, LAs1t tEs ysstson and cOrbet Fight and Other
Leading Topics

Before another Sunday comes and goes the
baseball season of 1891 will have COM
menced; of course, 1 mean the League
championship season. Everybody inter-
ested in the game is getting ready in some
way for the opening day. Speculation as to
results has already begun, and the con-
lectures are quite numerous and conflicting.
I believe that there is a greater diversity of
opinion regarding Pittsburg' team than con-
cerDIng any other. On one point everybody
seems to be agreed, viz, that our team is a
good one, but it is as to the meaning Of the
word good" that so many differ. In the
estimation of very large number of Pitts
burg patrons of the game the local
team is good" enough to beat
anything, while other people think
our players good lot hut not good enough
to win the pennant. Well, at this juncture
] am not going to commit myself to any
definite opinion in the matter except by
saying our team ought to be good enough to
hold their own against any other team. The
more we examine the local aggregation the
more will we find that each member OF it is a
player. Il is a fact that doubtless prompts
the opinion all round TO the effect that we
have better toam this year than we
or not our players can be first class as q team.
! trust they will turn out TO be such, because If
they don't, baseball Will receive a very dam
aging black eye in PIttsburg. The team ought
10 be almost always IN the tlrst three, although
the other League teams are stronger than ever
they were. l think there is no doubt on this
point and il is this feature that makes the ap-
preaching contest such an interesting and un-
certain one. For instance Cleveland is a much
stronger team than it ever was, an0 / am in
clined to think that the team OF that city will
play a very surprising part in the struggle
There ever has been good supply of grit and
tenacity in those Cleveland people as far as
baseball is concerned and the people who
take the Clevlanders for marks will likely be
disappointed. l am aware that Manager Han
lon thinks that his team will defeat the Cleve-
land team at least out of every 10 games.
This result may be accomplished, but do not
Chicago, although the latter is always one of
the best stayers in the race. Backers of Anson's
team have ALWAYS one of the best ''rrlers" thar
G3n be seen. AnsOn fights every inch of the
way. aud he never gives up until the wire is
passed. But on paper the Chicago team is not
by any means the equal OF Pittsburg. Nor is
Cincinnati and this leads us to the CONCLUSION
that Pittsburg is the best Of the Western divls-
ion.
The Eastern Teams.
New York is without doubt the best OF the
Eastern teams; that is, it is the best on paper.
1 am quite mindful of the fact that some very
good authorities have much 10 say in favor of
Brooklyn; but for the life OF me / cannot see
where there is anything wonderful about that
team. True, John NJ. Ward has been added to
It. and he is very great addition, but even
with Ward the team cannot man for man be
favorably compared with the New Y ork team.
Boston is better team than BROOKLYN; at least
I expect to see this statement verified by