Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-10-04
A PERIL TO BASE BALL
Tucker Incident as 0. P.
CayIor Views Il.
DISGRACE TO THE DIAMOND.
How One intoxicated Player Made Won
der Abe Reinstate Him.

Inc dlsgraceful conduct Of First Base
hen Tucker OF the Boston team at Gin
snnati recently, in the presence Of large
crowd Of spectators, will do immeasurable
harm TO the sport II 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 a beastly, uproarious state
OF intoxication and made such demon
stration that magistrate. who was pres
ent as a spectator, ordered his arrest. A
policeman took Tucker in charge; but, by
the request of Captain Comiskey, the Of
fender was merely led of the ground and
not locked up. To add to the disgrace Of
the occasion, 1t 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
stration.
1t II not hard to understand now, In
the light Of the Cincinnati incident, why
the Bostons have lost SO many games on
their western trip. They left home with
the championship virtually won. Their
lead was such that their nearest competi-
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 league at its annual meeting
In November and see just what action will
be taken anent the Tucker case do not
believe that the offense will be passed by
without some emphatic action thereon.
fuckers offense strikes at the life of pro-
fessional baseball and the honor of the Ma
tional league in particular. Whether the
Boston club will anticipate the League by
disciplining Tucker remains TO be seen, but
even IL it does the League Is liable to take
Independent action thereon.
Several years ago there was a provision
In the League constitution empowering the
board Of directors to severely punish play
er of any club member Of that organization
for indulging in any brawl, fight, drunken
exhibition or disgraceful act in public
whether in uniform or citizens clothes.
The rule had very healthy effect, and
such scenes as were this season indulged In
by Tucker, Tebeau, Vaughn and Richard
son were not heard Of during the rules ex-
istence. For some reason a recent rules
committee cut out that section Of the con-
stitution, so that as the National league
laws stand there Ia no vested power in any
board or committee to punish such breaches
OF discipline as Tucker is guilty of. But
the League as a body is supreme In its own
affairs, and there have been 80 many acts
Of a disgraceful nature during the season
just closing that 10 Is scarcely probable
they will all be ignored.
Early in the season Vaughn Of the Gin
cinnatis and Werden Of St. Louis indulged
In bat throwing duel on the st. Louis
grounds during the progress of q game
Vaughn's bat hit werden In the back, and
a riot was only avoided by the arrest of
Vaughn. Later Richardson Of the Brook
lyns appeared upon the field at Brooklyn
in a condition which rendered him unfit
for play and had to be sent to the dressing
room. Then came Tebeau's disgraceful
vilifcation of Umpire Gaffney at New
York, of which wrote when 1t occurred.
understand that complaint OF his conduct
on that occasion has already been filed
with Secretary Young and will therefore
come before the board of directors in No
vember. Last but not least Of all these
offenses Is that Of Tucker at Cincinnati.
Unless the powers grasp the growing evil
ishment 1t is liable to grow to such proper.
tions that the very life of the game may be
endangered.
I can remember only one incident before
the Tucker case where player had to be
taken struggling from the ground while
he was drunk and disorderly. The offender
was Mike Burke, shortstop for the Gin
cinnati league team of 1879. Burke fell
into drinking habits and appeared one day
at the dressing room very drunk. Captain
Cal McVey put another player on the
team in Burke's place and took his nine
upon the field. Burke, dressed only in citi-
zen's clothes. followed to the diamond and
attempted to assault McVey. A police
man escorted him from the ground. Next
day the club released him, and he never
played another professional game.
Fred Lewis, when q member of Won der
Ahe's team, went upon the field at st.
Louis 80 intoxicated that he was clearly
Incompetent to play. But Lewis was a
"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-
ror," who chased Won der Abe and besieged
him in his Office until Won der Abe rein
stated him.
Away back in the seventies the Cincin-
natis had player named Hallinan. 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 grounders attracted
the attention Of President Keck, who asked
him after the game why he had made such
miserable attempts at play. His reply
was ingenious and frank: 'Sure, Mr..
Keck, how the divil could sthop the balls
ut all, at all, when two of 'em kept comm
toward me at the same timer Afore could
make up me moind which wan av 'em to
pick up, bad luck to 'em, both the cratures
would schlip by" He died in Chicago few
Pears later, a victim Of drink.
The drunken adventure Of a member Of
the famous Cincinnati Red Stockings
caused the downfall Of that notable team.
In 1870 the Chicago White Stockings
were organized for the express purpose Of
defeating the victorious team from the r.
Sal city. II Is doubtful whether the scheme
would have succeeded had not Fred Water
man, the Red Stockings third baseman,
become victim to his weakness for liquor.
On his way to the ground In Chicago some
designing enemies, rasquerading In the
guise Of friends, filled bim up. He report
ed to play In painfully apparent state Of