Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-12

will be death blow to Washington's hope
for getting out Of the last ditch in the
coming struggle Of 1894 Evidently the
Wagner brothers have only looked to their
personal moneyed interests in disposing Of
the players they released and not to the
interests Of their club or the league gen.
orally. 1t is like giving that raw, weak
ened team-badly handicapped before-its
death blow. and the general desire ex-
pressed by the majority Of the league mag
mates since the completion of the deal with
New York is that something or other will
occur TO drive them out Of the league arena,
for they are evidently not in accord with
the policy Of true business principles which
should govern the league as a partnership
organization
To be a successful catcher requires some
thing more than to be able to stop the de-
livery OF the pitcher and to make accurate
throws to bases. You have got to be up on
the weakness Of the opposing batters, and,
vulgarly known as sand II the craw." At
no place In the field Is more Ramensss re-
CURED than In the catchers position. A
timid player. with thoughts Of being injured
or crippled uppermost in his mind, has no
business in the position. More close plays
occur at the plate than anywhere else. To
reach the plate means more than reaching
any other one Of the three points in the
circuit To reach the plate means run,
and when a runner starts for that territory
he Is bent on getting there, II he has to cut
down a player or break leg. There are
many catehers who think Of this when q
play IL being made at the plate, and II 1t IL
liable to be at all close will give the base
runner plenty of leeway. Two of the best
catchers In the business, good on backstop-
ping and the best of all throwers. were also
the gamest OF game men on plays at the
plate. Morgan Murphy and Al Bushong are
referred to. Murphy. little as he Is, will not
make room for any runner, no matter how
big he may be. He will cover the plate. and
ball
throw as any man in the business. He
uses judgment In handling throws to that
territory. He does not run away from the
plate and gather the ball in, when by SO do
Ing he Is sure to miss his man. He'll stick
to the plate as long as there is a chance to
held the ball. Another place where a catch
er has to be plucky Is in going after high
nies In close to the stand or the players
benches The next time you have chance
watch Morgan Murphy cover the plate and
go after foul flies. and then watch some of
the others who are afraid of having their
precious legs broken.
A revolt occurred among the members of
the st. Louis team at the Mononsahela
House. in Pittsburg recently. President
Chris had an idea that more than one MEM
Der OF his club was not keeping good hours.
One night he sat up to wait on the stray
glers. About 8 am. in came four young
men, attired in light check suits, brown
derby hats and patent feathers. They caught
sight Of their employer and tried to sneak
up the stairway, He noticed them about
the same time and going forward said
Dis business will cost you each S26." There
was grand howl, especially from two men
who said they had been visiting friends In
Allegheny and were not drinking. Won der
Abe wouldn't remit the fines however.
Breitenstein was so mad over the fine that
he declined to put on a uniform the next af-
tsrnoon. After a great deal Of persuasion
he changed hts mind, but vowed that the
fine wouldn't 20.
One player remarked: Those spring suits
cost $35. We will pay for them soon"