The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-07
HOW BALL PLAYERS WINTER.
Most Of Them Hibernate and Only a
Few Work.


To the uninitiated there is a great deal
of mystery as to how the average pro-
fessional ball player puts in the winter
months. With the close of the playing
season he disappears from public view and
is seen no more until he breaks forth
again in the spring. About the only per-
sons, apart from his immediate circle of
friends that are at all acquainted with his
whereabouts and doings, are the enterprs-
ing managers. This knowledge does not
apply so much To minor league players
who are not sought after and besieged
with offers of high salaries as are the stars
in faster company As rule the player,
unless he be more than ordinarily indus
trious, may be said to hibernate He puts
in most of his time in sitting about fire.
places with a crowd of congenial spirits,
swapping "reminiscences, which are gener-
ally Favored strongly with his own great
achievements. Such parties, W tn enough
searching. may be found in any city
where ball PLAYERS are wintering.
In Cincinnati there is a crowd of bali
tossers who while away the winter DAYS in
this way, who have for years been known
as the Roastology Club. and the baseball
writers of that city find in its meetings
Not all players. however. stica so closely
10 private life. A tos. who have been
drawing fat s1.,aries during the playing
months. lake advantage of the period of
likeness during the winter TO pose as swelis
or fast men about town. They patronize
theaters and other places of amusement
to excess, and generally manage to throw
their money away. BY springJime they
are out of pocket and in line with their
smaller-salaried brethren. who have passed
their time more quietly all being now on
the lookout for contracts and advance
money. 1t is then that the player exhibits
perhaps more vigor than at any other
time. Managers are beseged from every
quarter with a dood of applications from
dozens of PLAYERS, each one of whom is
sure 10 play the game OF his life. Apart
from financial reasons. they are all glad,
too, that the time has come TO don the
spangles again and begin active work.
There are some exceptions to the rule
that ball players spend the winter IN idle
ness. and the number seems TO be gaining
every wear. Not ii few of the men have
trades, and no sooner than the season Tor
playing ends than they go to work. and
stick 10 il until the time to begin ball play
inc comes around again. There are also
quite a number of men earning salaries by
bail playing VINO attend school in the win
ter 10 fit themselves for the law, medicine
or some other profession. II is from the
last two classes that the best results are
usually obtained in the work OF ball
team. They are sober and intelligent men,
and with the opening of season are al
ways in condition. Other men vino
are willing Ia pIay ball the wear
round, or whose finances have run
very low, join what are known
as winter snaps" and for merely NOM
inal salaries so 10 warm climate TO play
during the winter season. Such trips
are not usually profitable, either finan-
ciallv or otherwise, aud often leave the
nlavers in poor shape to start in for
seasons hard play. Experience has