The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-03-21
ON THE DIAMOND.
WASHINGTON ENTHUSIASTS WAITING
FOR THE OPENING.

The Fieht Between the League and
Association May shortly be Set
City--Preparations FOR the Opening
Games.
There is a prospect that within the next
ten days the League lion and the Associa-
ton lamb will lie down together and the
baseball millennium which" White Wings
Thurman tried so vainly to bring about
will be an accomplished fact. Every true
lover of the game desires nothing more
than that the warning which has gone on
for the past two years, shall cease. The
general public cares little about the re-
spoctive merits of either side. All your
average enthusiast cares about is to see a
good game. He does not care, nor does
he want TO be bothered with lot Of tech
nical disputes, and when, instead of play
ing ball, both magnates and players oc-
cupy the team in making faces at each
other, IL is simply question Of time when
he becomes disguised, and the bleaching
boards where he was wont to sun himself
during summer afternoons know him no
more forever.
Baseball wars may satisfy the vindic-
tiveness of some men and to carry out a
principle may be all right, but when the
middle of the season comes and the
shekels do not drift into the treasury as
they did in days of yorc, then II is that
those engaged in the struggle HE them
selves to lonely spot and kick them
selves for their fooiishness.
With the withdrawal of Mr.. Thurman
from the presidency Of the board of con-
troll, the only obstacle 10 compromise
Is removed, unless il be that the question
of a club in Cincinnati will form the nm
surmountablc barrier. Let the two lead
ing associations get together and mike
mutual concessions. Then when the AS
ISOLATION is back under the protecting
dsgis OF the national agreement, baseball
will experience revival OF the interest 1t
possessed two years ago. The present
policy is simply out-throat one, from
which both sides are sure to- suffer finan-
cially, and IL continued will ultimately
7 sink the game so far as to be beyond hope
/ of resurrection.
The general sentiment in this city,
among the directors of the club, is. OPP
posed to compromising. They argue and
Lesgue has invariably obtained the lions
share in every deal made; that they are
sick and tired Of playing second fiddle to
the older organization, and that IL they
were not in the better position the League
would not be so anxious to compromise.
Mr.. Scanlan said to a CRrrfc reporter to-
day: I'VE are thoroughly satisfied with
the situation and l cannot gee what good
compromise will do. We are going
ahead and all we ask is to be let alone
The Association has the call and is not
asking favors Of any organization. was
originally in favor OF peace, but that
could not be without sacrificing our pros
poets and putting ourselves once more in
the clutches of the League. We are not
bothered about the outcome
WEEK FROM TUESDAY
Westinghouse new team will play its first
game. The Boston Association Club, on
its return from the South will stop over,
and the enthusiasts will have a chance to
see how our new team plays. Last night
the team was completed by the signing of
Miller, the well-known Rochester pitcher.
He makes the fourteenth man signed
and no more will be signed, MS the direct
ors believe that that number of men are
amply sufficient and will not exceed this
number during the season. Miller is an
excellent man and made quite reputa-
ton last year as twirler with the Rochester
Club.
Regarding the composition of the team
there are many diverging opinions and
one can hear just about what he wants
to regarding the strength of the team.
The nine. of course, Is not champion
team nor is II by any means a tail ender.
Under the conditions under which it was
organized, after having been duped by all
sorts of promises the club deserves credit
for the excellent material ii has gathered.
The nine as at present made up has many
elements of strength and il there is any
reliance to be placed upon the past record
of the men it ought TO take n good place
in the race. The management is
thoroughly determined to put strong
team in the field and ii will not allow the
personal prejudices of any one man to
stand in the way of lettering the team at
any stage of the game.
The men back ofthe club are thoroughly
in earnest in providing the best kind of
sport. They realize that that is the only
kind that will pay and the players have
either got to put up first class article or
make room for more proficient ones.
THE GROUNDS
are nearly completed. All that is needed
to be done is the grading, which will only
take two or three days. and then Wash
ipgton will have one of the finest baseball
parks in the United States and more &C.
cessible than any. Within ten minutes
ride from the centre of the city, and with
two lines of cars within few yards of the
entrance, there is no reason why baseball
in this city should not prove big
| success.