Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-07

cannot desert him now when p1tted against
| Needhanl. In short, / will be very much
| surprised man if Ryan does not defeatNeed-
| ham very decisiyely.
| There is move going on to have q con-
test between Joe McAuliffe and Joe God
| dard, the Australian: in fact, the California
| has already agreed to give purse Of 5000
i for the proposed contest Now, for the life
| of me cannot see why Goddard should be
| pitted against such big imposition as Nc
Auliffe, that is if Goddard is half as good rs
the Australians say he is. He defeated
Choynski SO readily that fail to see what
chance of victory there is for McAuliffe.
Australian authorities state that Goddard
is almost the best man there has been in
Australia for some time, and how did Slavin
down McAulitfe.
Ball Players and Their Training.
Just as sure as February comes every year
we hear any amount of talk about ball play
ers getting into condition. Admonittons
and threats by the score are given to this
player and that player, not only by club
officials. but also by goodly portion of the
public. In many cases ball player, are
lectured to about Conditioning" as if they
were utterly ignorant as to what to do and
how to do it. During the last few days there
has been more than the usual amount Of
talk about getting the local players into con-
dition, and as result several of the players
have been frightened into very great ex
pense in the way of adopting system OF
L
one whit better than If they had remained
at home and worked earnestly and system
atically.
lam aware that there are almost as many
different notions about the right and wrong
methods of training there are days in the
year, and often it is very unsatisfactory
question to discuss. But boldly state that
cannot for the life Of me see why a really
healthy man who is going to play ball
should be at the expense of going to Hot
Springs. The latter won't train man;
They may rid him Of tmperfections, bnt Il
there is nothing in him or on him to "boll
out" except superfiuous flesh, there is no ne
cessity whatever of his going there. We
seldom or never hear of our leading ath-
1etes, professionals or amateurs, training at
Hot Springs when in strict training. True,
they go there now and again, but only to get
into condition to train. If they are healthy
they do not go there. 1t seems to 70 me that Eita a
false notion is abroad regarding Hot Springs
and the training of ball players.
A Safe and Useful Method.
If man wants to train for athletic pur-
poses and particularly to play baseball 1
fail to see any better place than our local
suburbs. We too often disparage home and
think far away places and scenes the best,
but / have known trainers and many OF
them, and particularly the veteran Jimmy
Taylor, get some of the best men in the
world into the best possible physical condi-
ton right at their own home. The truth is
that steady and reliable man need not go
from home at all to train for baseball play
ing. By staying at home in his natural eli
mate and pursuing good system of daily
exercise he will be much harder and much
more vigorous than boiling" himself down
at any springs amid warm and strange eli
matte influences. Remember when he goes
to the warm climate he has to return and
perform daily in the cold one.
Well. now, let US suppose a ball player
stays in Pittsburg to get himself into condi-
ton he can have all the exercise he needs.
There are plenty of good roads, and. If the
weather is bad. he can get indoor tracks. He
can alSo / think, have the use Of good
gymnasium, and these things combined with
a good diet, good advice and a thoroughly
good rubber are sufficient to get him into as
good condition as ever he was in his life.
Faithfulness in work is what is needed.
Getting into ball-playing form is another
matter. Steady practice will only do that
when the player gets into condition to prac-
tice. Then comes the question: Who should
pay the expenses OF the players practice
before the season opens? l am inclined to
think the club should pay it, because to give
form he should practice daily, in fact, play
ball energetically daily with his colleagues.
He cannot do this ana follow any other en-
ployment ne may be engaged in, and he has
a right to be so employed until he COM
mences to receive salary from the club. I
hold that the officials OF the club are more
than anybody else responsible for the play
ing form of the team when the season
opens.
Local Club Affairs.
Things are moving satisfactorily along as
far as the affairs of the local club are con-
cerned. Captain Hanlon has signed his con-
tract and is to have full charge OF the
players when they are on the field. There
is nothing new to state regarding the pro
posed Kelly deal and the chances are that
he will not come to Pittsburg If all rumors
are true he wants to play in New York and
the probabilities are that he will either be
there or in Boston. Mike is a ratting good
man and no mistake if he only keeps
"straight.n All hope OF getting him to
Pittsburg has not vanished yet.
The local officials are anxious to know
definitely the details of the schedule for the
coming season. They have not even been
they cannot make up their dates for exhibit
tion games. To say the least, this is a very
unsatisfactory state OF things. 1t seems
very singular that the schedule should not
be complete and made public now. There is
no apparent reason why it should be kept a
secret. OF course, its leading provisions are
known to the favored few and they can act
with safety, but Pittsburg is not among that
few. 1t is facts of this kind that will sooner
or later disrupt the entire business. As
Carlyle would put it. each man for himself
and the devil take the hindmost." 1t is un-
fortunate that there is so much of this spirit
displayed in the baseball league of the
world.
The General Situation.
There is not much to say regarding the
baseball situation in general, and 1 dare say
there will not be until March. Each club is
building up its fences al much as possible,
but there are still one or two little bitches.
The New York club is making considerable
noise, and very unreasonably, about Rich
ardson. According to the rules and regula-
tions laid down at the Indianapolis meeting
there is no reason whatever why Richardson
should not play in Washington without max
ing any trouble at all. He probably would
have done that had he not been tampered
with by the officials of the New York club.
Thev ought to be called down on the matter.
Things are looking pleasanter at Louis
vile, and the probability is that in a short
time all the little chickering's will have van
ished for a time at least,a and the new League
son was thoroughly opened, it may tend to
put all the little quarrels into the back
ground. If it does it is to be hoped that
they will stay there.
Colonel Rogers has made very frank and |
manly statement regarding the national |
agreement formulated by himself. Mr.. |
Phelps has also stated that he was not |
slighted by the Colonel, and that the latter |
has acted fairly and honorably all through. |
The agreement will doubtless be adopted |
as it is In discussing it last |
week mentioned in one paragraph reasons |
that would cause PLAYERS TO "oppose" it, but |
by some way OF other the word was changed |
to approve" The change took all meaning |
from the paragraph.
The Western League is going ahead gaily !
with its casting-oi-lots plan. a large num- /
Der of good PLAYERS have applied for engage (.
mentS in the League, so that there VIII be
no difficulty in securing the requisite num-
{, ~ rzIa