, 1891-10-07

thing to Turn ~Up-Radbourn and Hi
Races Practically Ended.
II old Father Time keeps "notching up"
the baseball fzzles his stick must resemble
the business end of a swordfsh. Depart
ing magnates ave left behind them foot
prints and depleted purses. The south Is
the greatest of all the morgues, but al
though professional ball is dead in the
land Of cotton and cane the amateurs keel
interest in the game there alive. There is
a whisper that with the coming of peact
and a Thanksgiving dinner in the national
agreement family the Southern league
will be revived next spring. There was
always too much enthusiasm about tn.
control of baseball affairs in the south.
Salaries were always far above a reason.
rble limit, and that is what killed the
game in Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta,
Charleston, Chattanooga, Mobile, Birm
ingham and New Orleans The percent
age of home talent in southern leagues OF
the past was very small, and many of the
players were veterans who had o~utliyed
their usefulness in other leagues, but who
demanded kings ransoms before they
would deign to accept positions.
l recall one incident of the extravaganza
which prevailed in Memphis latter days.
Kirby was one of the old League twirlers
whose arm had lost its cunning. After the
st. Louis Maroons had discarded him
Cleveland picked him up and gave him a
chance to pitch for his life against Cincin
natl. The game was commenced but never
finished. Hits ratified off the Reds bat
like acorns from an oak during an October
hlnNy Tho ~ aAAn raaahaI I1..L1A a.
ures, but before five innings were com
pleted a storm stopped the slaughter.
Memphis eagerly snapped Kirby up and
paid him $40 n month"; Contracts like that
slapped the financial life of the Bluff City's
club and their diamond Is covered with
moss and black eyed Susans. 1t was such
follies as that which e-ncompassed the ruin
of the game in the south. The players are
not to be blamed for working the angels
for all they could, but 1t was a poor way
to p~erpetuate the game.
From j. Walker Ross, one Of the erst
while baseball authorities in southland, ]
have received this message: Baseball IL
recovering slightly in New Orleans, and
you may be surprised II | tell you that
there Is some little talk OF IA league next
season. There must be a big change in
baseball government, however, before we
can hope to make a success of the game
professionally in these parts"
There are several states in the land OF
the sun that have never had n representa-
tive In any professional league, and North
Carolina, Florida and Mississippi are all
in that class. The Texas league was the
healthiest state organization that ever sur.
vived several campaigns, but it, too, fell
upon evil days when salaries larger than
the gate receipts were demanded. Then 1t
was that the Sand Crabs and other Lone
Star celebrities Joined the Pelicans and Sea
Gulls as baseball %extIncts."
There are but few southerners now In
League and Association company VIII
Nash, Of the Boston leaguers, is a native
Virginian, and he served his apprenticeship
with Richmond when that club spent sew.
eral months in the Association. Uncle
Arson found John p. Luby down in Gal.
weston, where he was known MS 1.-THE Texas
Steer" Mr.. Luby came from the earth
quake city, Charleston. Little Duffee, OF
the Columbus team, is from Mobile, and
Sanders, of the Athletics, is a Tennesseean.
These are about all who are very promi.
nent.
There are enough players emulating the
example of Mr.. Misunderstanding fol-
something to turn up-to provide talent
for a fine southern league, not to mention
rejuvenated western and eastern associ.
ANSNNA II hAAS ii7bOA1 VI bho BhllN
were there so many players with reputa
tions warbling, "Tm sitting IN the style,
Mary" Many of them nav been waiting
for months, and they will wait a good
while longer il the baseball f~actionists
agree to longer disagree. Son well known
men have gone into possible final retire
ment this year. Fred Dunlap was the
first. Only a few brief years ago and he
was the king of the second basemen. Dun.
lap was not a scholar, but he possessed the
faculty of discerning the value of money.
and he has a rent roll hat is big enough te
keep the wolf from the door.
Deacon James L. White was the second
old timer to give it up. He had drifted
into some little club in the New York
league. Charles Radbourn holds the third
rank In this list and not one of the retire
ments can be termed voluntary acts. Ont
OF the delightful little libels of the yeai
was that Radbourn was an army veteran.
1t was whispered that Rad was a mem
Der of THE Last Illinois," and the after
moons during which he oficiated at Gin.
cinnati were called Grand Army Days"
Radbourn enjoyed the story as much as
any one else, and during the Brooklyn's
first western trip he was drawn into a de
bate with Pinkney on a matter that &C
CURED in the '70's.
How do l knowf" queried Pink. Pm
not quite as old as MethusalehI"
"Oldf" retorted Radbourn. well.
you're no spring chickenl l can remem
Der when you was a drummer boy in my
regiment, The Last nlinoisi'"
The revelation" tickled the boys anG
served to make Pink red hot. One oil
the most laughable scenes incidental to q
game occurred at Cincinnati this summer.
Radbourn was in the box, and, he was
being touched up in a lively m AT
the end OF one inning, after the batting
had been exceedingly warm, Old Rad
dropped the ball just as somebody began
to whistle a familiar air. 1t was taken UP
In the grand stand and pavilion too. In
less than a minute a thousand pairs of lips
were puckered, and Rad walked in to
the shrill accompaniment OF Marching
Through Georgia"
Radbourn, like both Dunlap and White,
is n man of means, and he has sought a
quiet nook Mt Bloomington, Ills, to enjoy
the fortune that was the fruit OF a valuable
baseball combinations good arm and q
wise head.
Ope more season is fast drawing to a
close, and the races in League and Asso
citation are over so far as the disposition Of
two flags is concerned. VIII Chicago and
Boston meet for a worlds championship
The entire race of enthusiasts certainly de
sires n battle of giants.
REV Mn roRD In