Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-08-20

had too much power and that some
thing must be done to handicap MIN.
The pitchers dominance In the game
must 90. The edict went forth. The
way 70 reach the remedy was 20 move
him back in the diamond. So back be
went Then the cute magnates went
home aud anxiOusly waited for the
season OF 1898 TO open, so they could
sea Just what effect the new rule would
have on their individual pitchers.
You see the rule was intended TO Kill
of some other clubs pitchers. Every
magnate Rugged delusive hope that 1t
would affect other clubs more than his
own. The effect was somewhat OF q
surprise. The new rule Knocked some
OF the star pitchers clean out OF the pro-
fession and elevated former "Skates" 10
the peerage OF the diamond, so 20 speak.
or the ruined tWirler5. HaddOck, Low
EFT, King, Crane, Staley, GARRISON,
Keeie aud Young were hit hardest.
Men like Breitenstein, McNabo, Ger
man, Stein, Carsey, Rhodes and Ehrett
went 70 the front. and for time cOnfu-
sion ensued.
Then began the widest kind Of 4
chase after effective pitchers. II be-
came a regular dragnet and bush beat
ing affair. Managers hurried through
the land with pockets stuffed with
wealth, offering large prices for the re-
lease OF any pitcher who could pitch
we'll under the new regulation. The
new rule worked too well. IL worked
hardest where it was not expected aud
wrought least harm where II was aimed.
In q word, each magnate assisted in
planning a scheme TO weaken another's
team by adopting q new rule, and as
soon as they found the plan 70 be work
log satisfactorily they spent money
lavishly TO get players who could annul
the benefits OF the new rule.
II has always been so. Once there
was a rule against overland pitching,
and In less than two months time every
club IN the country was offering pre-
MUM for overland pitchers. Then the
magnates caused a glass or marble plate
70 be put In front OF the pitchers box
20 split him up the middle II he stepped
beyond the bounds aud struck that
plate. But the plate had scarcely got
settled into its place before these same
rulemakers were securing the shoe
stores for lawn tennis footwear which
would let the pitchers step on that plate
with impunity. Funny creatures, are
they not?
It is worth the time TO compare the
present condition OF baseball aud horse
racing. II has been shown before that
the precariOuS times have rather helped
than harmed the baseball business. l
can now state az this time, with only
six or seven more weeks left OF the
championship season, that the season or
1898 Ia the National league Is going 20
be the biggest success financially In the
history OF the game, not excepting the
remarkable seasons of 1855 and 1889
Not one OF the - clubs will lose money
unless il be the Louisvilles. Nearly all
the rest are far ahead Of all seasons eI-
penses, while the Nav YOrks, Pitts
burgs, Philadelphias and BaltimOres in
particular will have money 70 sell"
next winter, as the boys say on the
streets.
In the east particularly the attend
. ance 90 League grounds, barring one
ity-WaShington-h been pnenOme-
nal, while tho race track crowds have
fallen away 20 almost ruinOUs numbers.
Starter Rowe, OF the big tracks, In
conversatlOn / mad with him recently,
probably gave an explanation for both
sides OF the situation. lie thought that
even men who have ready money are
not willing during these uncertain
{. mes TO risk il backing horses, and so
10 avoid temptation they stay away
IRON the tracks Many or them turn
TO the base ball fields, where for from
25 TO IS cents they pass very pleasant
afternoon.
But that does not entirely account
for the great crowds which flock to the
ball grounds. The crowds are not only
there, but wonderful enthusiasm per-
vades them. The wave OF interest in
the national game is widespread and
powerful in Philadelphia, where the en-
thusiasm probably reached high tide,
they have had cushion battles after
games. On recent occasion the Occu-
pants OF the 25-cent seats crossed
the field In a body aud stOrmsd
the garrison IN the pavilion, but
were repulsed after . fierce but
good natured fight in which a thousand
cushions served as so many boomeranEs.
Whenever such scenes occur they indi-
EhkU gu HMNANal4aHtNf A9kkg NANW4H
Those cushion fights after games we're
common in 1SSS and 1889 But for a
wear or more after the unfortunate
Brotherhood revolt 10 was hard 20 get
up even an argument between two
spectators. Base ball has had a close
call, but il came out OF 90 g ordeal
alive, and is once more the great Amer
lean game.
At last there is q chance to guess at
the prOba bic outcome 10 the National
League relative TO the pennant race.
The fortnight between July q and
August 10 had much TO do 10 getting
the clubs 70 their prospective positions.
In that time the Bostons passed the
Phnadelphias and went so far to the
front that IL seems impossible for any
other club 70 head them Il looks 20
me like a ] TO . shot now that BOstOns
will win again. Then there IL
the club which last
asked my readers to keep an eye on, the
Plttsburgs II they do not take second
Mace close behind the BOstons, IL will
snrprise me. The Phillies, according
70 their time honored custom, made
their great squirt In July and tnen ZEN
awa7 like the stick OF rocker. IL Is
no sure thing now that the Clevelands
will not beat them out OF third place
New York should get fifth position,
aud It seems likely that our Uncle An
sop will bring up thu rear division In
company with the four American Asso-
citation clubs and one other.
II has been an unhappy year 10 Cap
tain AnsOn. The Colts for the most