The record-union., 1891-04-08
NOT YET IN CONDITION.
So Says Manager McCIoskey of His
Ball-PIayers.
he Thinks They Are Pennant- Winners,
Despite Their Bad Luck
Thus Far.

There will be a lull in baseball games
here for the next week and half, there
being no games scheduled for this city
until Friday, the 18th, when the San
Franciscos will make their first appear
ance before a Sacramento audience.
Judging from the attendance at the
games played thus far this season, in
terest in the national sport has not
abated in the least, but on the contrary,
seems to have kindled again into the
same blaze of enthusiasm as that which
seized the cranks last year. The people
are not yet familiar enough with the ap-
pearance and peculiarities of playing of
the Sacramento club, and until they do
the team cannot expect to be accorded
such hearty receptions as viii be given
them later on when the season grows
older.
McCloskey said to a RECoRD-UNIoN re-
porter yesterday that ne would not blame
the people for kissing his team, for some
of the fielding errors they have made
lately if the men were in condition and
in trim for playing a good game, but he
says the weather has not been favorable
and one or two of the players are really
sick and unfit for work at the present
time.
''Why, we couldn't go around a corner
on Sunday evening"" said McCloskey,
without having an insulting remark
flung at us, and simply because San Jose
won that days games. | don't think it
was right, and | don't believe anyone
who knows the first rudiments of base
ball would criticise us for not hitting
harder than we did on Sunday. We
haven't had time to study Harper or
Lookabaugh, and it was little more than
luck that we hit somewhat hard when we
played with Oakland. Now, the men in
my team are sensitive, particularly Sun
day and Hutchinson. Peoples doesn't
care what the crowds say, but others do,
and when baseball players are discour-
aged by the people OF the town they rep
resent it naturally disheartens them. II
is different when we play out of our city.
Then, when the crowd jeerS the visiting
team, it tends to make the players def
ant and determined to win against all
odds. ] am confident, however, that we
Will soon merit the confidence Of the
Sacramento baseball patrons and that we
will be as popular with the people as were
last years players"
Umpire Sheridan, who has seen all of
the clubs play, and who ought to be a
competent baseball critic, says the Sacra-
mento club is the best in the league, and
that its qualities will soon assert them
selves in forcible way.
Sunday needs to lose about fifteen
pounds of flesh, and Ward could afford to
part with considerable of his avordupois.
Works is feeling unwell, and AlcCloskey
thinks he has a touch of the malaria.
Peoples is getting into fine trim, and SO
is Hutchinson. McGuirk bats and fields
like Perrier. He needs practice in sprint
ing, as well as the remainder of the team.
Hoover has a very lame shoulder, and
the club misses his batting on account of
his inability to play.
McCloskey will make a change in the
outlield of the team. Works will play in
the left garden, Sunday in right and Nc
Closkey in center.
city are willing to wager that the Sacra-
meHtos will lead the league in batting.
McClosl<ey says his team viii knock the
cover off the ball some day when Harper
and Lookabaugh least expect it. He
thinks the players now have both pitch
ers sized up'' pretty well.
Manager Ginsberg is endeavoring to
secure terms for an excursion to run to
San Jose and back on Sunday, May 10th.
Manager Finn remarked, in private,
last Sunday evening, that he did not eX-
pect to win half the games his club
played here. He still thinks the Sacra-
mentOs are too much for the other clubs
Manager Harris is going TO make Rube
Levy pitch against the Sacramentos on
Friday next. He says he needs a left
handed pitcher, and thinks Levy, with
practice, will make a good one.
McClOskey says some of the men in his
team never saw Texas, Notwithstanding
the fact that many claim that the club is
composed entirely OF Texans.
Bowman, Reitz and Roberts will leave
for Rochester, y. Y, to-day to play ball
with Tom Powers team. All three are
reported to be getting big money.