The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-03
A PERIL TO BASEBALL.
The Tucker Incident as o. P.
Caylor Views It.
DIsGRACEs TO THE DIAMOND.

soh ucr Ahe TO Seinstate Him and How
Another Caused tho Disbnndment of tho
Famous Cincinnati Red Stockings.
The disgraceful conduct of First Base
men Tucker Of the Boston team of Gin
cinnati recently, in the presence of a large
crowd of spectators will do immeasurable
narm to the sport IL overlooked by the
National league Tucker not only disgraced
himself publicly, but dragged the uniform
OF his club and the reputation of the Ma
tional league down into the mire too. In
short. he appeared upon the field Just be-
; fore the game in beastly, uproarious state
OF intoxication and made such o demon
stration that magistrate, who was pres
emit as spectator, ordered his arrest A
policeman took Tucker In charge; but, by
the request of Captain Comiskey, the Of
fender was merely led off the ground and
not locked up. To add to the disgrace Of
the occasion, it soon became apparent that
two or three more of the team-especially
Duffy and Stivetts-were also under the
Influence of Intoxicating liquor and were
anxious to join Tucker in his wild demon
sDration.
1t is not hard to understand now, in
the light Of the Cincinnati incident. why
the Bostons have lost so many games on
the championship virtually won. Their
lead was such that their nearest COMPETE
tors-the Pittsburgs-could not overhaul
them short of an accident of unusual pro-
portions. The players therefore became
careless, Indifferent and finally disgrace
fully reckless
1t will be of widespread interest to watch
the National iengue ut it's annual meeting
III November and see just what action will
a tnl -nu
believe that the offense will be passed by
without some emphatic action thereon.
fuckers otfense strikes Mt the life of PRO-
fesslonal baseball and the honor of the Ma
tlonal league in particular. Whether the
Boston club will anticipate the League by
disciplining Tucker remains 10 be seen, but
even If it does the League is liable to take
independent action thereon.
Several years ago there was n provision
IN the League constitution empowering the
board of directors to severely punish n play
; er of any club member of that organization
Tor indulginG in any brawl, fight drunken
exhibition or disgraccful act in public
whether IN uniform or citizens clothes
The rule had very healthy effect and
such scenes as We're this season induced in
by Tucker, Tcbeau, Vaughn and Richard
son were not heard of during the rules cx-
1stencc. For some reason a recent rules
stitution, so that rs the National league
laws stand there is no vested power in any
board or committee to punish such breaches
OF discipline rs Tucker is guilty of. But
the League as n body is supreme in it's own
affairs, and there have been so MANY acts
of disgraceful nature during the season
just closing that it is scarcely probable
they will all be ignored.
Early i'll the season Vaughn of the Gin
cinnatis and Werden of St. Louis INDUCED
in bat throwing duel on the St Louis
grounds during the progress of n game
Vaughn's bat hit Werden in the back, and
riot was only avoided by the arrest of
Vaughn. Later Richardson of the Brook
lynS appeared upon the field mt BROOKLYN
IN condition which rendered him unfit
Tor play and had to he sent to the dressing
room. Then came Tebeau's dsgraceful
vllification of Umpire Gaffney mt New
York, of which | wrote when it occurred.
understand that complaint of his conduct
on that occasion has already been filed
with Secretary Young and will therefore
come before Tie board of directors in No
vembcr. Last but not least of all these
oifenses Is that of Tucker at Cincinnati
Chlcss the powers grasp the growing evil
at once and smother it with ADEQUATE nun
ishment it is liable to grow to such propor-
lions that the very life OF the game NAV be
endangered.
l can remember only one incident before
the Tucker case where IL player had to be
taken struggling from the ground while
he was drunk and disorderly. The offender
was Mike Burke shortstop for the Gin
clnnati league team of 1879. Burke fell
into drinking habits and appeared one day
az the dressing room very drunk. CAPTAIN
Gel McVey put another player on the
team in Burke's place and took his nine
upon the field. Burke, dressed only in citi-
Zens Clothes followed to the diamond and
attempted to assault McNcy. A police
man escorted him from the ground. Next
day the club released him, and he never
played another professional game
Fred Lewis, when member of Won der
Ahe's team, went upon the field at St.
Louis so intoxicated that he was clearly
incompetent to play But Lewis was n
terror" and no one had the courage to
order him out of the nine. So he played as
we'll as he could. Won der Abe delegated
Captain Comiskey after the game to in
form Lewis that he stood expelled. Comis.
key conveyed Chris message to the ter
for," who chased Won der Abe and besieged
him in his Office until Won der Alie rein
stated him.
Away back in the seventies the Cincin-
natis had a player named Mailman. He
played shortstop, and was the greatest left
handed batter ever saw But drink drove
him into oblivion in one year. One day his
awful attempts to stop Srounders attracted
the attention OF President Kcch who asked
him after the game why he had made such
miserable attempts at play. His reply
was ingenious and frank: Sure, Mr.
Neck, how the divl could sthop the balls
at all, AT ALL when Two of 'cm kept comm
toward me ut The sane timer Aforc could
make UP me moinl which wan nv ,em TO