The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-08-20

tho National league and probably not one
of thcm weighs less than 165 or / 20 pounds
1t might no well, therefore, to take n play
cr's "heft' into consideration before Civ
ing him u promotion for his batting OK
cellcnce.
Butler Is not the only minor league play
er who went up heralded as a first magni-
tudc star and went back to place among
tho asteroids. Arson puts good deal of
fifth in largo young men. His team is
celebrated for tho height of tho players.
Langc, Everett, Decker Stewart, Donahue,
arc all bis fellows.
The fact that the New Yorks had to fall
back upon an old timer, Tom Burns, to
I'LL tho holc in tho nino for which Butler
was chosen rs plug, is an evidence of tho
scarcity of first class timber among tho
minors. There is but ono man among tho
minor professional teams in the country
who Is generally recognized rs "suro
enough National Lacquer for 1896, and
that is Lush of the Rochcstcrs, who will
play in Washington next season Lush is
strapping, athletic youth, less than 81
years DID, with IL rarc lot of intelligence
He left an $50 per month clerkship to play
ball at 300 n month this season. That
showed confidence in his ability to play
good ball. 1t also proves that ho is not nm
ignoralnus. Any young man of 90 who oc-
cupies a olerkship worth 81, 600 year
through his own merit is not to DO cried
down. There is room i'll tho upper ranks
of baseball for young men of Mr.. Lush S
stamp.
But pitchers are what the clubs all want
what they arc looking for. Listen and
You II hear wall go up all over the League
circuit Pitchers Oh, where can We find
pitchers? Tho Baltimores would give thou.
sands of dollars for the right kind of an ar
ticlc. So would tho Phillics, the Brook
lyns, tho Cincinnatis and tho Chicngos.
Cleveland New York and Boston arc pref
tywoll supplied, especially the first named
two The Pittsburgs have probably brought
forth good ono i'll young Foreman. The
youngstcr has done well in every game
but one which ho has pitched for them.
The cruciblc in which he will DO tried is
tho coming eastern trip.
In looking over the outside field there
really seems to he no even half sure pitch
ing material In sight There is no end to
the quantity but the quality is uncertain.
From this must be selected recruits for
next season. Not one of the first nine
League clubs is just now in u position to
experiment with new material on account
of the closcncss of the pcnnant race. The
race promises to go on in this close way to
tho end, and therefore no chance will be
given during the rest of the season proba-
bly, to try now pitchers. If some good
judge of young players who is also capn-
bic of giving instruction and advice would
open n training school or baseball academy
next winter he might make considerable
money and be tho means of supplying q
long felt want in National league circles.
The season of 1895 will be memorable
for several surprises in the pitching circles
nf thu NntionuI 1rocr,,n Eir..t i..t . n
10 duty of John Mcmahon and the appar-
cnt restoration of his pitching arm after
nearly ono yeas of disability. He injured
1T III August of last ycnr and never pitched
another game until Aug. 3 of this year,
when he went into the points and shut tho
W0shingtons ont. When the injury oc-
CURED, Mcmahon was engaged in II fight
and was hit on an elbow with u bottle
The report gas thai two small muscles
were cut loose at that point, and the gen
cral belief was that the great pitchers pro-
fessional life was over. His return TO effect
i've work AT this late dry, VIXEN good pitch
cTs are rs rare rs rubio;. must Inc looked
upon as u kind disncnSntion of Providence.
In the next place, tho present season is
notable Cor being the first year in which
the great Rusic WAS actually disabled since
he has been pitching ball The injury to
his pitching hand early in june was fol
lowed by Il sore arm after his two remark
able games IN Chicago in July. These were
his first accidents and his first real sore
arm. prcst.mc the latter Is u lorcrunncr of
what may he expected hereafter. The great
pitcher Is aging and with age come
susceptible muscles.
Then Mcckin has been disabled half tho
season by n lame pitching arm The fact
Yhat both he and Rusic, for the first time