Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-08-23
EWING AGAIN ON DECK
o. P. Caylor Writes Interest
ingly of the Great Catcher.
A SHATTERED IDOL RESTORED.

The Most Promising Surprise of the Sea
son-Pitcher aIulIane's Prospective Suit
May re sensational-Ex-sIanage Bar
ME as an Umpire-Other Chat.
The recent universal interest in the
planet Mars n just now somewhat dulled
by q counter attraction. A new star, or
rather an old one which was believed to
have set forever is in the ascendant. re
fgr to Buck Ewings star which so sud
denly and so brilliantly reappeared in The
baseball armament.
1t ia true that asa baseball player Ewing
has not az any time dropped out Of sight
but it required less than one year to demon
strate the fact that as a first baseman he
was not Il small fraction of interest TO the
general public compared to his work as a
catcher. 1t IS also true that Ewing ranked
among the first batters and base runners in
the country at all times. Those two quail
ifcations alone would not have sent Ewing
to that height in the public estimation
which lac reached few years ago. But
his superior and unrivaled abilities as
catcher put him in the very front rank of
all the stars
/ have seen every prominent catcher
since professional baseball was first played
and am prepared to say, without hesita
ton, that Ewing in his prime never had an
equal as a catcher. Morgan Murphy,
Charles thinner and Charles Bennett Of
today and Snyder, Clapp, Flint and
Deasly Of the past are and were almost
pygmies in comparison. That is why
Ewing's popularity was national. 1t
could not be confined to the city where he
gave his services.
When in 1890 Ewings arm failed him the
wise men Of the press wagged their heads
and limited their fears that he would never
again thrill multitude by his displayed
skill as a tactician and those wonderful I'M
paralleled snap throws. Months passed
and his few appearances during 1891. and
partial failures when he did appear,
seemed to confirm those fears. When last
spring he started out as first baseman for
the New York club the patrons Of the
game everywhere united in belief that
they had seen the last Of Ewing as q
catcher Then it transpired that Ewing
the first baseman was almost as unpop-
ular as Ewing the catcher had been pop
uiar.
Without any previous positive announce
ment he sheathed himself IN the armor of
the modern catcher in the first game of the
! late BrOoklyn-New York series and faced
the swftest Of all the pitchers in the coun-
try Twenty minutes after Umpire Barnie
had called "Play ballr' the public baseball
idol was restored. BY one Of those fondly
remembered snap shot throws he had
mailed" his rival and that great base run
ner John NJ Ward, ia an attempt to steal
second.
The good work in that play was repeated
many times during this game and the next,
| 10y which time the patrons Of the game all
! over the country were informed that the
| king Of catchers had "come back to earth"
! Ewing's own JOY at his recovery must have
! been nearly as great as that which the IA
Their of the prodigal felt long ago. For this
my arm which was dead is alive" And
! have no doubt Buck would willingly have
killed fatted calf to commemorate the
event had he owned such thing.
The result can hardly be estimated in its
general effect upon the game. 1t is the
most promising surprise of the season
! Rusie, Crane and King will greatly
strengthen the New York team.
Pitcher Mullanes second misunderstood
ing with his club is probably beyond ad
iustment and the end promises to be an
other baseball suit, which in Importance
will outsha ow that brought by Burns
against tho pittsburg club. Mullane will
probably not only sue the Cincinnati club
| under his first contract for salary, but he
may sue the National league and Ameri-
can association, through President Young,
TO recover damages. If he does the case
will be sensational.
Mullane admits that under the ten days
option clause in his contract his club had
a right to release him without cause. But
he will make his fight on the grounds that
before he was released his club entered
into a conspiracy with the other eleven
League clubs whereby it was intended TO
compel him to return TO the Cincinnati
club at reduced salary As proof Of
the alleged conspiracy he may testify that
though he is recognized as one of the most
desirable pitchers in the country, and
though numerous clubs were openly ex-
pressing anxiety to secure good pitchers at
almost any price, he could not, after his
release, even get a reply from any one Of
the other eleven clubs, to all Of whom he
rendered his services.
II the suit is brought the court might
summons President Young under a tecum
duces, and thus bring into evidence the
signed agreement made in June at the
Fifth Avenue hotel, which pledged every
club to refrain from negotiating with Ger
tain stipulated players who might be re-
leased for the purpose Of reducing sala'
RIGS. Mullanc's lawyers claim that such
a conspiracy nuliihed the option clause OF
Mullane's contract They further assert
that the act " conspiracy is criminal and
could be punished rs such.
Therefore it may be seen how univer
sally important Mullane's suit or suits
viii become if they are brought and
pushed TO trial.
Very lately there was a conference in
Chicago Of q few magnates, the outcom,
Of which is significant. They agreed that
the season this year began too early; that
April championship games are dangerous
and Improbable. They proposed that
next year the League should curtail tbs
season, reduce the number Of champion
ship games and make the season si2
months instead OF seven. That means 81,
months contracts instead Of seven, as al
present in vogue, where the twelve months
kind are not used.
Whether such a move would help tC
pull down salaries is doubtful, but that il
its prime object
EX-Managcr Barnie's experience as Z
new umpire was rough one. This hare
task proves that umpires are born, liis