Morning journal and courier., 1894-03-02
BASEBALL IN NEW HAVEN.

to membership.
BASEBALL IN NEW HAVEN.
The Proposed Connecticut League
suitable Grounds Needed In This
City for Ball Games-A Minor
League Team for This City-New
Haven Baseball Talent.
Although the present weather is of the
kind to make anyone think of anything
except the great national game, still it is
just at this time that those interested in
the Come cticut State Baseball league are
doing their utmost to get their projsct I'M
der way. In few weeks the snow and
sleet will be thing of the past and then
will begin what now promises to be the
greatest year for baseball in the history of
the game, not excepting go and '9l, which
were the banner years. Those who are
working for the purpose of organizing the
proposed state league are: T. N. Frenzy
of Waterbury, T. L. Reilly of Meriden,
Jackson Brady of Hartford, T. B. Sheehan
of New Britain and Il. R Durant of this
city. An idea at present IL to have six
clubs in the league, viz New Haven,
Hartford, Bridgeport, Waterbury, Meri
den and New Britain. OF these six all
are now sure of coming in except New Hs-
ven and Bridgeport. The latter city has
not yet been worked and so it is yet
nothing but matter of conjecture
whether or not the Park city will bs repre-
scented.
This city is as yet in doubt, for the SIM
pie reason that there are no grounds in
the city on which to play the game. This
is the only stumbling block in th5way of
the teams being located here. Several
people stand ready to back the team and
run 1t through the SEASON, but they do not
seem to care enough about 1t to put in
capital enough to build the grounds and
then let the street railroad companies reap
the benefit of their outlay, as they I'M
doubtedly would, because the grounds
lines in the city. One company stated last
fall that as soon as anyone would agree to
start team here and get in league that
they would Immediately go to work and fit
up suitable grounds. Those interested in
the term in this city cay they are now
ready to do business, but the railroad peo-
pie are very dilatory.
81. R Durant said last night that there
would be team placed here soon If they
had to play on Hamilton park. 1t is be-
lieved that all of the cranks here want to
see the game being played again. The his
tory of baseball has shown that It is al
ways successful after having lain in sort of
a state of coma for two or three seasons.
It Is two years since New Haven has had
q representative team. Year before last
one existed for q short time, but owing to
miserable management and high salaries
1t soon went the way of all good ,hings, or
as In this case, the way of all bad things.
There are so many ball players In the mar
ket at present that they will almost give
money to be allowed. to play the game.
They could be gotten here for almost a
song, but there is no need of bringing In
| outside players. There are more than
enough in New Haven to form one of the
best minor league teams in New England.
Among those here who are fully strong
enough to launch out in some of the smaller
leagues are Phil Corcoran. Doherty, Bren-
doff and host of others. Players like
these would get up and hustle and work
hard for the game. They are full of life
and have none of those injurious habits
! which often prove to be the downfall OF
| the old ''leaguers'' even though they may
be the stars of the baseball armament.
| This ia the article of ball that the local
| enthusiasts want and is the kind that they
will pay for and support gladly.
minute that a state league is what will sat
isfy New Haven lovers of baseball. The
old maxim that you have to reep before
you can walk is very applicable here. The
idea is to 60 in slowly, work up the inter-
| est, play out the whole season, and then
perhaps next season 1t would be well
enough to think of q larger league. The
| whole trouble here has really be en- in the
grounds. They have never had what could
be called permanent grounds. There was
always the fear that the lessor would cut
them up into building lots or that the city
| would run a street through them, and so
| break up everything. In the present idea,
however, 1t is hoped..that this evil will be
mitigsted by having the grounds perma-
nent and then there ia no telling how high
New Haven might be represented on the
green diamond. 1t Ia sincerely hoped by
every lover of good baseball in this city,
and there are many of them, that the rail-
road company will get to work and fx up
the grounds Is they agreed to last year.
1t IL believed that these cities would
form a very strong and compact league
and that the sesson could be played
through without any club having to drop
out. They are near each other and this
would aid materially for two reasons, to
keep travelling expenses down and beighten
the interest In the game, as there Is always
intense rivalry between two cities of about
an equal size that are situated near each
other.
Those who are interested In the present
scheme have had more or less experience
in the game and they believe that their eff
forts will terminate successfully. In 1891
state league was formed in Connecticut,
but 1t WAS q miserably managed affair and
soon died a natural death. 1t is proposed,
If this league is formed, that each team
will play four games o week, two ct home
and two abroad, that the teams will be
composad mostly of local players and that
the season will be short, beginning late
and ending early. There seems to be no
doubt in the minds of the promoters of the
new league that it will be successful.
But where New Haven would probably
fare better than any of the other teams in
the league would be in the captain of the
team. Jack Mckee, the old New Haven
player, would officiste In this capacity.
and better man for the place could not
be secured. He has had wide and varied
experience in baseball and Is deeply inter-
ested In having team in New Haven.
Those who remember him as member OF
the New Haven team when the latter was
in the Atlantic association we'll know of
his ability to play the game up to date,
and also that he can bat like fend. His
best quality 10, however, In being able to
tell ball player when he sees one, some
thing that very few men can do. Under
Mr.. MeKee's captaincy the team would be
certain of standing way up in the race for
the championship.
PATROLMEN CAUTIONED.