Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-27

sporting people L am still inclined to
think that Gibbons will defeat Bowen,
although defeat has already entered the
| Gibbons camp by Carroll being beated. If
| Gibbons is victorious then we are sure to
] have contest between him and Myer, and
| If that takes place matters will be entirely
different In this instance Gibbons has
very great advantage over Bowen in height
and reach and this, think, will enable him
| to win.
1t is so long since Joe McAuliffe ap-
| peared in public that it is difficult to form
an opinion as to what class he is now in.
When at his best he was far from first-class,
| but in my opinion he was the superior of
| Patsy Cardiff The latter probably would
never have been heard tell of at all if the
'four-rounds-wi ith-gloves" mania had not
been introduced. Were McAuliffe any
thing like what he was a few years ago he
would certainly defeat Cardiff. But we
don't know what condition he is in. Jack
son has beaten both men, but we must not
forget that jackson was much better man
when he fought McAuliffe than when he
met Cardiff Neither Cardiff nor McAullffe
are stayers and neither are very game, but
if we are assured that McAuliffe is in any
thing like good condition 1 think he will
win.
There is still little probability of q con-
test between Sullivan and Slavin, and 1t is
quite apparent that the friends of the
former are not so enthusiastic about the
chances of downing the Australian as they
were, or at least as they said they were. 1t
is not likely that the men will ever fight,
and the fight will not be Slavin's.
About Baseball Affairs.
To-day baseball is placed at the bottom Of
the list simply because there is scarcely any
interest in it at present. and also because
there is SO little that is now connected with
it. Magnates are gradually getting settled
down to the 12-club league scheme, and all
kinds of things are being predicted regard
ing it. One authority has ventured the
opinion that there will not be - clubs in
the League at the close of the season, and
large number of authorities are now fully
convinced that the 12-club arrangement
won't last more than season. am free to
admit that there is much truth in the latter
prediction, and in my humble judgment
when 1898 comes we'll find the League and
Association as usual. True, there may be
what is called central league formed, but
it will be only moderate affair.
But there is one thing about the new
League that we must all feel satisfied with,
viz, the excellent quality of the II teams
that are likely to play in the League. De-
peno upon it there will be some great ball
playing next season, and as far as indica-
tions go what heretofore have been pro-
verbally weak teams will be remarkably
strong. Take Washington for instance.
"Pop" Young is taking good care that the
"Senators" are not being left and
he is doing right. All of us who
take an interest in the national game
are sure to be pleased if Washington is
blessed with good team. I think it will
be so. Won der Abe is not in the business
for fun and he'll be on deck in good form.
Zach Phelps is half of the committee who
distributes the players, and Louisville will
be looked after. Altogether there will be
II excellent teams and that will be great
feature.
The Local Club.
After all, we are going to be in line with
the best of them, as far as getting an attrac-
tive team together is concerned. We have
now a team, taking records into considera-
tion, who are far above the average, and
while they may on paper be less snowy than
our lot of last spring, they give promise of
being the best team We have ever had in
Pittsburg. Without something very extra
ordinary happens to ruin it, we have one of
the best infelds in the country, both in
fielding and batting. The outfeld is more
than an average one, and our catchers
are as good as we want. There is perhaps
something problematical about the
pitchers but nobody can say that we
are weak in pitching. With Bald |
win, Ehret and Calvin in form, we have a
remarkably strong trio and Woodcock can
be speculated on. He may be an effective |
and meritorious man. We don't know. If |
he is good man we are all right. Ger
tainly with the pitchers we have at present |
it would seem unnecessary for the local |
club to so to more expense in running after |
more pitchers except in a case where a
really frst-class man is at stake.
Well, 1 am glad and We all are glad that |
things are looking 90 bright as they are. |
The directors are, indeed, working like |
beavers to give US victorious team, and |
nobody is more enthusiastic in the matter
than Treasurer Temple. The new President |
is worker and gentleman who won't
allow few dollars to stand between him |
and good thing. PRINGLE