Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-17
BASEBALL PAYING.
The National Game Again Max
ing Big Profits.
THIS SEASON is A SUCCESS.
Not Only the Big Leagues, but the Minor
Organizations as Well are Making
MOney-Contract Jumpers-The
Cincinnati Muddle-Gossip.

That baseball Is again popular Ameri-
can game goes without saying, and the
crowds this year have been more than the
most ardent crank expected. In fact the
crowds that have turned out to see the
latest games in the east have been OF
the largest in the history Of baseball.
The League magnates are well pleased
with the outlook. and many of the dollars
that were lost last year will surely return
before the grand windup this fall. No.
only is the League making money and
playing good ball, but the American as
ISOLATION, Western association, Eastern
association, New England league and most
of the minor organizations are doing ex-
cellent work and drawing good crowds.
This is quite a contrast with the state OF
affairs at this time last year. Those who
remember that disastrous season will
readily recall that smashup was the order
OF the day then. Many went under before
the Fourth of July was reached.
The only event that has so far marred a
successful season is the action of the
American association in going it alone
and defying the national agreement. The
Association magnates profess to be well
pleased with the state Of affairs; but it Is
al acknowledged fact with those on the
inside that overtures are now being made
and that before the end of the season the
American association will probably be IN
der the wing of the national agreement
again.
OF course, before a settlement comes,
many hard nuts will have to be cracked.
There are the Cincinnati muddle and the
contract jumpers. Both the League and
the Association swear they will not give
up Cincinnati. Both of the home mag
mates say they will stick Well, let them
That can be easily arranged. There is no
doubt that with perfect harmony existing
two clubs could live in Cincinnati if all
were under the one agreement banner.
The Association magnates all over the
country, while claiming that they are all
right in going it alone, realize the fact that
things would be much better if they were
not fighting the League and Western asso-
citation. In fact, in published interview
with President Ed Renan, of the Cincin-
natl club, he advocated new national
agreement, and said it would have to come.
But the nut that will not crack will be
the contract jumpers. Meekim and Ray
mond, with their eyes wide open, jumped
their contracts to play with Jack Chap
mans Louisville team. The national
board at once blacklisted 10th Of them,
and any one that has followed baseball
slSdows what that means-that they will
never play ball under the national agree
ment again, and will follow in the foot,
steps of Devlin, Hall, Nichols and Craver
These four men were blacklisted years ago
and have never been reinstated
Players, no matter who they are, will be
foolish to jump their contracts, for in the
long run it will mean great deal.
The race for first place is more than in
teresting, and the respective followers of
Chicago, New York, Boston and Brooklyn
all claim that their team will land the pen
nant. The teams are closer this year than
ever before, and no doubt the finish will be
a close and exciting one.
The followers of Captain Anson-and
they are many-look around and smile
when you mention the possibility of Chi
cago losing the pennant this year. Why"
said Tom Burns the other day, Chicago
was never better off, You know we al
ways make a strong finish, and this year
old Anse will hustle US along just the
same. You can gamble the pennant will
float over our grounds"
In New York the cranks are just as con-
fdent If the flag does not go to the Polo
grounds there will be weeping and wailing
in Gotham.
Johnny Ward is on deck again, and
since his return the club has been playing
better ball and much is expected from
them.
Most of the clubs are after pitchers. In
fact all the Association teams are looking
for the youngsters that can twirl the
sphere. The club that can hold its young
blood will not only land well up this year.
but will make greater showing in 1892
Young blood will tell, and already several
of the old timers have been relegated to
the rear and the youngsters that were
brought out last year are more than filling
their places.
An association that is playing good ball
and making good money is the Eastern as
ISOLATION, comprising Buffalo, Syracuse,
New Haven, Albany, Providence and Leb-
anon. This coterie has been going right
on minding its own business, and from all
accounts making money. Pat Powers, a
well known hustler, is at the head of the
Buffalo club, and they are well up in the
front. President White, whose Office is in
New York, said last week that all the clubs
were playing to large crowds and making
money.
The New England league has not been
so fortunate, and already the flag of dis
tress has been flung. Tom Lowell. the
president of the league. is well known in
eastern baseball circles, and is now work
ing hard to keep her afloat. Some time
ago Woonsocket and Lewiston were taken
in and an eight club league is now in work
ing order.
There was chance a few weeks ago of
the Western association losing great
many of its stars. as two or three of the AS
ISOLATION, clubs sent agents out to steal the
cracks. They could only induce two OF
them TO go-Meekim and Raymond-but
others would surely follow but for the
prompt action of the board of control in
blacklisting. This order has had its eff
feet, and it will be hard to get any player
that is now under contract to jump.
How the stars have fallenl Take Mike
Kelly, Dan Brouthers and Jerry Denny
The latter to certain extent is not in it,
although playing with Cleveland He
seems to have lost that snap and dash that
years ago earned for him the title of the
greatest third baseman in America AT
Cleveland he has not created favorable
impression The cranks there claim that
he not only has lost his hitting powers, but
that he cannot throw across the diamond.
If this is true Denny will 60 down the slide
ssThere is no truth whatever in the report
that the Boston League club wants Kelly.