The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-21
BASEBALL PHENOMENA.
Concerning "Comers" Who
Failed to Come.
HIGH HOPES DASHED TO EARTH.

It-Thcrc VIII BE oiany SurPi''o' 'N'
Season.
Winter is the harvest time OF the bal |
PLAYERS for complimentary forecasts 70
other roads in the journey Of life there ar e
snoradic cases where a man has leape'
into fame in a night, but it is while tho
base paths are frozen that the unknown
are dug out and placed upon pedestals Tor
public inspection. Some fulfill the proni-
ises Of those who have discovered ther a.
Others rejoice in typographical notorlei ~
for a time, but when the hour to
caress the horsehide they are found wa 1T
ing. Ranked as exploded phenomenois
they tumble back into obscurity unwep .
and unsung. Such fame is not lasting. II l
the ages to come, when the memories Q
the war of 1890 are not so narrowing,
will be safe to refer to the most stupcne l.
ms list of DhenOms ever given to the ~ l.
tbusiastics-the roster Of the ambiUct >
Youngsters who wished 10 shine in II re
places Of those who had deserted LeagI lie
for Brotherhood.
Phenomsmay come and phenoms ma'fl5o'
but Nick Young's roll will exist alor % as
long as Yankee Doodle loves the q me.
The crank loves to dwell among his ic')is.
To throw down his idols is "A task that can
he ACCOMPLISHED in but one way. A'hs-
MAY Of nerve at a critical moment, a q ase
bit when it was needed az badly as the
Gentleman in Oklahoma did a gun, - Tide
into the plate with the winning run on an
electrifying, life saving play in TN Q held
will make the ordinary crank forge Z home
and mother. While heis giving bis larynX
athletic exercise he forgets the fave 'ltes OF
the past. lie lives only TO sound al C ud the
praises of the new.
History will show that a majority o the
Young bloods do not last. Many OF those
who were hailed as coming heroes ia the
wear of strife have fallen into lul miller
company. Others are in reality out OK
sight. There are always few who stick IL
out. Dahlen and Davis are stri Iing eX-
amples of the talent that lies hidd e Il await
ing development. The counterfeit It's, how
ever. are more plentiful than the 8 enuine
article. Almost every follower Of tn game
can recall ~metaphOricai ~poundirg5 OF the
drum and clashing Of the Cymhals OF JOY
over valued playing acquisit oH5 that
proved sadly premature when the time
came for the Law down Of 'the ha nd"
Some years ago Cincinnati W worked
up TO the highest pitch of enthu 1asm over
the high promises made for a yen ing twirl-
or who had gained anne up in ttanesyllle
bvholding the St. Louis Browns 10 i5cOuple
of hits. Walter Watson was signcd. lie
was as innocent looking a specim ~ as ever
left the farm. The first day be arrived IN
town he was tackled by We bnnho men,
and that night he plaintiyely as Sed if there
really was hay on his back. Wa tsOn waxed
fat, but he did no work.
"Watson will pitch today" W IS the bull
letin that was run so often thao 1t might
lust as well have been marked It f." FL
nally. after a fortnight Of disappoi ntments'
Watson did pitch, and the panOraI na of the
other fellows getting AROUND the / mses was
one that made those who Ind "ba akcd' on
the prowess of the GAINESVILLE DO y whistle
''The Heart Bowed Down" Wa sons so
journ was not heightened.
Old Hickory Carpenter also stumbled
across two finds" while winteriI ~ in New
Orleans. and they also found ref age in the
Queen City. Michael Shea, tb e pitcher,
was one of them. There was I % singing
"He Never Came Back in tn . Crescent
CITY in his case. lie arrived J iome ON an
D early lIdlDs anu HAS rlliN| via. hHNA|A t|
the Southern and Texas leagu es. James
+. Woulie was hcralded as " the cotton
merchant" who had abandOni d his busi-
ness for a love- Of the game. Ii C merchant
was not at home In the field A. Id the gods
of the bleacher, were caus s.. The Gin
cinnati club soon gave Mr.. Woulhe per
mission TO again shine amor ~ the factors
in cotton in the Pelican st; ne. Later on
Il ... .n.A Ion Dr.a4 err. ..f-a tfs.rlf-4I
TO the porkOp0litans. 4 pitc ler who had
been king promised 20 resum his throne.
II WAS DR.. Richmond. The C Their fellows
were very cruel. They made hits "a good
deal faster than DIR. Richmor d could pull
teeth. and be returned to tax cup the for
ceps, abandoning forever the )all field.
There is scarcely o city i'm he land that
is not full Of such rcmiuiscen ccs. Tho ad-
ventures of the Eldorado b lttcry in ST.
Louis is story rs full Of ~ eat as an vi.
Quad sketch. Chris Won dc Abe signed
them for play and they wor 6ed out their
advance as carpenters t.nk ring on the
stands. Even New York hf S possessed q
first baseman who had his p cture in moro
prints than he ever played championship
games,
There are a score of youn ysters who are
fated TO 20 through the Clf / treadmill OF
experience in the big leay lie next spring.
Cleveland has one likeiT pitcher upon
whom l have been relues q d TO keep my
eye.n Enthusiasts whose Il lmered at Lake
ChautauQua and Rundown I oJamestowntc
see that team play ball 81 y that George
Cuppy is likely to fool 30 me people. In
the fall games Theodore Er eitenstein made
a remarkable box record n st. Louis, and
the Browns have in Mic k Moran a young
catcher whose work at j y let In the team
Will the beautiful title { The Convicts'
attracted 10 little attention D.
Louisville has been rs hing in minor
league waters and has L mded the Brad.
ford battery of Jones a nd Hess. New
York has an assorted 10 of pitchers, in
addition 10 a quartz t Tried and true
Fred Woodcock, the pitcher that Pitts.
burg has signed, is So G 10 be a conner.
Tim Murnane declared 4 } me that he de
serves all the good words that have been
spoken about him, ana Il e sage Of Boston
has in his day picked O. ii players in mum
Der more than a few. Uncle Arson has
been unusually quiet for him, and the
Kelkaska wonder Michigan" Pipp-
booked TO fill Fred Tf eiSer's shoes, is the
only player he has scaIgl out OF the woods
since All Halloween.
None Of these boys Ia We ever been seer
in good company. vii ID perseverance and
the necessary nerve 70 sustain them sue