Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-17
AREWEW OF SPORTS,
Some Features of the Open-
ing of the New Leagues
Baseball Season.
LOCAL CLUB PROSPECTS.
A Remarkable Increase of Bicycle
Riding in Pittsburg.
HALL AND FITzSIMMONS BATTLE.
Talk About Corbett and the Pritchard and
O'Brien Set-To
LOCAL CLUB PROSPECTS.
HALL AND FITzSIMMONS BATTLE.
FOOTBALL, CYCLING, RUNNING, ETC

We have seen the opeting end Of tn,
baseball season of 1892, and venture to say
that the maj jority of admirers of the ma
tional game were well satisfied with it
Wha: the closing end will be nobody can
tell, and doubtless there will be many sur.
prises before then.
Financially the Inauguration of the sea-
son was quite success. Considering the
early part of the year the attendance was ex-
tremely large, which is a good indication
for the general success of the season. The
opening day was cold one all round, and
it may be worth while asking, Is it not too
early in the year to open the season? The
length of the present season entails cold
weather, and much of it both at the begin
ming and end of the season, that is, the proba.
hility of cold and bad weather is much
greater than it would be if the season was
shorter. This disadvantage certainly keeps
down the attendance in many cases far be-
low paying basis.
The season has not progressed far enough
vet by any means to give us anything like
correct estimate of the teams in the
League. 1t is not fair at this stage to
begin anything like criticism But while
we cannot 60 fairly into details, few
general remarks may be made. 1t seems to
me that Baltimore and Washington are
going to have two very poor teams and
If they get very far behind Pittsburg will
be a sufferer as the Baltimore team are
our holiday attraction. The players of
both teams are considerably out of form
entirely because of lack of training. This
is as much the fault of the management as
anybody else. The New York team are
going to be strong lot without all
signs fail and ii will be no surprise to me if
they make matters very warm for the Bos-
tons. / prefer to wait a little longer before
/ conclude as to whether or not the Bos-
tons are as strong as they were last year.
The Phillies are also a strong lot and have
proven that already. Brooklyns are not as
strong as they seem to be and when they
get fairly up against good people this state
ment may be verified.
But the Louisvilles are a surprise. They
are indeed much stronger than almost any
body thought and it is not unreasonable
to saw that the Chicago team are rot as
strong they were last wear, Cincinnati
has a very good team and MANY people will
find that out before next October The start
of the Reds NAV not have been as good as
expected but if that team pulls together,
depend upon it they will be strong lot,
and so will the Clevelands. The Browne do
not promise TO be in the first six by any
means. Altogether the start off leads us to
think that there will be an exciting season.
The Local Clubs Prospects
So far there is really nothing to grumble
about as far as the club and its team are con-
cerned. True there is very long road
ahead vet, in fact our players are hardly
fairly on % the road, but they have.demon-
strated that they are not as bad to start with
as many people thought they would be. All
of us who have the interest of the club at
heart must feel extremely glad at the show
ing that Charley Farrell has made 1t seems
safe to say that he is destined to do the
many brilliant things that have been pre-
dicted. 1t is also now very clear that DUR
ing the recent exhibition games at Exposi-
ton Park, he was no. exerting himself
And Beckley, too, is starting out we'll and
SO are BALDWIN and Calvin. In short, they
are all doing very satisfactory work.
l am sure we will all feel extremely sorry
about the nishap of Captain Hanlon. There
is not more earnest and energetic bali
player in the land today than Hanlon, and
/ may add that there is not player in the
world reader to make sacrifices for club
than is Hanlon. Like all of us, he has his
friends and enemies but his bitterest
enemy cannot gainsay what have Just
stated concerning him. When player of
his good and honest qualities gets disabled
ANYTHING like a generous club, such as the
PittsburS is, will stand by him. He is at
al times ready to stand by a club.
1t is likely that his hitting and base
running will be missed, as if Corkhill is to
replace him the latter NAV not get down to
hitting the ball very readily. But Corkhill
will be all right in the field. But it is to
be hoped that Captain Hanlon will soon be
all right again. 1t is also to be hoped that
Ehret will not he long out of condition, as
his services Will be needed most certainly.
Our Opening Day.
OF course we are all anticipating the
opening day and in all probability, weather
permitting, it will be good one The St.
Louis team ought to be good card for an
opener, ard if our sluggsrs do. well at
Louisville, the crowd here on Thursday
should be big one. 1t will be bigger still
If we win that postponed game Wednesday,
Local cranks can easily remember the rival
~ there used to be between the Browns
and the Alleghenies and what rattling
games they used to play There will be
lots of oid-time feeling Thursday, although |
things have changed considerably during |
the last six or seven years.
The directors of the club deserve good |
opening dav and it is to be hoped that the |
inaugural here will not only be good, bnt |
that the enthusiasm will be sustained long |
enough to make the club profitable invest |
ment this year. A few victories in sue
cession on the home grounds will have a
great effect on public feeling, because there |
are no feelings so susceptible to the in
fuence of victory or defeat as the feeling of |
baseball cranks. 1t may be unpleasant to |
Won der Abe of course, but it would be |
highly satisfactory to Pittsburg cranks if |
the Browns were not to win game here this !
week. Victory then would certainly have
some effect ior good.
More about bicycling.
Last week had a few words to say about /
bicycling, and during the last day or two
have been extremely surprised to find that
such large number OF Western Pennsylvs,
mia citizens are interested in this sport.
Several letters on the subject have reached
this Office since last Sunday, and while the
statements of some of the writers may be a
little exaggerated, it may be accepted as a
fact that the bicycle riders are more numer-
Gus in and about Pittsburg than is gener-
ally believed.
One correspondent writes: '1 voice the
opinion of hundreds of local bicycle riders
when 1 say that it is true you gave wheel
ing place In your category of sports.
Every other sport gets good notices by you
except bicycle riding, and you must not
forget that the riders In Western PennsyL
vanis number into the thousands Our
sport ought TO receive more attention from