The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-31
review OF Weeks SPORT
Scranton Took Another Of It's Unex.
plainable Slumps.
We HAVE LOST FIVE STRlGnT
Local Maguntes Arc Already Discussing
Plans for Next ssasou-Last Gaine
win Nc Played Hero on Sept.
l0-As to Rieaby and Dove.


slumps this week: one Of those aggra-
waiting. uneXplainable slumps for which
we have been famous from the begin
ming of the season. Every now ana
then we strike good. stifY gait ana
play ball In real first division style for
a few days, and just when the hearts or
the local lovers of the game are being
made glad and they begin to think that
Scranton has a ball club worthy OF the
city comes the slump. and all the high
hopes and expectations are cast to the
ground and shattered. It's too bad. hut
there seems no help for 1t this season.
All we can do is to pin our faith on that
ever-present ray OF hope to the dis
consolable ball crank. Next season."
Already the local base ball magnates
are discussing plans for next season.
which. they trust. win result more
satisfactorily to the club than did the
necessarily hastily devised plans for
the present season. If the greater part
of the present club can be held together
during next season. the directors OF the
local association feel that they will be
able to cut a good sized figure In the
league race of 80. There is danger.
however that National league clubs
will draft some of our players. Johnson
has been watched with an eager eye
for weeks past by Pirtsburg, and that
club stands ready to pay a good sized
sum for his release II the directors Of
the Scranton club would consent to
sell. They have refused 20 do so. but
at the end of the season Pittsburg. by
the terms of the National agreement.
has the privilege of drafting him pro-
vided the Scranton club Is paid $500.
This, 1t is feared, will be done, and II Is
one of the strong probabilities that Mr..
Johnson, OF California. will not decorate
himself with a Scranton uniform next
year.
Another Scranton player whose recent
work Is attracting much attention in
National league circles Is Pitcher Mea-
ney. whose clever work In the box. fast
fielding and heavy batting marks him
as an extraordinary player. There are
several National league clubs he would
strengthen. and 1t need not be consid-
cred surprise II he Is drafted. Field
ers Eagan and Butler are two more
players that could travel in major
league society. according to the opin-
game. 1t Is true that Butler was tried
and released by New York. but his
work in this city would indicate that
he was not given a fair trial or was un-
able to play his usual game when sur
rounded by the much vaunted players
of the National league.
Even II the National league does
draft few Of Scranton's players there
will be the nucleus Of a club remaining
! around which Manager Barnie ought to
be able to fit other players and form
a club strong enough to win more than
half the games played. The fact that
he will manage the club next season Is
settled SO far as anything can be on
this mundane sphere. He has been
kind and considerate with the players,
but proved a stern disciplinarian when
required. as Is shown by the deter
mined stand he took with regard to
Bannon. Luby and Rogers. II Scran-
ton had decided that his services would
not be needed next season 1t Is prob able
he would have gone to Rochester, as the
base ball men Of that city were ver..
anxious to secure him. They tried to
get him several weeks ago for the re-
mainder of the season, but were unsuc-
cessful. They then turned their atten-
tion to Manager Dan Shannon, of
Wilkes-Barre. with better success. The
| latter, It Is announced, will have charge
or tpe Rochester team next season,
which will make 1t necessary for the
Alligator City to look about for another
man who possesses as much playing and
managing abilityas Dan Shannon. They
Will find 1t difficult to locate such a man.
The brilliant victory won by Scran-
ton at Springfield last Saturday led
to the hope that our pets would break
even on the series away from home,
but this hope has been ruthlessly dis
sipated during the week. Monday
Scranton went up against Springfield
again, and Meaney went In to pitch
for the locals. He was found for sew
enteen bases. while Gruber, Of SPRING
field. was punished to the extent of
nineteen. The club behind Meaney
made eight errors and lost the game.
which, otherwise. might have been
safely pOcketed by Scranton. Tues
days game was lost by JOhnson's Wild
ness and the ease with which his
curves were solved by the Ponies. He
was found fifteen times and gave ten
bases on balls.
Buffalo, where II played on Wednes-
day. Miller was assigned to do the
twirling for Scranton, but had to be
taken out after the third inning. The
Bisons were sending the leather into
all parts Of the field. four Buffalo men
scoring in the first inning Johnson
was substituted for Miller In the fourth
and held the Bisons down In gallant
shape for the remainder Of the game.
Scranton led from the third until the
ninth. when the Buffalo sluggers ham,
mered out four runs and won the game
by a margin of one run. Thursday
there was no such battle. Buffalo
walked away from Scranton at the be-
ginning and easily maintained Its lead
until the game was over. Yesterday
the battle was more vigorous but the
result was the same.
Monday Scranton will play two
games at Toronto. and should win at
least one of them, although Toronto
Is playing a. very stiff game just at
present. Tuesday. Wednesday and
Thursday we will oppose Syracuse and
be fortunate II one game falls to us
out Of the three. We should do better
at Rochester. where the club Is sched-
uled to play on Sept. 6. Z and ..
Sept. 10 the club will reappear on
days do battle with Springfield. The
Ponies are to be followed by PrOvi-
dence, which plays here on Sept. IS. IA
and 16. On the latter date the last
league game Of the season will be
played. The intention at present In to
disband the team Immediately after
wards, for the local magnates do not
think a supplemental season Of ex-
hibition games would be renumerative.
It Is doubtful II q series even with
Wilkes Barre, would draw large crowds
in this city for the reason that Scran-
ton has been uniformly unfortunate
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