Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-03

that the mechanical In baseball has not the
elements of success In il, and in the face o.
this it is a pity that some people persist II
trying to maintain it. I'm sure there is al
ready sufficient evidence to guide us on the
matter
The Affairs of the Local Club.
After all, matters sre not going 20 bad
| With the local ball club Considering the
many and hig difficulties that have had to
be contended with, the team are In very
good condition. There are only very few
games between them and much higher
position than where they are in the race,
and the future looks much brighter for the
team than 1t did.
| We must all admit that so far Captain
Burns has managed things with good
| Judgment. If he had another good out
| fielder he would have areally excellentteam.
At present, with every man playing In
| good form, he has a lot of winners, and II
things 60 right 1 expect to see him reap his
reward in the second half of the season.
OF course, very great deal depends on
the pitchers, but at present the local
pitchers are apparently in very good trim,
and if they continue SO fail to see why
| the team should not more than
hold their own. Several of the PLAYERS
are batting with great force and very
pleasing regularity, and it is to be hoped
| that all these good features will be kept up
for the sake of the directors if for nothing
else. I'm sure they deserve success, for
they have done everything that it is possi-
bic to do to merit success. They have even
! gone to the extent of putting up their cash
and turning the management and control OF
the players entirely over to Captain Burns
To say the least, this is puck and heroism.
Well, men of that kind really deserve sup
port and good wishes,
The local team will now remain st home
until the first half of the season is finished.
They ouught to finish in the first six, and If
thev do this, they will have done nobly.
Chicago is likely to be a dangerous rival,
but if our pitchers keep all right I don't
think thare is much to fear
The Popularity of Amateur Sport.
1t is always pleasure to me and pre-
sumo to everybody else who takes an in
terest in outdoor sports to notice the grow
ing popularity of amateur athletic contests,
both in this and In other countries. 1t Is
extremely surprising to note how the popu-
larity OF amateur sports has developed dur
ing the last decade. The time was when
scarcely corporal's guard could be mus
tered to witness an afternoons contests
among amateur performers
To be sure the Improvement among the
amateur perfor mers has had as much to do
with the increase of popularity as anything
else. True, there are many people who
still think that the term amateur" means
somebody who is not very good at his busi-
ness 1 can remember the time when that
really was the prevailing opinion and it is
only the remarkable performances of anna
teurs in all branches of sports that has
caused that old notion to be laid aside to
any extent But as say there are still lots
OF people who looks upon the term 'tama-
teur" as meaning something inferior. This
notion will be entirely eradicated by and
by, or just as soon as those who hold it
begin TO think little for themselves.
There has been greater progress made
amateur talent during recent years than
among professional talent, and in many in
stances when we look for the "best on
record" we have to turn to the amateurs to
find it. Well, it is such facts as these that
have popularized amateur sports, because
the public is just as eager to see and encour-
age an amateur who can break old records
and make new ones as to see professional
doing the same performances But when we
have Careys. or Owens, or Zimmermans
performing nowadays, we can depend upon
q much larger and far more representative
of spectators than if we had pro-
tessionals performing This fact beyond all
question proves that it is the love of real,
honest sport, and sport of the best quality,
that prompts the American public to so
heartily encourage outdoor recreations and
pastimes. L really look for greater achieve
ments among the amateurs than have been
Contestants are yearly be-
coming more numerous and OF a much better
average quality.
Dixon's Defeat of johnson.
The battle between George Dixon and
Fred johnson is over, and the colored youth
is still master of the international situation.
Readers of this paper would anticipate such
q result, and particularly those who read
what had to say last Sunday regarding the |
battle: Here is what said:
"After fully considering the matter have |
come to the conclusion that as far as COM |
parsons can be made Dixon has the best of |
it. 1 allow for johnson improving, of |
course. 1 am aware that it is very danger |
Gus to come to any conclusion on the matter,
as I feel satisfied that johnson is a rattling |
good man. So much SO that, while antici- |
pate his defeat, would not bet cent of |
odds on Dixon. While prefer the chances
of the latter, I am frank enough to say that |
his defeat Will not surprise me. A friend of |
mine returned from New York the other
day and spoke very highly of both contest
b
few dollars on Dixon, but if there was no
Johnson money here he would take 2 to |
and back the Englishman. This is just how
feel on the matter"
Now, the above leaves no doubt as to the
stand took, and there was nothing in the
battle to surprise me, except the inability 4
If johnson to use his left hand with any
Effect The contest was, of course, a good
,ne, and it is q great pity that it ended as
t did; that is, that johnson was knocked
'ut by falling on the platform with his head
ind not by blow from Dixon.
1t is mere conjecture to say how the con-
est would have ended had j Johnson not hap
,ened with the accident. On this point opin-
ons are very diverse, but 1 am strongly in
lined to think that Dixon's show for victory
would have been very close one had john
on not fallen as he did. The Englishman
vas taking all the punishment that Dixon
ould give; In fact lie had taken the worst |
hat Dixon was able to administer, aud
Dixon was just beginning to weaken percep-
IDLY. when johnson fell and struck his
ead. Had johnson not fallen it is certain
hat he could have withstood many more
nslaughts from Dixon, and that being so,
IS hard to tell how matters would have
nded, although the chances would have
trongly been in favor of Dixon.
Few Features Of the Battle.
That Dixon proved himself q better
ugilist that is glove pugilist, than John
on there is no doubt. Dixon once more
emonstrated that he is a good two-handed
ian, and it is because of this that he won.
lie also displayed remarkable intelligence,
nd declined several times to enter into
lily traps laid for him by johnson. Di1on's
ength of reach aided him greatly, but we
annot say that he is wonderful punisher,
ecause if there had been much force behind
is blows he ought to have settled johnson