Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-02
The Fraternity in PittSburg Gels a
Good Start on the Twelve Months
to Come and Go.
YESTERDAY AMONG THE SHOOTERS.
Hundreds of Dilapidated Birds Attest to
the Good Aim of the Many
Local SpOrtsmen.
EXPECTATIONS OF AMATEUR ATHLETES.
East End Gymnsstic Club Members Enthusiastic Over
Their Prospects

Pittsburg's new year in the sporting line
opens up under the most favorable circum-
stances, notwithstanding the fact that the
weather is not at present favorable TO foot
ball and other outdoor amusements.
However, the weather yesterday did not
entirely drown the zeal of the local sporting
fraternity, and the main pastime was trap
and rife team shooting. A small party went
to Herr's Island to enjoy the sport, others
were at Braddock, Whitehall and Manor
Station, while the Squirrel Hill Club made
the hills OF their rendezvous resourd with
the crack of the shotgun. Live birds were
victims at numerous places. and several hun
dred of the pretty pigeons bit the dust as
proof of the sportsmen's good aim, and a very
few escaped, The fragments of clay birds
are also scattered about the grounds of the
numerous shooting parks
Rufied feathers and heightened bristles told
how many others enjoyed the first day of the
year. Numerous battles were fought and won
in the cock pits and there were a number of
affairs between champion" dogs. The usual
resorts in the vicinity of the city the
of these contests and there were scores of men
who witnessed the battles. Many hundreds of
dollars changed pockets on the results at the
various places, and there is no doubt but that
they enjoyed the exciting sport.
CHIN BASEBALL Is PAST.
The prospects for baseball are brighter at
present than year ago when that great winter
sport "chin basebalI'' held full sway and came
near wrecking the great national sport. How
ever, all things have been put to rights and with
the consolidation OF the rival Plttsburg factions
everything is as serene and lovely as bright
May morning. Baseball magnates have gotten
over their great desire to talk and the pleasures
of quiet winter are being enjoyed Immensely,
though occasionally some wild eyed enthusiast
attempts to bring up the subject and is lmmed-
lately frozen up for his pains.
Al G. Pratt's Office Is devoid of all sem alliance
of a baseball war at present, and the only sub
ject he allows discussion upon is ''toboggan-
Ding" Sir Guy Hecker is looked upon as the
man to tell hair-splitting tales this question
and he holds down his post like a major un-
less. perchance, there is enough snow and ice
in Recreation Park TO keep business booming,
and luckily that has been the case for quite
while past. Of late Recreation Park has not
been so badly deserted as 1t was during the
baseball season. This was not SO much on &C.
count of the new truce as because of the before
mentioned toboggan slide.
PROSPECTS FOR AMATEUR ATHLETICS.
The East End Gymnastic Club proposes to
make this the greatest year in its history and
have taken time by the grizzled forelock in
their endeavors. As result. from the very be-
ginning athletic sports will be on the boom.
Inc handsome ana enthusiastic instructor,
Prof. hirchner, will return to-day from the
East, and will doubtless bring with him docu-
ments which will place his club on the roll of
membership of the Amateur Athletic Union
There is no doubt but that the professor is a
hustler, and he is backed by officers IN the club
who also stand solid in the line of advancement
mapped out.
On next "Wednesday evening Pat Farrell will
begin his duties of lnstTucting the young men
of the club in the manly art of self-defense
Pat is well fitted for the position and as he will
find some very apt pupils on his hands, he Will
doubtless turn out some talented boxers very
Soon. However. if one of the boys should acci
dentally catch one OF their instructors swings
in some portion of his anatomy adjacent to the
teeth, his ambitions in the line of the fistic art
would more than likely be Knocked entirely out
OF him.
The club has numerous other schemes on foot
for its further advancement, and the year will
show marked improvement in amateur ath-
letlcs in the city. Other clubs are coming boldly
into line, and the numerous new clubs in pros
pect give amateur gymnasts hope that the
city is to gain fitting rank in sports of all
kinds.