, 1892-01-10
A NEW BASEBALL YEAR
1t Promises to Be a Happy
One for the Magnates.
THE KICKERs ARE NOT NEEDED.

Old '9l, toddling into his grave, weighted
with the cares and joys of 965 days, wit
messed a spectacle that no prophet ever
dared predict. When it was limited some
months ago that st. Louis might be found
in the League fold some day one doubling
Thomas observed that cats would grow
web footed before Christopher Won der Abe
mingled in that society. Joyful, indeed,
are the greetings exchanged by the mogul
guardians of the American diamond. TIC
them "A Happy New Year" holds glorious
promises OF a return to the happy days of 80.
There are some sentimentalists who
grieve over the demise of the old bodies.
They are not within the united family. To
the enthusiasts the game itself was OF
greater Importance than organizations.
Baseball, played under any other flag, with
peace prevailing, will prove Just as excit-
ing. The union of the six great cities OF
the east-Boston, New York, Brooklyn,
Philadelphia, Washington and Baltimore,
and the big western six-Pittsburg, Cleve-
land, Cincinnati, Chicago, Louisville and
st. Louis-formed the only available solu.
ton to a problem so weighty that, had it
been allowed to work itself out, would
have simply dragged Town the professional
game.
There are enough GROWERS and grum.
blers in this world to start a new order
hhhb WOulu bc hcaflg tS bOTOuB IL Lub Ouu
Fellows. The Sons Of Calamity would be
a good title for them, and A l. johnson
and Henry V. Lucas could fill two chairs
in Lodge No. l very nicely. These gentle
men have already taken out their telescopes
and have tried to ram them through the veil
Of the future looking for the place where
der boss president" will be dropped. Their
grief is premature and i'll timed in these
hours of the cranks' merrymaking. TIC
parallel the trials OF the American associa-
tion with a twelve club circuit in 1884 and
the conditions today is absurd. The
Experimentation possesses the twelve
best cities in the land.
In 1884 the Americans were harassed by
the Union association, and in seven of the
twelve cities they had opposition to fight.
These facts go far toward silencing the
critics. The magnates faced a dilemma
and twisted off its horns to the satisfaction
of the great majority of the enthusiasts.
New books have been opened for 1885,.
In the dark and gloomy past there was
no flercer fighter than Chris Won der Abe.
When peace came there was hone that
welcomed it more joyfully thar the st.
Louis chieftain. He breathed a sigh of re-
lief whent the wedding was over, and as he
settled back in his chair to rest after the
strain he declared:
II haven't enjoyed a good nights rest
for a year. / never retired with the assur.
ance that would not be awakened at mid.
night and handed a telegram which would
run, L a drawn on you for a thousand. "
In furnishing the sinews OF war no man
was more generous than the st. Louisan
and there is no more picturesque figure in
baseball today. He is the only pioneer in
the business in st. Louis who has remained
at the front for years. Before the Browns
had gained fame Mr.. Won der Abe filled
the role OF their guardian angel. st. Louis
was then in no league and games were
played about twice a week. Many are the
stories told in which Chris Won der Abe
figures as the hero. Some of them are
true, others are bits of fiction. He gave
himself the name which has stuck to him
for years.
On one trip years ago the Browns were
going through the east, being soundly
lambasted in every city. Mad with rage
the st. Louis chief started for the scene of
continued sorrow. When he arrived he
read the riot act in two languages, and
that afternoon the team braced up and de
feated the Nets. After the victory he
proudly exclaimed:
81 am der boss president of der boss
clubr
Some scribe heard his declaration and il
was chronicled. The title got to Philadel
phia before he did, and when he marched
across the Athletics field with the team
the small boys took up the cry in noisy de
rision, for that afternoon the Quakers had
drubbed the Browns outrageously. In the
early days of his career as a magnate he
was showing some friends of his over
Sportsman's park. He was very proud OF
the ball club and its home, and he re-
marked to his companions:
This is the biggest diamond in thu
world, amt it, Davet"
The query was directed to his secrc.
tary, poor Dave Reid, who has long since
been summoned across the dark river. The
latter replied:
"Oh, no, Mr.. Won der Abe. Baseball
diamonds are all the same size" was the
response.
well, l don't give n cuss," he retorted
This is the largest intield in the country
at any ratel''
II it had not been for the herculean ef
forts of Chris Won der Abe the American
association would have died in 1890 afte,
the Brotherhood had swept through Its
playing ranks like a cyclone and carried
away most OF its stars. Baseball history
might bave been different today had no,
the Players league turned a deaf ear to
the st. Louis man. In the latter days Of
that i'll fated organization everybody sus
pected everybody else, and Chris Won der
Ahe was not wanted. The Association
people learned that he had applied for q
franchise, and the charge was pumped AT
him direct in New York, when he was told,
Chris, st. Louis has got a bid in for a
place in the Players leagueI"
"Whatr' he exclaimed, taken metaphor
ically off his feet by the unexpected expose
OF the play he had made. II wonder who
put it ini III nave to go right down and
get 1t Quit"
When the united league meets in New
York next March it Is probable that the
idea of two championships in one season
will be adopted Such a departure will
make each race exciting, for every victory
will be worth a struggle. To accept this
doctrine will silence the DIRECTORS to the
new league on the sole plea that tail end.
ers will be so plentiful that three or four
clubs will not draw enough to provide for a
decent burial at the end OF the year.
The committee will submit two schedules
TO the moguls, but the chances are that
the twelve clubs will do battle for two
pennants between May and October next,
The committee on rules will also have
work in all the ranks" for the game itseli
has been sadly neglected, while fractional
qusrrels were constantly kept in the fore
ground insteai- e MILFORD, JR-