The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-21
ON THE DIAMOND.
Gossip of the National Game
from an Old Timer.
GOLD ANSE'S" MARROW ESCAPE.

Reminiscent Gossip of Him from a Man
Who Once Played with Him-The Ter
rible Hayseed-Duryea, the Cyclone
Pitcher" and How He Got Into the
National League.
When the Chicago and New York teams
met at the Polo grounds on Manhattan
island the other day the sun poured down
with more than tropical fierceness, and
two or three players succumbed TO tbs
heat. But the battle went on, despite ca
tastrophes and caloric, until the deciding
run had been batted in The audience
cheered perspired and departed, all save a
few of those devotees to the game known
as "cranks."
They curiously watched the players leave
! the field, and noted with amazement that
| Adrian c. Arson, the iron duke of base
ball, the mainstay OF the Garden City club
for years, Jagged somewhat behind and
! seemed without that springiness of step
| and that defiant, unconquered mien which
| Is always his after either victory or defeat
At night the rumor spread about the
hotels and sporting centers of Gotham
that ''Old Anse" had "come mighty near
having sunstroke," and many were the
expressions of solicitude and sorrow there
at. But the effects of the terrific after
noon have now nearly passed away, and
the veteran still holds his own at first base
| or behind the bat.
''Old Anse" they call him nowadays,
though he has yet to see his fortieth birth
| day. / can remember him - indeed,
| played ball with him-when he was young
Anse, ambitious, capable and 'esh-fresh
not only with the bounding vigor of youth,
but with the sense of his own value as
ball tosser. He had just emerged from the
obscurity of Marshalltown, Ia, to take
place in the once famous semi professional
club at Rockford, Ills, known as the For
est Citys.
It was at Rockford that he began his
career as first baseman. Al Spalding
was the pitcher-the champion underhand
twirler of the day. George King, now
bank cashier, stood behind the bat. Ross
Barnes was the second baseman, and big
hearted, bow legged, profane Bob Addy
covered the shortstop's position.
Two of the fielders whom l recall were
Fred Cone, now night manager of the
Grand Pacific hotel at Chicago, and Adon-
IRAN Stires, better recalled as the terri
BILE hayseed." Stires was the phenomenon
work." but he had the strength of giant.
The places under the arms where the
shoulders join the body are usually hollow.
In Stires' case they were filled with mus
Gle. The man could run like a deer, and
had hands like hams covered with hide.
No fly passed him, and his field record was
generally errorless save in the matter of
throwing. When he returned the ball to
the diamond it was always at lightning
speed, and no one could tell whether the
sphere would reach the catcher or 90 over
the fair ground fence.
But it was at the bat that Stires won his
name of the ''terrible hayseed." He was
not like Arson or Barnes q sure base hit
ter, but when his club and the ball did
meet the result was nearly always a home
run. once saw Harry Wright, the Phila-
delphia veteran, who then played center
field for the Bostons, climb ten foot fence,
wade Kent's creek and toll up bluff be-
yond to recover the sphere after it had col
lided with Stires' six pound bat.
OF all those old timers only Arson re-
mains in active service. l see that it is the
custom of late years to style the men he
employs "colts." In one sense the term is
a misnOmer; in another it is properly ap-
piled. know of at least one colt" who
owes his advancement in professional base
ball to the "old mans" judicious dis
elimination. His name is Duryea, once
noted as the "cyclone pitcher" of the North
western league. In an exhibition game at
ST. Paul, few years ago, the Chicagos
were pitted against the local nine.
Duryea was in the box tor the home
team and struck out Arson three times,
the ST. Pauls winning the game in hand
some style, and much to the delight of the
crowd. Spalding witnessed the contest
from the grand stand. That evening "the
cyclone" sought the Chicago magnates at
the Hotel Ryan and stated his case in these
words:
II want a place in the National league.
You saw what l could do this after
noon. OF course / wish to succeed as a
player on my own account. Besides that,
my father, a wealthy farmer, is stuck !
on me and stuck on the game. He has
promised to deed me an improved farm Of !
$40 acres if do well during the next three |
years. VIII you help mei"
yes" replied Arson
And he did.
At present it looks as though the fight /
for the National league pennant lay be |
tween Chicago, Boston and New York, bat |
the last OF these three apparently has the |
poorest chance because of its persistent i'll |
luck. So many Of its members are crippled |
or on the sick list that those who retain |
their activity are worked nearly to death.
However, it is quite a while yet to the |
end of the season, and things may yet |
brighten up for the Giants, although |
weeks are sure to elapse before Buck |
Ewing can hope again to be in good form.
Boston, St Louis and Baltimore remain 70
the fore in the Association, but Cincinnati /
has yet good show if Kelly keeps his head /
and attends TO business.
Some excellent records are being made
by the clubs belonging to what are known
as the minor leagues In fact both base
ball and the weather are now at their
hottest. More emphatically than ever the
game is the national pastime, and long
may it hold its place. E. X WHITE