Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-10-01
A PERIL TO BASEBALL.
TIE TUCKER INCIDENT As 0. P. CAILOR
VIEWS IT.
Disgraess to the Diamond-How One Intoxicated
Player Compelled Won der Abe 10 Rsinstais
Him and How Another Caused the Disbsnd-
m.nE Of the Famoa: Cincinnati Red Stockings.

GANA $3.50
msnG Of the FanOa: Cincinnati Red Stockings.
The d~isgraceful conduct of First
Baseman Tucker, of the Boston team,
at Cincinnati recently, in the presence
of a large crowd Of spectators, will DO
immessurable harm TO the sport II over
looked by the National League. Tucker
not only d~isgraced himself publicly, but
dragged the uniform OF his club and
the reputation Of the National League
down into the mire too. In short. he
appeared upon the field just before the
game in q beastly, ~uproSriouS state OF
in%toxlcation and made such sdemonstra-
ton that o magistrate, who WAS present
as a spectator, ordered his arrest. a
policeman took Tucker in charge; but,
by the request OF Captain Comiskey, the
offender was merely led of the grounds
and not locked up. To add To the dis
grace OF the occasion, II soon became
apparent that two or three moro Of the
tesm-especially Duffy and Stivetts-
were also under the influence OF intoXi-
eating LIQUOR and we're anxious to join
Tucker In his wild demonstration.
1t is not hard to understand now, In
the light of the Cincinnati incident,
why the BoStons have lost so many
m on their western trip. They left
home with the championship virtually
won. Their lead was such that their
nearest competitors-the P~ittsourgs-
could not overhaul them short OF an &C
cident Of unusual proportions. The
PLAYERS therefore became careless, In
different and finally disEracefully reck-
less.
1t will be of widespread interest to
watch the National league az its annu-
al meeting In November and see just
what action will be taken about the
Tucker case. l do not believe that the
ofense will be passed by without some
emphatic action thereon. fuckers Of
Tense strikes at the life OF professional
base ball and the hoRor OF the National
| league in particular. Whether the Bos-
ton club will anticipate the League by
discipling Tucker remains to be seen,
but even If it does the League is liable
to take independent action thereon.
Several years ago there was a provIs-
vision in the League constitution en-
towering the board OF directors to Sc
verely punish a player Of any club mem
Der Of that organization for INDUCING
in any brawl, fight, drunken exhibition
or d~isgraceful act In public whether in
uniform or citizens clothes. The rule
had a very healthy effect, and such
scenes as were this season INDUCED in
by Tucker, Tebeau, Vaughn and
Richardson were not heard Of during
the rules existence. For some
reason a recent rules committee cut
out that section Of the constitution,
so that as the National league
laws stand there IS 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 so many acts OF a disgraceful
nature during the season just closing
that it is scarcely probable they will all
be ignored.
Early in the season Vaughn, Of the
Cincinnatis, and Werden, Of st. Louis,
engaged in a bat throwing duel on the
St. Louis grounds during the progress
of a game. Vaughn's bat hit Werden
in the back, and q riot was only avoided
by the arrest Of Vaughn. Later Rich
ardson, Of the BrooklynS, appear
ed upon the field at Brooklyn
in a condition which rendered him unfit
for play and had TO be sent to the dress
ing room. Then came Tebeau's dis
graceful vilifCatlon Of Umpire Gaffney
at New York, of which l wrote when IL
occurred. | understand that complaint
Of his conduct on that occasion has al
ready been filed with Secretary Young,
and will therefore come before the
Board of Directors In November. Last
but not least OF all these offenses Is that
ef Tucker at Cincinnati. Unless the
powers grasp the growing evil at once
and smother Ii with adequate punish
ment 1t is liable 10 grow TO such proper
tions that the very life OF the game
may be endangered.
l can remember only ono incident be-
fore the Tucker case where a player
had to be taken struggling from the
ground while he was drunk and dis
orderly. The offender was Mike Burke,
shortstop for the Cincinnati league
team OF 1879. Burke fell into drunken
habits and appeared one day 20 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
citizens clothes, followed TO the dia-
nond and attempted 10 assault McVey.
A policeman escorted him from the
ground. Next day the club released
hun, and ne never played another pro-
fessional game.
Fred Lewis, when q 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 a "terror," and no one had the
courage to order him out OF the nine.
Won der Abe delegated Captain Comis-
kew after the game TO inform Lewis
that he stood expelled. Comiskey con-
veyed Chris message to the terror"
who chased Won der Abe and besieged
him in his Office until Won der Abe rein
stated him.
Away back in the seventies the Gin
cinnatfs had a player named Hallinan.
BE PLAYED shortstop, and was the great
est left handed batter ever saw. But
drink drove him into oblivion In one
year. One day his awful attempts to
stop grouuders attrscted the attention
OF President Keck, who asked him after
the game why rs had made such miser-
able attempts at play. His reply was
INGENIOUS ard frank: "Sure, Mr.. Keck,
how the devil could 1 stop the balls al
all, at all, when two OF them Kept COM
in toward me a. the same time? After
l could make up me moind which wan ay
'em to pick up, bad luck 10 'em, both
the creatures would schlip BY" He