The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-14
NEWS FROM OLD NICK.
President Young Revives the
Spirits of the "Rooters."
sIUMP SEASON SAFELY PASSED.
Now tho Frightening Prospects Eneour-
arc tho Magnates and Eniiven the
p,avers-New Stars in the Baseball
Firmament.

Firmament.
President Nicholas Emanuel Young, OF
the National league. has just permitted
himself to be interviewed IN the interest OF
baseball. | have known Mr.. Young ever
since his first official connection with 'he
National league. which was when he was
elected its secretary at it's inception In the
snrinc OF 1879. and in all Of these more
than sixteen years Nick has never refused
to respond TO the interviewer wnen Iappou
for baseball encouragement, when mas oc-
Cured regularly and annually III inuer'als
of about two months.
Mr.. Young is a small man physically,
but a piant In optimism. There Is great
LIGHT shining before his eyes always, no
matter how the dark clouds lower over the
discouraged magnate or the disappointed
crank He sees some good in every APP
narent calamity, and if the Asiatlc cholera
strikes this country and carries OIL some
of oar most promising baseball stars l
haven't the least doubt of Nick's aoility TO
de,onstrate the exact benefit the game
will thereby receive.
From his observations at Washington
President Young sees a wonderful interest
evervwbere in baseball, especially In the
League cities Now | admit that ms
"olasses" are far more powerful ana cor
rect than those which any other one Oh us
have They cannot deceive, for they count
every paving spectator who enters
League ground. To be plain, Mr.. Young
as treasurer of the League also, receives
after each League game 10 per cent. OF the
GROSS receipts to form a sinking fund. tie
;s therefore the only being in the world
who can have positive knowledge OF the
exact condition of patronage In the Ma
tional league.
Consequently when he says, and says 10
boldly. that he is surprised at the great In
terest which is being taken in baseball at
this season of the year, we are bound to
bol;eve that this great interest really eX-
lists or that Mr.. Young is, to use an ex-
pressive piece Of slang, giving us tany.
The average attendance has undoubtedly
more than held its own since July 4, ana
that is rather unusual. The month OF Au-
oust has always been the hardest month
financially TO baseball clubs OF the entire
season. Mr.. Young's expression OF graft
6cation over the present condition of affairs
in the League therefore is probably well
founded Such revival now would mean
nermapent good TO the great game, because
the Improvement in public interest would
nrobablv continue to the end OF the season
and extend into the opening OF the season
next year.
An attendance Of 5000 people upon
SATURDAYS game in Cleveland is one Of the
events no one would have anticipated prior
10 the midsummer holiday. Yet that has
happened.
There may seem 10 be radical FLOP" In
nv opinions concerning the alleged revived
interest in the game as expressed by my
letter this week and last. Upon close com
harrison. however, no such sudden differ
ence exists. Last week / wrote from my
observation and judgment, and this week
from that Of President Young. | admit
that Mr.. Young's means of estimate are
truer than mine, and if he has not been CAV
ing us "jolly" his judgment should bethe
better. Besides, within the week some as
tonishing changes have been made inpa-
tronage Cincinnati crowds jumped from
300 to 5000. and in Chicago and Cleveland
almost as great an improvement has been
marked. This makes the general average
excellent. and If it continues we may safely
say that the game has passed the slump
stage.
The great showing made by the Cleve-
land team is another proof Of the glorious
uncertainty of the national game. The
general belief existed prior to the eastern
clubs western trip that the first four
teams TO face the Clevelands on the lat
ter's grounds-Yiz., the Bostons, New
Yorks Philadeiphias and Brooklyns-
would together check their triumphant
spurt. But they did not. They were as
pypmies in the Clevelanders' hands Such
PLAYING il continued through the rest Of
the season as the Clevelands did in those
three series would land them winners in
October dozen games before their nearest
rival. 1t is long way to the wire still at
this writing, Every element of chance
favors Cleveland in the race as against
the club OF any other city.
Some very promising young players are
coming TO the front since the midsummer
reorganization. Some of them were in
League harness prior to that time without
having good chance to distinguish them
selves. OF such we have Doyle of the New
Yorks, Young and Cuppy OF the Cleye-
lands, Kennedy of the Brooklyns, and Par
rott, Dreber and Root Of the Chicagos. OF
the new ones who came in with the second
season Ward and O'Rourke of the Balti-
mores, Clausen Of the Louisvilles, Hawley
! OF the St Louis Browns and Abbey of the
Washingtons may be prominently classed.
Hawley is the Fort Scott pitcher whom
Mr.. Won der Abe recently engaged upon the
strength of a record which he made against
the Little Rock club, when he pitched
fifteen successive innings without permit
ting his opponents to make hit. This
feat stands next TO that OF Mullane's, who
pitched sixteen successive innings against
the Cincinnatis in 1850 without hit, as
have related before. Mnllane's task wa:
much more marvellous than Hawley's be
cause his batters were more powerful
Still Hawley's second entitled him TO the
confidence OF managers in clubs of high
class than the Fort Scott or Little Rock
clubs occupied. Heis quite young and ha!
the physique to last and improve If he doei
not swell out too much under his cap, anC
will take care OF the abilities nature ha'
bestowed on him, he may be just entering
upon his future and his fame
a Columbus o. paper, trying to explair
the bad financial failure Of its club in tn,
Western league, in spite of its win of The
championship, lays it to the bulletins il
the city poolrooms. The application o.
this reason is not what one would make al
first thought, for in no poolroom was 4
dollar offered or accepted on ball game
But the games as played are reported OF