Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-07
GENERAL AFFAIRS OF THE GAME.
Necessity Of Something Being Done 10 Stop
the Crooked Transactions at the
Trotting Meetings.
TIE sLAYIy AND KILRAN CONTEST.
Scal Toune scullers Of Promise end CaIys Troubles
Regarding Bis Record Claimh

long time since such sudden cnange OF
ointment, such revolution Of feeling, in
act, took place among local baseball cranks
rs there has during the last few days. This
IS very unfortunate, indeed, for everybody
-oncerned But the change of feeling can
not be wondered at, and there is one con-
ISOLATION that this feeling is not deep-rooted.
It will disappear just as soon as the team
run up a few successive victories, and they
IRE sure to do that The best friends of the
;ocal team are bound to admit that they, the
cam, have SO far been an awful disappoint-
ment on their Eastern trip. Had the team
won long series of uninterrupted victories
nobody would have been surprised, because
very much was expected from the
cam. But instead of victories we
ave defeats, and hence the very
intense disappointment Most certainly
here are causes for this extraordinary fall
ing of in the playing of the team; so far, it
= true, they have seldom played up to e1-
oectations, but recently their work has
been so much below their own standard
even of this season, that we cannot avoid
he conviction that there is something
wrong. 1 am inclined to believe that what
we term ''the best of goodfellowship does
not prevail extensively among the players.
If that is the fact, we have at once asource or
cause of bad work While don't say that
ill-feeling among the players does exist, I
10 maintain that there is sufficient cause
or investigation; and also, that the direct
ors did right in giving Mr.. O'Neil full
power of the club and to accompany Man
ager Hanlon throughout the Eastern trip.
It seems to me that there was much truth in
ne report of the Miller affair at Brooklyn.
Here, in a measure, we have direct proof
hat all is not going well, and 1 for one GER
ainlv maintain that Manager Hanlon can
not at the present time be expected to
thoroughly carry out all the duties he has
- fulfil. 1t is unfortunately true that even
team of old ball players like the Pitts
arg team need watching, and this
+, without doubt disgrace to every
player who cannot be implicitly trusted. A
larer in the local team who by his conduct
IN any way gives the management anxiety,
or jeOpardizes the financial prospects of the
>tockholders, is an migrate of the rankest
dnd am not writing this as a mere
sentimental efusion, but I am stating 1t as
i plain fact Why, just think over the
matter for a moment. Consider the vast
amount of money and labor the directors of
the local club have expended in to get
good team together; g team that would give
satisfaction TO Pittsburg patrons of the
came And of this large amount of money
expended the PLAYERS themselves are get
ting the lions share. Is there, then, any,
thing manly, fair or honest about player
who viii not do right and play his very best
N view of the foregoing facts2 1 emphati-
cGlly say there is not.
Some More Local Matters.
When a team is being badly beaten and
in q very regular way, we all invariably have
fault to find and suggestions to make. Of
course, this is Just the time to make them,
and they will do no harm if We maka them
n good spirit and with due modesty. For
some time past there have been many COM
alaining about the stereotyped custom in
lulged in by our club ofputting a pitcher in
10 pitch simply because itwas or is their turn.
Now, am not one to try and teach other
people their business, but 1 do maintain
that experience shows that the custom in
question is a very faulty one; in short it is
= worthless one. A manager ought to and
must use his judgement as to the ability of
q certain pitcher to puzzle q certain team.
II he satisfies himself that the pitcher whose
turn it is to pitch is not the most likely to
fool the opposing team for the time being,
BY all means let the manager select the man
who is the most likely to do the most effec-
tive work submit that this is common
sense and is Just what good headed and prac-
tical men like Anson do. True, some
pitchers very foolishly object to not being
allowed to pitch in their turn. This whim
is really so fimsy that it is not worth dis
cussing A manager should be manager in
fact. I am fully persuaded that two such
Young and powerful men as Baldwin and
King could pitch frst-class bali for a long
lime by pitching every other game. OF
course, Baldwin has done well so far, but
what mean is that strong young fellows
such as he is viii certainly do better work
by pitching oftener than every fourth or
fifth dav with monotonous regularity. But
our team have been remarkably disappoint-
ing in their batting. L am aware that
players cannot get on to their hitting in a
lay or week, but it is to be expected that
they will get on to it within a season So
:ar we have little signs of our sluggers slug
ling. This is one Of the things that firmly
oelieve we cannot help, and it is
be hbelling the players to say they
try their best It is certainly one of the
curious features of baseball, this hitting and
missing the ball We have what have for
sone time been recognized as the hard and
reliable hitters in the profession, and here
we have them missing the ball with won
derful regularity while the youngest and
.ess experienced players in the business are
knocking the pitchers out of the box This
IS very singular, indeed. And what can we
10 about it? 1t Is useless to blackguard the
playeEs, and it is absurd to rail at the club
officials. do hold that whatever may be
he shortcomings of the team that the club
directors are not TO blame They have SO
tar PLAYED their part well, and if the STARS
tail then it is the fault of the ''stars." But
I trust that they will get into their normal
5orm. They are ball players, depend upon
hat, and it NAV be that the recent defeats
ire only the precursor of long list of vic
tories.
Baseball in General
There is not space at command to say
much about baseball affairs in general, but
shere is not much of Importance to deal
with. The race for the League pennant
continues to be one of the most exciting on
record. From the very start six or seven
teams have been almost neck and neck, and
almost every day the positions have been
changed But during the week one thing
has been observable, viz, the improving
form of the New York team. My readers
viii remember what had to say about the
Giants some time ago, and L am now more
convinced than ever that, bar accident, they
will win the pennant With the exception
Of Chicago the other teams are players more
or less irregular. We have also noticed
among the general baseball features of the
geek he meeting Of Association magnates
30 Cincinnati There was, indeed, some
hing very amusing about that matter. Ac-
.ording to the published reports about it
he magnates only met to shake hands with
.,dch other, and in imitation of Mrs.