Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-13
A REVIEW OF SPORTS.
Peaceful Aspect of the Situation
Among the National ANA
teur Athletes.
FEW WORDS. ABOUT LOCAL MEN.
The Remarkable Activity Among the
Baseball Clubs Of the New
12-Club League.
FEW WORDS ABOUT LOCAL MEN.
SULLIVAN AND MITCHELL TALK.
Why the Champion Is Making Very Unreasonable
Demands for Battle.

great extent an important one to amateur
athletes and to those who patronize the
sports of amateurs For long time pas
those who seeR to rule the destinies Of
amateurism on this vast continent of ours
have apparently been living regardless OF
the admonition of DR.. Watts contained il
the little verses beginning
Birds in their little nests agree.
Although amateur athletes are more OF
less children of one family" they have
not been getting along well together for a
long time, as far as the United States il
concerned. They have really been acting
like children in fact, and the simple though
useful advice Of the late lamented doctor
might have been profitable to them.
Well. what seemed to be sure breaking
up OF interests is very likely to be averted.
The powers that be in amateurism have
held meeting, and as a result the horizon
is much clearer and relationships are on a
better footing all round. Mr.. Jansen and
his proposed new organization have been re-
moved into the remote background, and the
probabilities are that they will stay there
For that, all of us who desire to see anna
teur sports grow and prosper, will be thank
ful, not because of desire to have a huge
Capitalization, but because it will tend to
allav trouble.
The Board of Governors of the A. A. U.
have, during the week Just ended, decided
that the Manhattan club shall have repre-
sentation on the board, and that the quality
and cost of prizes shall be broader and less
limited than during the past II months
These changes are sure TO be adopted gener-
allv, and it is we'll. When the limit was
tipb+1v dr,x + L.
change, because there was nothing to show
that it would be an improvement and there
was much to show that it would be in iuri-
ous. The trouble in modern amateurism
has never been in tho quality of the prizes
so much it has been in the clandcstine
maintenance of irst-class performers by
wealthy people or wealthy clubs. Prize
rules of narrow limits have never stopped
the unseen" methods of keeping" good
performers. The truth is that these unseen
methods have been the cause of almost all
the trouble in amateurism, both in this and
in other countries, and even now, to some
extent, makes amateurism farce.
Local Features of Amateurism.
OF late have devoted considerable space
to the discussing of amateur athletics SIM
ply because 1 would like to see them Sue
ceed here and at other places. This is the
reason why we feel pleased at the turn
events have taken during the last few days
The prospects here are more hopeful than
ever.
There is now a very strong probability of
a championship meeting of the A A. q.
being held in this citv. The statement
made by Mr.. Wells, and which appeared in
this paper Friday last, is exceedingly en-
couraging on this point, and most certainly
L repeat that the A. A. q. could not do
anything better than hold one of their
meetings here. There is everything to gain
by the holding of such a meeting, that is if
it were not held too soon.
The contest at the East End Gymnasium
underlined for Thursday evening ought also
TO keep the athletic spirit active hereabouts.
l am told that the contests are sure to be of
a good kind and also exciting
There is another question which is one of
the leading themes of discussion among
local athletes at present, viz, the proposed
clubhouse for the Allegheny Athletic As
sociation. During the last few DAYS have
been greatly surprised at the diversity of
opinion among the members of that organ
ization on the subject. The idea generally
has been prevailing to the effect that it was
the unanimous desire of the members to
have fve-story clubhouse. This idea is
not correct, because few of the principal
members have been telling me that it would
burg at present 1 confess that argument
and business principles are against such an
undertaking. and if the Three AS would get
to work and erect clubhouse adequate for
the needs of their organization and nothing
more, they would find plenty to do and
they wouldn't require anything more.
Dodds' Challenge to Mclaughlin.
One of the most interesting things of the
week has been the challenge of William NJ.
Dodds, our local billiard player, to Edward
Mclaughlin. champion billiard player of
the State. Some time ago Mclaughlin
won the title here and the trophy presented
by j. c. Stroup. The trophy is handsome
one, in fact the handsomest in the country.
The time is fast approaching for McLaugh-
lin 10 have sole possession of the trophy
and before that time comes the local veteran
means to have another argument with
genial Edward.
Mclaughlin has been so long in the van
among State players and Dodds has been so
long before tine public that we must all ad-
mire the courage of the local man in throw
ing down the gantlet to the champion. OF
course it is useless to deny that the general
opinion will be to the effect that the Phila-
delphia player will win, but there is never
a certainty until the number is up" and
Dodds has sufficient faith in himself to
tackle the holder of the trophy and back
himself for S15O.
OF course Mclaughlin must accept, and
it is to be hoped that the contest will take
place in Pittsburg. Mclaughlin would
probably be the gamer by playing here, and
if he would consent to do SO he would GER
tainlv be acknowledging the courage of our
veteran player. The tournament in which
Mclaughlin won the trophy here was such
successful one that the champion ought to
be encouraged to play again here.
General Baseball Affairs.
There is really nothing to grumble at re-
garding the outlook for the opening of the
baseball season. Every club of the - in the
new League is up and doing, and, what is
more pleasing still, every one seems very
well pleased with its men. As an illustra-
tion of this quote remark Manager Pow
ers, of the New York Club, made to me the |
other day. Somebody was saying that the |
Baltimore team looked poor on paper, The |
New York manager replied: swell, the |
Baltimore directors think they have a good |
team, assure you" 1 suppose this is the |
feeling among all directors, and it is well |
that it is so. A feeling of this kind lends |
considerable enthusiasm to the entrance of |
the long battle, and if events come at all |
favorable at the beginning that enthusiasm |
will make things much more successful all |
round.
One remarkable feature of this period of |
the year is the fact that so many teams are |
far away from home practicing. This |
means that all are out to do the very best |
possible when the season opens in reality.
1t further shows that there is great hope |
among the magnates as to the financial sue |
cess of the season. The present practice |
trips means great outlay and no income |