Birmingham age-herald., 1894-07-21

pect them to be hard to beat. But it is scarcely probable that the team will stay in the lead to the end of this trying pe- riod. If the Philadelphias were not so badly crippled, would look to see them heading the other II clubs at the end of the western series, for they are good road team. But that club has just met with its annual lump of misfortunes. Clem- ents, who ranks as one of the very best and most useful catchers in the land, is laid up with broken ankle and will prob ably play no more this year. Captain All len, than whom there was no better short stop on the diamond, had his jawbone shattered by pitched ball and may not play again. Aliens parents are in good circumstances, and they have always op- posed their sons desire to play profession ally. The shortstop's friends believe he will now retire permanently from the ball field. Thompson was absent from the team more than month with a disabled band, laSei the minor injuries to other players were far in excess of the share which usually comes to baseball team.
 This is only the annual i'll luck which has befallen the Philadelphia team year after year and which eliminated last sea- son in the prostration of Hamilton by ty- phoid feTer just when the club needed his services most.
 In an experience of 15 years with pro- fessional baseball I have never known such general demand in the National league for good baseball players as there is at this time, and tho demand is not only for one class of players, but covers nearly every position on a nine. It is therefore going to be profitable year for minor League clubs which develop young stars of any material worth The eyes of dozen League managers. are searching the ranks of the minor league teams on the lookout for corners. But the fact that most of the Ma tional league castoffs are eagerly grabbed up by the clubs in the lesser leagues does not argue in favor of the theory that the crop of new" stars is excessively large. The Cincinnatis want strong material powerfully bad," as they say in Ken lucky, yet they released Motz, Murphy, Cross and Mccarthy to the Indianapolis Western league team, where they imme- diately loomed up as giants indeed in the new company they found themselves with.
 New York wants a third baseman or an outfielder Brooklyn wants pitcher; Bos- ton wants several pitchers and a catcher; Philadelphia wants a shortstop, catcher and a pitcher or two; Baltimore would give good money for a pitcher; Washing ton would not pass by pitcher ol few intielders; Pittsburg needs pitchers and a catcher; Cincinnati would be pleased to ..get q whole new team with the exception . of Halliday, McPhee, Vaughn and Smith; Louisville wants 0 first baseman, catch er pitcher and an outfelder; St. Louis wants are general and constant; Anson wants few good pitchers, a second base man and left fielder, but he will not ad- init it, Cleveland could use another good pitcher That is about all the National league clubs need just now, but the demand may grow as the season advances
 Tho fact is self evident that there is a mighty dearth of talent among the young ,6r Diayers of the country. Never have there been SO many minor professional teams on the field as there are this summer and yet tho class is below the former average.
 If the material was in sight, National league money would bring it to the front, for the clubs of the major body sSe mak- ing money in large bundle,, ana good prices are ready for the reiease of players whose abilities arc not z ,ubted Schmels rsf-Washington had nearly 20 of the pick of minor league players of 1898 on his list last spring, and out of them all he found not more than half @ dozen capable of playing major league ball
 The success of the Baltimore club, how . eycy encouray yes tho other National league
 skirrnlsh for young stars. True
 the Baltinore's success is due to
 \itching of McMahon and Null
 Q the catching of Rnhinsnn-