Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-05
Some Bad Features of the Fickle-.
ness of the Patrons of the
National Game.
THE EVILS OF OVERMANAGEMENT.
A Few Words About the Chances of the
Various Teams in the National
League Pennant Race.
SULLNANS OPINIONS OF CORBETT.
Hall and FitIsimmons Contest TrOttng Prospects and
Professional Sculling Discussed

There has been so little out of the ordi-
nary during the week as far as sporting
matters are concerned that it is difficult to
ret hold Of anything that promises to be of
sufficient interest to talk about. Of course
Yesterday was great day for events of al
most every kind, but there was nothing of
an extraordinary kind. But during the
week we have been reminded once more of
the fact that baseball can still command the
patronage of the American people, and 1t is
safe 20 say that whatever may be the SYM
pathiea and afinities of other nationalities
Tor their national sport, there is not a ma
iional sport of any kind that commands
more enthusiasm than does baseball in this
country. True, during the last few weeks
there has been much to discourage the
patrons OF the Pittsburg team, but amid all
this it is pleasing TO note that the following
of the team is still very great, and that if
things go at all well the club will come out
TAR ahead on the season. l sometimes think
that there is nothing or nobody so tickle as
the patrons of baseball, and it is a fact that
this ickleness obtains in almost every city
alike To-day an entire team, or part of it,
may be hailed with the widest of enthusi-
l>1n and with the loudeSt shouts of joy, and
tomorrow that self-same hero Will be- meta
phorically speaking, trampled in the dust
5v that selt-Same crowd. In short, the
ickleness of baseball patrons in this respect
very pointedly reminds us of that event in
history where a crowd one day bestrewed the
path of their hero with palms and the next
lay killed him. II is this feature in base
ball that makes it so uncertain for every
body concerned, and while this uncertainty
may have some good points about it, there
are some very bad ones surrounding it, both
;or PLAYERS and stockholders. 1t is this
verv changeable ana impetuous feeling of
baseball patrons that causes many good
man to be dispensed with before his real
worth has been actually proven, and it is
this same feeling or characteristic that so
unnerves many players that it is impossible
tor them TO do ANYTHING like their best OF
course, if the public would now and then
stop to think little about the matter things
would be different, because it would soon be
seen that the making of offensive and public
demonstrations of disapprobation of a
PLAYERS work is no way to improve matters
Words of praise or any sign Of approval of a
players work on ball field will help that
player TO do better, but depend upon it, in
sglting remarks 10 him for poor work will
only make matters worse than they ever
were.
1t Applies to the Home Team.
Why L have made the above expressions
is so show that this fckleness in question is
one of the dangers which the Pittsburg
club, like all others. has TO contend with,
and in a great measure the success of the
team depends upon it. / am sure that some
people cannot but regret their insulting
signs of diSapproval of the work OF one or
,g,n1 al h.,
hound 10 regret it because these very play
erS have recently shone forth in great lus-
Ter and this fact should ALWAYS make us
very careful. True, some people will tell
ac that baseball patrons who hiss and ieer
players, even though the latter are doing
their very best, have not intelligence or
manhood enough to regret the doing of an
injury. l am not going to argue that ques-
tion and / will leave it for my readers to
.orm their own opinions about it. But
while it is something like a necessity to
keep the patrons of game all right it is
iUst as much necessity to keep the players
also in command and also in touch" with
the public. We have seen, even in Pitts |
burg. that where discomfort operates in |
nall team what we call glorious success may |
not be expected, and the recent lessons |
.given in this respect ought TO enable our |
local magnates TO steer clear of similar |
whatever of the fact that our team has |
been suffering from overmanagement. |
| don't think that is the case now, |
nut it was the case, and when there is over |
management it is quite natural to expect |
dissatisfied lot of players. And there can |
lie overmansgement without scarcely any,
body knowing it. There is nothing to pre-
vent what is known as superior official |
making a suggestion or q request to |
another official who is not superior. This |
lesser light has the unpleasant duty to per- |
form of putting his suggestion" or ire |
guest" into operation, and thus he becomes |
he target. The superior" is the unseen |
hand. and it is possible, aye even probable, |
that he acts openly in way designed to /
r1nvince the players that he is not at all |
auy party TO these requests" etc. He |
moves and talks in a manner that says to |
,hc players: I'm your friend; not Short.
Now, this is the very worst type of over
management; it is the most ruinous that I |
know of, because it is so clandestine in its |
nature that before it is thoroughly discov- |
ared dissatisfaction has secured such a |
irm hold that it is very difficult !
indeed to separate it. l believe |
that baseball players are like the balance of |
us in one respect at least, viz, that they |
not only like their orders direct but that |
they are at all times wishful to know from |
whom these orders, or we NAV call them
requests" spring Be an order never so
iresome or unpleasant our mental anxiety |
regarding Il is very much lessened when we /
know who really is the author of the order |
Well, then all this means that the directors |
pt the local club should resolve to have
only one manager for their team and have
everything like clandestine wire-pulling /
abolished.
One or Two Pleasing Features
But while there may be one or two un-
pleasant matters TO deal with, there are also 1
,ne or two Of a very pleasant nature Dur |
ing the week our team have demonstrated |
the fact that they can play bail of very
excellent character. While it is true that |
the players are not entirely re-
covered from their injuries and sick
neSses, it is also fact that those who have
kept in harness have done nobly during the
week. Pm sure the cranks and fans can
not but feel delighted at the great work
done by King and Baldwin. For the first
time this season King has shown what he
ear do when he is in form, and if he can
keep in that form and if Mark Baldwin can
also keep up his good work the pair, along
with Old Sport Calvin, are quite sufficient
10 keep matters going on successfully.
There is still desire among the club Off
Gals to experiment with new PLAYERS
There is a prevailing opinion to the effect
that if they would thoroughly utilize the
material they now have no new men would
be necessary at all. To some extent time
Will tell whether or not it was !
mistake to release Browning so suddenly.
True, he was not playing as he used to play,
but 1t does seem very strange to me that