Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-26

| %TN paragraphs h av G
!. !. !" !.
| n r. n, been written as to
IAS& zExYII the weakness of the
M " WILL western division, but
| HfffN\ EIIti keen observers think
| VBHI llu' this W a n is
| 'PINJS more visionary than
VIZ real. The Cleveland
81 Il team especially has
| been subjected to a
great deal of criticism, and many predc-
| lions have been made that the colors of
this aggregation will be lowered frequently
| in the coming series, but where the weak
| spot Is located will be found hard prob
lem to solve. Time and time again predic-
lions have been made that the Clevelands
would weaken at such and such a time
but. strange to say, they are always fight
| Ing with the leaders. The men play an ag-
gressive game and what they lack in head
work Is atoned for in the pitchers box and
the support both in the field and at the
bat, given the men in the box
| The one point the Clevelands will have
to play against is that they are leaders,
| and II VIII be case of anything to beat
| them out. From an unbiased point of view
| there now appear to be but two clubs in
the east that will give the Spiders an ar
gument, and those are the Bostons and
| Philadelphas. New York is oyerrated.
Brooklyn is not yet in good shape, Balti-
more will LAY down" before they start to
play the Spiders, and the Washingtons-
| or the other western clubs Pittsburg an
pears the best but is not strong away from
| nome The team is said to play the dir
test game in the league, and has lost
many friends thereby. There is a wide diff
ference between lighting for a game and
| reSOrtinC n
The smoky city lads have injured more
men this season through dirty playing than
| was ever done by an organization of ball
players before, and the Clevelands appear
to be about the only club that will meet
them half way in that style of play
The Cincinnatis-"the hard-luck club
VIII surely give a good account of them
selves on the coming trip. Their infield
with Connie" back on first is an ideal
one as to fielding, and more than fairly
good in batting. This club can always be
depended upon to play good ball, and with
| a little more than half show will win
| three times out OF four. Their playing is
| clean and in striking contrast to the other
western clubs. Louisville and Chicago ex-
| cepted.
Chicago, Louisville and St. Louis are In a
class by themselves. These three are the
| clubs from whom Washington must win
| games to get out of last place st. Louis
has developed great strength in the box,
but is almost weak as Washington In
the field. Louisville has a great fielding
| team. but the members are weak in the
box. Chicago has a strong team on paper,
| and why they can win from the strong
clubs and lose to the weak ones is a mys-
terry. Every man en- the team Is a sticker of
| more than usual strength; their batteries
are also good, but the fielding has been
| woefully weak. II they pull together in
| fielding the White Stockings should make
a good record in the east. and Uncle Anson's
legion Of friends in this section are hoping
| that his Colts will do so.
| The lot of the umpires In the coming
series. west vs.. east, will not be an enviable
| one unless an overabundance of backbone
should develop within the next few days.
Four clubs. and perhaps five. will be fighting
| for the first three positions and every foot
| Of ground Is surely going to be contested
inch by inch. II the umpires would decide
| TO allow no one to talk to them but the
| captains of the teams on the field three
fouIths of the trouble would be obliterated.
The patrons Of the game in the east desire
| to see clean, honest ball playing with a
Smattering Of coaching of the Latham or
| der, and the best club win. The uncertainty
| of base ball will always attract the crowd
| and give them opportunities to pull for
| the weaker club.
| The home coming Of the Washington club
| will be an uncertain affair. Manager
| Schmezs men are, apparently, playing a
goPu game just now. and II they continue
| 1t against the western teams the "rooters"
| cannot help but turn out and Jolly them
along. Ward at second is rounding into
| shape, and IL the bleachers will encourage
him to run bases. he will open their eyes as
to his sprnting abilities. AS 1t is at present.
| he Is afraid to go down to second for fear
| of being put out and receiving the "broiling''
| the fans generally have in store for a man
who fails. Little Paul Radford at short
Is also doing good work. and Joyce can be
| hal thn thar
| Will help him by obeying orders. Esper
should be jollied into returning to the club
| and encouraged to walk the straight path.
He was never In better condition than this
| spring and can pitch with the best of them
If he will only try. Abbey. Tebeau and Sell
| bach will make the outfeld all right, al
though the latter might prove wonder In
| the box II given a trial.
The Messrs. Wagner cannot expect any
| help from the outside managers or owners
| To a man up a tree it looks as If the other
eleven clubs have combined against the home
| organization as regards the matter of re-
leasing players and from this time forward
| Manager Schmelz must whip his present
| team into shape and finish the season as II
] Is now constituted The men are big
enough, have had experience against the
| strongest clubs, and should play better ball
than they have in the past, and it is to be
| hoped they will.
At league headquarters the official re-
| turns from the various cities show that the
| gate receipts for the first month of the
present season exceed all similar periods
| since the organization of the league The
| attendance is far in advance Of all previous
| records by many thousands
| At headquarters a Star reporter had an
| interesting conversation with President
| Young concerning the relative strength of
| the various clubs and the effort being made
! by some of the weak teams to secure ad-
| dttional playing material. The Washing
| ton, New York and Chicago clubs were the
/ principal topics of the conference and
PRESIDENT Young was liberal in his common
| dalton of the Chicagos for the able at
| tempts to improve their team. Mr.. Young
has high admiration for the courage and
the determination Of "Grandpap' Anson
| and he predicts that before the season
closes Arson will have the Chicagos In the
nrst division, where they properly belong
referring to the unsteady work of the
| New York team and the frequent changes
| that are being made in the nine, President
| Young innocently confirmed a statement
| made in connection with the last annual
meeting of the league when it was pro-
| posed to sell out the Cleveland Club and
admit Detroit to the vacancy. The state
ment was questioned by many of the base
| ball writers at the time, and II is a gratify-