Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-05-28

J I =! T. r. T. to ; :.ss:
yIIIes and the Clevelands. In the Cleve-
land clubs nine scheduled games from
the sth to the 18th OF May, inclusive,
all but two were postponed by reason OF
Indictment weather. The storm seemed
TO follow the Spiders" on their circuit.
The real rain hoodoo Appeals to
be the Louisville and not the
Cleveland club, because we ind
that of the formers first 20 scheduled
games of the season only two were
played. The other 10 were prevented
by rain. Seven of the ten had their
uastuonement in Louisville, and l pre-
sumo the unsettled condition OF the
clubs new grounds had a great deal to
no with some of the postponements.
Under the rules this year a postponed
game In the National league cannot De
plaved of by doubling up" before the
second or last series between the disap-
pointed clubs.
Cincinnati is midway between Louis
vile and Cleveland, and yet during all
this time when the Louisvilles n
C~levelands were being prosecuted with
rainthe C~incinnatis lost but one game
on account Of bad weather.
It is hard for those who do not make
a study OF the expenses and resources
of a National League base BAH club TO
understand what amount OF money IS
represented by these postponed games.
If some of them are played later In
the season, it must be as two games for
one admission, and therefore most OF
the financial loss is never recovered.
The clubs expenses go right on, rain or
shine. Salaries must be paid, or under
rules players who are creditors be-
yond a certain period may demand and
receive their releases. The postpone
msnts represent about $4,000 for the
Louisvilles and $4,000 for the Cleye-
lands. When it is remembered that an
annual profit of 81, 900 or $1,000 would
have been hailed with JOY by either of
the two clubs named during the last
few years, the Importance attached to
the loss of these games may be in part
realized.
One OF the visiting sailors from the
international feet anchored in the
North river, who recently visited the
Polo grounds in New York, remarked
that the last game of baseball he saw
PLAYED previous to that day took place
on the west coast of Africa ten years
ago, land since then the game has
greatly changed, he added. His re-
mark set me TO thinking about the first
professional game 1 ever saw. 1t oc-
Cured on the old Union grounds west
of Lincoln park in Cincinnati. The
contestants were the famous Cincinnati
Red Stockings aud their visitors, the
Forest Cities Of Rockford, Ill. That
was in lS69-the year made famous by
the unbroken chain Of victories won by
the noted Cincinnati team.
A gentleman named Brockaway, a
local photographer, was the umpire on
that midsummer day in 1869. He UNI
pired nearly all of the games in Gin
cinnati in those days, and his fame for
fairness and ability reached to the At
lantic coast. My recollection OF Mr..
Brockaway as he umpired that game Is
that he sat upon a stool about 40 feet
from the home plate and we'll over to
the right of the straight imaginary line
that would have passed through the
pitcher, the batsman and the catcher.
The careful official held an umbrella
over his head to protect 1t from the
heat of the SUM-. Occasionally he would
stand I'D so that he might the more
easily see a fly catch or q base play.
Then he would render his decision and
sink back upon his padded seat.
I never learned whether that was the
regulation way Mr.. Brockaway had OF
umpiring or whether he enjoyed special
privileges for some eason or other on
that one day. But so far as l am In
formed he was accustomed to take it
easy in like manner every game.
The umpire's lot in 1898 is not so full
OF padded and shaded privileges. In
stead of getting under an umbrella of
on one side, well out Of the way OF foul
tips or wild pitches, he puts on a mask,
takes his life in his own hands, goes up
behind the catcher and carefully draws
a bead on the ball as ii comes at him like
a shot from a cannon. Even the
''rooters" in the stands occasion
ally duNlSb ulW W XIV Gil uP o.
'em down" and to "pick the bugs" out
Of his eyes. But the empire of to-day Is
well paid for all this. Umpire Brocka-
way got SIS a game, or about $3.50 in a
season, and found" himself-eyen to
the umbrella. The modern umpire gets
a salary Of from 1900 to $1,000 a year
and travels around in first class style az
the expense of the League. He can al
ford to risk the proud mans contumely
and fardels bear, TO say nothing OF oc-
~casionally escaping from the madding
crowd by the aid OF a posse Of police.
At present l desire to go on record as
saving that the removal Of the pitcher
five feet further back into the diamond
is having the effect Of carrying the bat
ting back very nearly to where it was
in those early days Of underhand pitch
ing. Instead of the average number OF
base hits decreasing as the season pro-
crosses, it is increasing. This is proof
that while the batters are getting he
gauge OF the extra distance the pitchers
are not, as a rule, regaining any OF
their lost advantages.
Speaking of speed recalls the fact
that a scientist has advanced the asser-