Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-08-01

liviouS to his surroundings while OtfiCiat- ing, and nearly all are swayed, more or less, in their desire to give satisfaction to capriciOus rOotcrS in tho stands. In some instances this umpire bias is so great that it becomes a severe handicap on the visit ing ninc am sorry to say that President Young has several umpires on his staff who not only favor the rootcrs, but fear them to such an extent that they will strain their conscience in order to please tho often unreasonable demands of 'crankS' on the seats. These arc tho um- pircs who, in the end, fail to give general satisfaction and drop out of the profCS- sion in a few months or d year at most. The success of Emslic, Hurst and Lynch has always been based upon their habit of giving decisions exactly as they saw the play, regardless of tho opinions or num- bers of the spectators
 There can be no doubt that surrounding sympathy also has much to do with a ninc's playing. In some of tho western cities as well as in Philadelphia, Balti- more and Washington, tho "rooting' for the home team iS always intense and serves not only to encourage and spur the local players, but the jccrS, dcriSiVU shouts and ofttimcs huuts of the spectators aimed at the visitors effect the latter dslstruuSly.
 Lastly a team on the road is sure to bc
 
 Travelling long distances tires the players out. Change of food, and particularly of water, is liable to distress the inner man. During the recent western trip dozens of the visiting players were weakened, and some were prostratrd by tho ill effects of river and lake water. Ball players, as rule, drink water excessively, and mixing ones drinking water iS as bad, if not worse, than mixing ones drinks. If the i,- ,,f l-,,lt, fcctcd, and every player must havca good eye to he effective in his business. The New York and Boston teams havc the least loyal crowds to play to at homo of any of all the League clubs. Their newspaper support iS not part isln as is that of the her clubs, and the attendance on games is mor" cosmopolitan in it's com plexion. Therefore the two teams which represent those cities are more or less han dicappcd thereby.
 Left handC,! pitchers in the National league have pot been such potent factors in the race this season aS they were once. BreitcnStcin maintains his right to be called king of thc left handlers, and Espcr | of Baltimore, l presume, gets the place. | Espcr's success is based on q change of pace. His old catcher, Charley Farrell, says ESpcr is the only left handler play ing | ball today who can use slow ball with a
 
 | steadied down during the last year or two, | which adds to his worth. 1 believe it was | his unreliability in that respect which caused tho Philadclphias first and the Wash | ingtons next to dispense with his services. | Just now he is very important man for the Baltimore club.
 The first serious break in the A and l B classes of the minor leagues comes from tho south. The Southern league, as in previous years, shows signs of l midsummer trouble. This year, how | ever, the clubs have held out later than | usual, and there may be a finish to the championship by n depleted circuit. The | clubs in the southern circuit always start l off well, but some of them are surc to suf- ] fer for want of patronage before the mid dle of the season. Who knows what good timber the teams of the Southern league l of 1895 may turn out? The minor leagues 1 gave the Nationals such young stars this year as Clarke of Louisville, Clark of New York, Anderson of Brooklyn, Sullivan and | Dolan of Boston, Clarke, O Brien and Col lins of Louisville, Tebeau III of Cleveland, Miller of Cincinnati and Clingman of Pittsburg.
 Now comes a new candidate for high class favors. Butler, a young fielder from | the Nashville club, joined the New York Giants raently. He is rated as tho flower | of the Southern league, and the New York club paid $1, 900 for his release. In the south he averaged hit to nearly every two times at bat and showed himself to be . conner Ho has jumped into fast compa- ny, and his work for the rest of the season will attract much attention, because it will demonstrate what 800 per cent batsman in Q minor league can do against National league pitchers. Asa rule good batsman in a minor league is good hatsman any where. If Butler can make a record of 800 in any league, he should work out 300 percentage in the best company. That rule applies to all players.
 Meanwhile the great League race con tinues, and interest in the national game everywhere is intense. It begins to look as if either the Clevclands or Pittsburgs will go east tho middle of August in the lead. Then will come the real battle, and it promises to be the9lost uncertain and the most exciting which the sport has ever produced. Nine clubs arc possibilities, and at least six have almost equal chances spite of the half dozen games which separate them. O. F. CAYLoR.