Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-14
A REVIEW Of SPORTS,
Magnates Who Want the
Baseball Championship
Season Shortened.
PENNANT RACE FEATURES
J. A. Hart's Uncalled-For Interfer-
ence in the Burns Case.
SULLIVAN AND CORBETT BATTLE
Exaggerated Reports About the noings of
the Men While in Training.
PENNANT RACE FEATURES
SULLIVAN AND CORBETT BATTLE
THE PROSPECTS uF LOCAL FOOTBALL

Ihere hasn Deen much out OF the ord-'
nary in baseball affairs during the week.
The contest for the second pennant still con-
tinues 10 he exceedingly interesting and in
some respects surprising, but there has been
nothing bordering on the sensational to
record.
Once more the question of shortening the
championship season has been brought to
the front One report has started that
several of the magnates have been conferring
on the matter and have come to the concu-
sion that it would be profitable to shorten the
season to $50 games and not to commence
the championship contests until May. As
far as steering clear of the wet and chilly
weather is concerned the move would not
be bad one, but there is another. and very
important feature connected with it.
The financial element must be considered
and it is safe to say that if the season is short
ened to the extent above suggested there
will have to be many financial changes
made 1t is reasonable TO suppose that
PLAYERS will not get as much money for the
short season as for the long one Besides
the short season will tend to knock on the
head the pan of signing players for II
months at so much per month. In a word
ii is fair to assume that clubs would realize
less income in the proposed short season
than they would in the long one.
1t is argued, L think, that ii the season
were shortened the crowds in attendance at
the games would be much larger This is
indeed, a very coniectural point and if that
is the hope OF those desiring the change it
is likely to be an illusion. To shorten the
season and retain 12-club league would be
an unwise move, and 1 am inclined to
think that such change will not be maze.
Leading Features of the Pennant Race.
About half OF the teams in the pennant
race continue to make the contest Just as
interesting as one could wish TO see ii. 1
am sure that cranks who like to see close
struggles can have nothing to complain
about in that respect as far as the remnant
race is concerned. The Cleveland, Boston,
Philadelphia, Brooklyn, New York and
Baltimore teams are making matters ex-
ceedingly close, and while it may be easy
10 say what team will not win the pennant
it is not so easy to say what one will be
the prize winner.
l had notion some time ago that the
Brooklyn team would get the flag, but that
teams work lately has been so tar short of
their best that my fancy for them now is
not by any means as great as it was. They
are not far behind and if they could pull
themselves together and play as they did
during the closing games of the first season
they would come out victors 1 don't ex-
pect that the Cleveland's will long remain
at the head, and in this 1 may be dis
appointed.
Tut there Two teams so much i'm
proved that almost all calculations have
been upset. The New York and the Balti-
more teams are PLAYING remarkably COM
pared 10 the work they did during the first
half The New Yorks may be able to keep
it IN, but l question very much whether
the Baltimore team will. 1t wouldn't be
bad wager to risk on Pittsburg's team beat
ing the Baltimores out But after all the
Boston team will take some beating and so
will the Phiadelphias But these Bostons
are not as formidable this half as they were
in the first half, and while thev may be
hard to down they do not look like getting
the second pennant
The most interesting part of the struggle
for the second pennant will commence to-
morrow when each Eastern team starts
series of Is games in the West This long
series and at this stage will go long way
toward determining who are to be the win
ners. and, OF course, the Western teams
being at home have the advantage The
strength of the Eastern teams and / wouldn't
be surprised if some of them were to go
sadly to pieces. These long spells are
great evil and are one of the bad features of
the 12-club plan; and they also show up the
gross ahsurditv of the rule limiting each
team to Is men. Fancy team leaving
home for more than 20 League games with
Is men. The thing is ridiculous.
More About the Burns Case.
1t is verv interesting to note now and
then how some people concern themselves
about other peoples affairs. In this respect
there ara men a hundred times worse than
ever Mrs. Camp or any other gossipy old
woman was. ! know otnobodv in the baseball
business who busieS himself in other reo-
pies affairs like James Arttul Hart, of
Chicago. Like all old gossiPers of no
thought and lots of words, he is always
making his tongue go about the business of
other people, while his own is going to the
dogs. During the last few days this noisy
man has been telling the public about how
badly Tom Burns has been treated by the
PittsbuTg club. Doubtless Mr. Hart has
anv amount of time to look after other peo-
piles interests as the Chicago is doing so
vel, and by the way, has done SO well since
Mr. Hart became connected with it James
A. is apparently satisfied that Chicago only
wants a tail end team, and l know Of no.
body who is abler to get one than Mr.. Hart.
He can do it with ease and have lots of
time to talk about other people.
Let me ask, what in the name of common
sense hes Jim Hart to do with the Burns
case? Was Hart one of the party who
foisted Burns on the Pittsburg club in full
knowledge of Burns shortcomings? 1t
would seem so. Hart is either a down.
right falsifier, thorough knave or a con-
summaie fool He says that he would GER
tsinlv have paid Burns his full three wears
salary had he (Hart) had a contract with
Burns similar to the Pittsburg contract
This means that if Hart signed man who
did not fulfill requirements contracted for
and was an utter failure he would still re-
tain him. James A. Hart might do that,
but if he did would A. G. Spalding retain
James A. Hart? Not bit OF IT, But Hart
would do no such thing.
The ca>e of Burns is an important one be-
cause there is no desire on the part of the
PIttsburg club 10 act unfairly with any,
body / am in q position to saw that i. Tom
Riins can demonstrate to the officials of
the Pttsbarg club that he can play third base
as well a. it was said he could do he can be
or the clab's payroll every day his contract
calls for This statement is authoritative,
and surely there is everything that is fair
in it and everything that is reasonable.
The Pittsnurg club nor any other club can
afford to pay enormous salaries to men who
are no good whatever, but on the contrary
make things worse.
The vaporings of men like Hart ought to
be emphaticallv condemned by the League.
OF late Hart has become notorious bv his
idotic claims and statements II he is look
ing for tame he had better devote a little
more of his time in trying to improve the
team that he is paid to look after
Tha appointing of L-asu> UrnPirrs.
During the week just ended there has