Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-06-04


ness when the
hot days of summer close up the the
aters. Kelly's welcome Vt the Polo
grounds when he joined the New Yorks
after q month OF the championship sea-
son had gone by was in the nature Of
an ovation. He Is one OF q class of ball
players that the public regret to see leav-
Ing the profession. He is not in a sci
entifc sense a wonderful ball player,
but rather what is known as q winner.
There are a score Of players who have
superior abilities as batters, tielders
and base runners, aud yet none OF the
score o~utrates him as a valuable man to
a team, because none Of the lot knows
so many tricks OF the game and has the
ability to use them when they will do
the most good.
1t is sometimes better to be lucky
than rich. The New York club from a
standpoint of recent gain cannot be
classed as rich, but it has certainly fall
1t needed a steady catcher who could
also 'jolly" the team when defeat
threatened, and it was fortunate in
finding just such a man In Kelly. 1t
needed a pitcher badly when tried
pritchers were at a premium and could
not be had even then. Behold, the
Pittsburgs in a fit OF foollshness fall out
with Mark Baldwi and gave him a re-
lease! The New Yorks secure him while
other clubs suffering in the pitcher fam
inc look on with extreme jealousy.
Rol n Ufnio ohiiitiac arn not AiQDufad
His only failure is an Sgly temper-a
fault which has handicapped many
other pitchers, notably Mullane and
Mcmahon. With Kelly to act as
a sort of steam governor, Baldwin
should be able to hold his temper In
check while in New York.
The news that Darby O'Brien, the
noted out6elder and captain Of last
years Brooklyn team, is dying from
consumption at his home in Peoria
comes with almost stunning surprise to
the patrons Of National League games
throughout the circuit. OF all the base
ball players irem the twelve teams in
1892, O'Brien-brawny, broad chested
Darby-would have been among the last
suspected of %concealing the seeds Of
that dread disease In his system.
O'Brien's unfortunate condition calls
up a fact that l noted last ~year-name-
ly, the extraordinary number Of deaths
from consumption among base ball
players. Flint, Whitney, Briody, Dali
ley, Fogarty and Mccormick all went to
the grave by reason Of consumption.
Kelley expressed to me recently his be-
lief that entertaining had much TO do
with this strange attack of consump-
tion upon baseball players. He says
IL means an early death to every man
who fattens himself in winter by over
indulgences and idleness and trains of
from 20 to 80 pounds every spring be-
fore he is able to play a fair game OF
ball. He may be right. II he is, base
ball players should be apprised OF this
great danger which menace them, so
those who value a long life may take
proper care Of themselves during win
ter mOntS.
1t is an established fact that the men
who have remained the most years on
the ball field are those who each spring
had little training and reducing to do
before they were in good condition for
play. James 0'Rourke, A. G. Arson,
Jim White and John NJ. Ward are men
who always reported to their clubs in
the beginning OF each season physically
ready to go into a game and do good
work without q day Of training down."
They are the men who have best stood
the wear aud tear Of a life on the ball
field.
The fact that "Silver" King was
given ten days notice of his release by
the New York club on the same day
that the club signed Baldwin recalls
the fact that it was on account OF King
that Baldwin was arrested and jailed in
st. Louis. The st. Louis club claimed
that King was under contract with them
in 1890. Baldwin went to ST. Louis and
became in a manner Kings guest. The
two were a great deal together. 1t was
known that Baldwin had already signed
with the P~ittsburgs and that the latter
wanted to take King away from
St. Louis. Later on King did
desert Won der Abe and went
TO Plttsburg. Then Won der
Abe had Baldwin arrested under the
conspiracy act and sent to jail. On the
preliminary trial the prosecution failed
TO make out a case, and Baldwin was
discharged. Afterward he got service
on Won der Abe in Philadelphia and en-
tered suit at that place for SO, 900 dam
ages for false Imprisonment. The suit
is still pending, the trial having been
postponed several times at the defend
ants request. 1t is quite generally be-
lieved that when it does come to trial
Bald win will get a verdict.
Meanwhile Kings notice OF release Is
likely to be recalled before the ten days
expire, and Pitcher Crane will then get
the grand bounce" instead
The Vaughn-Brodie Werden bat throw
ing incident in ST. Louis was the first
d~isgraceful act done on the bail field
this season. Vaughn has the reputa-
ton Of being quarrelsome. After all
the trouble which resulted from this
act OF blocking the home plate at ST.
Louis when the rules prohibited the