The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-08-31
Sorry Slump in Baseball In
tereTs and Finances.
HOW CINCINNATI KILLED THE HEN


was notably improved, but before the
teams started west the same old rut Oh
passing Indifference seemed to be struck.
And nowhere in the west thus far has
there been signs Of promising revival on
the circuit. Indeed the condition Of things
in Cincinnati, the best paying city Of the
circuit during the first half OF the year,
has become financially alarming, while IN
every other city but one west Of the Ale
ghanies the clubs are playing 70 losing
business. Cleveland alone draws fairly
well because it's team has been wearing
the honors Of League leader. Whether
these favorable financial conditions can be
maintained In that city il the club loses
the lead is a question OF considerable
doubt.
In Chicago the baseball slump is what
the crank would call disgusting. People
Of that progressive center have use for
nothing but the best, and Uncle Arson
this year has not succeeded in giving them
such an article in baseball. The great gen
eral has done the best possible, band1-
capped as he was in the beginning OF the sea-
son by poor allotment Of players from the
Indianapolis consolidation pool. Cooney,
his shortstop, turned out sudden COM
plete failure, and he has never been able to
successfully ill Pfeffer's vacant shoes on
the nine. Any team which Is weak at
short field and second base is bound 70 be
weak all over and that is the condition OF
the Chicagos.
"The old man" has been experimenting
ON new material with more or less success,
and less success than more. But by the
L. Toto haf a
pleased to consider championship form the
season will be 50 far spent that ne Will
have no chance to arouse the chilled pride
of the army Of Chicago baseball ''rooters."
But that little Encouragement does not
discourage Arson. His eyes are fixed upon
the sweet by md by. There will be a
next season and it has been his custom
for yeas1 % begin to talk about next
season" before the dog days arrive. 1t
begins 10 look al present as II there might
be balm in Gilead for Arson, If we speak
OF the season Of 1893 as Gilead.
Maybe the Chicago club can well afford
to waste this year whipping together
winning team for 1893. For next year the
Worlds fair should bring a small fortune
to the treasury Of the Chicago club II they
can get a winning team together by that
time. Yet there are those who will argue
that the Worlds fair is bound TO be
financial injury rather than benefit TO
the Chicago club under any circumstance,
and the argument is based upon baseball
experience in Philadelphia during the year
OF the Centennial. am not inclined TO
believe that the Chicago club will receive
no benefit from the Worlds fair. but am
haIf
the fair will be financial burden on his
club hard to bear. He argues that for
every visiting stranger who will be at
tracted to the ball grounds three resident
patrons will be kept away by the unusual
demand upon their time by excessive bust
ness.
The sorry slump IN baseball interest at
Cincinnati is another exemplification Of
that old moral taught by the fable Of the
"Hen Which Laid the Golden Egg"
know il is modern usage to speak Of the
golden egg producer rs a goose, but my
Latin book called IL a ben. AS applied to
the Cincinnati case IL makes little differ
ence whether we call IL hen or a goose,
save that in the latter case the egg might
be considered little larger and, being Of
gold, more valuable. The Cincinnati clubs
hen was laying golden eggs regularly
througi. the first season. The newspapers
put the club down a sure winner fnan-
cially. Then came the greed mentioned ia
the fable. The officials thought they saw
a way to squeeze the old hen into more
active and valuable work, and in the
squeezing they killed her.
Cincinnati patrons became disgusted.
For the sake Of saving few thousand dol
lars in salaries while working at profit
this club had thrown away its chances to
win the second championship. Nobody
who understands human nature need won
der al the result.
President Young, Of the League, has had
much trouble With his staf Of umpires.
Only a few OF the ola reliables have es-
caOed pFotest from one OF more Of the
clubs. and even q man like Lynch or Gaf-
ney has not been free from local cOndemna-
ton. The tendency 20 find fault with even
the best OF Umpiring is growing more dan
gerous year by year. The players are tax
ing more and more advantage Of umpirss'
leriency and by unjust and constant
Kicking" manage 20 work up spectators
80 the verge OF riot ia many instances.
The fault IS largely the umpire's The
magnates have given him constitutional
power to protect himself, but he is either
afraid 10 use il or does not realize what
power Of protection it is. Under the rules
there are heavy penalties for any player,
except the two captains, who shall by act
or word question "A decision Of the umpire.
Yet in every game there is scarcely
player on either nine who does not openly
Insult and defy the umpire.
Lynch, Gaffney and McQuaid are three
tried officials who have umpired contin-
uously for nearly half score Of years. In
taat time the major association has tried
and dismissed more than twoscore and
ten others who applied for appointments
and entered upon their duties fully be
lieying they would be able 20 get away
with the job dead easy" None OF them
lasted more than one season and some Of
them were wrecked before they got their
indicators into running order.
One popularity Of the problem is that
few old players ever made successful UNI
pires II Snyder lasts, and his chances
are good. be will be the first broken down
player Of celebrity to find new field in
umpiring. o. r. CAYLoR
Shorthand the English wheelman, re-
Gently broke the worlds A-hour record.