Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-31

/ ing we'll, and it is very hard to explain why
they have not and why they viii not do
well. They are strong team of players
the only defect of Importance being in the
! pitchers box. Really, when we go through
! the list one bv one, il is something extraor-
/ binary to find them as team playing such
wretched games
But a new pitcher has been signed in
Esper, lately the left-handed man of Phila-
| delphia. Esper has done excellent work in
his time and in the first halt of this season
pitched some fine ball. Harry Wright has
released him and taken Knell, who was re-
! leased by the Washington club. We all
know that the veteran manager is not re-
leasing any player whom he thinks can win
| a majority of games for him. He NAV be
making a mistake in releasing Esper.
trust he is for the sake of our club We
need good pitcher, and if Esper turns out
to be a winner we will be all right.
There is another very important feature
about the local team, and that is the con-
duct OF the PLAYERS themselves. Reports
from every city they have visited tell of
their nocturnal carousals in the way of card
PLAYING and drinking This is simply dis
graceful, and player who thus conducts
himself should think it shame to lace the
public, considering the fact of the sacrifices
that are being made by the club directors
to furnish the public good team. Not a
player on the team has been reduced in
salary, although the club directors are by a
League resolution enjoined to do it. Surely
ii there is only spark of the spirit of
gratitude left in the PLAYERS they cannot be
depraved enough to cheat those who pay
them and the public who patronizes them.
Every stealthy and injurious act that Is
done by PLAYER will tell against him, and
he can depend on that fact
The work that team, such as we have in
Pittsburg, has been doing since the second
season opened is simply shameful. They
can do better, and if they have regard tor
their own manhood will do better
About Affairs in General
As was intimated in this paper last SUM-
day, the discussion regarding the 12-club
league and the cutting of salaries have been
general topics of discussion during the
week. One thing interested me very much
the other day, and that was the stand taken
by Mr.. Abel, Of the Brooklyn club. He
came out fat-tooted on tine matter of cut
ting salaries and the 49, rule. He con-
demned both in very strong terms, pointing
out the unfairness of the former and the ab-
surdity of the latter.
was pleased to read Mr. Abell's opin-
ions, because he took the same stand that 1
have been taking in this paper for some
time past. He very tersely pointed out
that salaries of ball players were too high,
but he wanted them reduced at the proper
time. To reduce them in mid season is
simply riding roughshod over all contracts,
and there will be no reason at all for con-
tracts in future except to give the players
the worst of it. To say the least of it, this
new plan of reducing contracts is the most
unfair and most unprincipled feature in the
entire history of baseball Actions of this
kind are sure to recoil on those who commit
them, and it goes to show that baseball is
fast getting into the hands of some very un-
scrupulous persons.
The opposition to the 12-club league plan
is still growing. Mr.. Byrne very anus
inglv the other day tried to show the good
quality of the monopoly and its two seasons
by talking about the increased interest in
the game at Baltimore. Attendances of 500
or 900 are extremely encouraging and if
they show an increased interest in the
game then goodness help the clubs when
the interest decreases But the most anus
ing effort of all during the week has been
that of the Louisville clubs secretary, in
irving to show that Louisville is first
class baseball city. Figures will prove
many things but they cannot convince
Manager Buckenberger that the team
cleared expenses on their Louisville trip
own honorable, tair-dealing and successful
condition.
There have been some very interesting
features ir the pennant race during the week.
n OF the lie ast Interesting has been the little
squirt mace by the Baltimore team. The
players OF that team have been knocking
the ball away with wonderful alacrity, and
enthusiastic patrons of the club are sure
that the team will be we'll up in the race at
the finish. The effort of the Baltimore team
is probably only: flash-in-the-pan one
True, Stovey has strengthened the team,
but they will not be winners
The Philadelphia and Brooklyn teams are
starting off well and the Bostons are getting
down to good work. 1 still fancy the
Brooklyn lot, although one can never tell
what is going to happen in baseball. Harry
Wright has good team, but 1 fail to see
where they are as good as the BROOKLYN
team, and with equal chances the Brooklyns
ought to be sure winners over the Phillies.
And yet We must not overlook the Bostons
They are a good lot of players and no mis-
take. Even at this early date am in
clined TO say that the Clevelands will beat
the Reds out, and 1 say this with due defer
ence TO the great expectations of our friends,
Mulford and Weldon. The Reds will mis-
Tony Mullane. Rhines is not Tony's equal;
never was and never will be- And Tony's
stand is a just one on principle and there is
no getting over the fact.
Ihe New Amateur Champion scuIler.
Here we are downed sgain; not by
''blooming" Britisher bat next to it, n
Canadian. Mr.. j j. RYAN, of Canada, has
come to our waters and taken away the
title of champion amateur sculler of the
United States and Canada. And those who
were most expected to get the title did not
get near it. Hawkins, of New York, and
Caffrey, of Boston, were only third and
fourth respectively in the final. Hedley, of
Philadelphia, was second to Ryan, so that
as far as bona fide Americans are concerned
we can claim that Pennsylvania has the best
amateur sculler.
The victory of Ryan must have been a
hackers of Caffrey and Hawkins 1t wis
conceded before the race by the talent that
Hawkins could not be beaten. Last fall
Wallace Ross assured me that Hawkins was
a great amateur sculler, and that he would
certainly win. The latter, this year, and
the Boston authorities were Just as con-
fdent about Caffrey's chances. Both favor |
ties were beaten, and were beaten decisiyely I!
BY Ryan.
Ryau's victory ranks him as good rover.
1t has been claimed for some time that both |
Hawkins and Caffrey were better scullers |
than Psotta Oast week I was made to |
say Protta), and if this claim is sound then |
Ryan is the best amateur sculler there has
been here tor a long time. The Canadians |
are good judges of scullers and they produce |
some good ones, and they do not hesitate to |
say that they have wonderful sculler in |
Ryan. In all probability he will try his |
fortune in England next year for the !
sculls at Henley. I am inclined |
to think he is better than any ENGLISH anla=