Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1893-06-08

two were postponed by reason of inclement
weather. The storm seemed to follow the
Spiders" around on their circuit The real
rain hoodoo appears to be the Louisville
and not the Cleveland club, because we find
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 10 had their postponement in Louis
vile, and l presume the unsettled condition
Of the clubs new grounds had great deal
to do with some Of the postponements. I'm
der the rules this year postponed game in
the NATIONAL league cannot be played off
by doubling up" before the second or last
series betwqen the disappointed clubs.
Cincinnati is midway between Louisville
and Cleveland, and yet during all this time
when the Louisvilles and Clevelands were
being prosecuted with rain the Cincinnatis
lost but one game on account Of bad
weather.
1t is hard for those who do not make a
study of the expenses and resources of IA
National league baseball club to under
stand what amount of moneyis 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 Sal
aries must be paid, or under the rules play
ers who are creditors beyond certain pc
Rod may demand and receive their re-
leases. The postponements represent about
5000 for the Louisvilles and $4,000 for
the Clevelands. When it is remembered
that an annual profit of $4,000 or S., 900
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 inter
national 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 10
years ago, land since then the game has
greatly changed" he added. His remark
set me to thinking about the first profes.
sional game ever saw. 1t occurred on the
old Union grounds west of Lincoln park In
Cincinnati. The contestants were the IA
nous Cincinnati Red Stockings and their
VISITORS the Forest Cities of Rockford, Ills.
That was in 1869-the year made famous by
the unbroken chain Of victories won by the
noted Cincinnati team.
photographer, was the umpire on that mid
summer day in 1859. He umpired nearly
all of the games In Cincinnati in those days,
and his fame for fairness and ability reached
to the Atlantic 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 well over to the
right of the straight imaginary line that
would have passed through the pitcher, the
batsman and the catcher. The careful Of
fetal held an umbrella over his head to pro-
tect it from the heat Of the sun. Occasion
ally he would stand up SO that he might
the more easily see fly catch or base
play. Then he would render his decision
and sink back upon his padded seat
/ never learned whether that was the
regulation way Mr.. Brockaway had Of UNI
piring or whether he enjoyed special priv
ileges for some reason or other on that one
day. But 80 far as am informed he was
accustomed to take 1t easy In like manner
every game.
The umpire's lot in 1898 is not so full Of
padded and shaded privileges. Instead OF
getting under an umbrella off on one side,
we'll out Of the way Of foul tips or wild
pitches, he puts on mask, takes his life in
his own hands, goes up behind the catcher
and carefully draws bead on the ball as it
comes at him like shot from cannon.
Even the "rooters" in the stands occasion
ally advise him to "git 'em up" or ''git 'em
down" and to 'pick the bugs" out of his
eyes. But the umpire of today Is we'll paid
for all this. Umpire Brockaway got S. a
game, or about $3.50 in season, and found"
himself-even to the umbrella The mod
ern umpire gets salary of from 81 800 to
81. 900 a year and travels around in first
class style at the expense of the League
He can afford to risk the proud mans con-
tumely and fardels bear, to say nothing of
occasionally escaping from the madding
crowd by the aid of posse of police.
At present desire to go on record as say
ing that the removal of the pitcher five feet
farther back into the diamond Is having
the effect of carrying the batting back very
nearly to where it was in those early days
of underhand pitching. Instead of the av-
erape number of base hits decreasing as
the season progresses, it is increasing. This
is proof that while the batters are getting
the gauge of the extra distance the pitchers
are not. as a rule, regaining any or their
lost advantages.
Speaking of speed recalls the fact that
scientist has advanced the assertion that
no one standing at the side OF the track and
throwing a stone just as the last coach
nassed could have hit that fast train which
recently made "a mile in 80 seconds on the
New York Central railroad. He says the
speed of the train is greater than the speed
Of the swiftest missile hurled by the arm OF
man.
To proye it he wants somebody to time
catcher's throw from the home plate to