Evening star., 1895-08-24

semi-official capacity. wrote a letter to Mr..
Temple, the donor of the trophy. a few
days ago for his decision on the subject.
The reply has just been received II
league headquarters, and the substance Of
1t Is that the prize Is to be competed for
by the two teams standing one and two In
the championship column at the close Of
the season.
That question being settled, 1t will be in
teresting to watch the struggle betwesn
Baltimore, Cleveland Pittsburg Boston.
Cincinnati Philadelphia and Chicago It
Is anybody's race at the present writing,
with the prospects in favor of Baltimore
for first place. and Boston. Philadelphia
and Cleveland struggling for second money
The Phillies have In years past aston
tshed the natives by their brilliant spurts
at the finish. and they are expected to keep
up their reputation in that respect. They
are handicapped by their weakness at
short stop. and 1t remains to be seen
whether the brilliant work Of Cross at
third will compensate for the leak between
second and third bases The Bostons are
still displaying danger signals for the in
formation Of their rivals in the first di-
vision. 1t Is ramored that there are dis
turbing spirits within the Boston fold,
which threaten to disrupt that great COM
hination of base ball talent sooner or
later. 1t may result in several of the star
players" Of the team leaving the hub next
season. In spite of these rumors. many Of
the base ball prophets have picked the
Bostons to make the run for the cup with
the Baltimores. Connie Mack objects to
Pittsburg being dismissed from the con-
to give the leaders the strongest kind of
an argument right up to the finish.
There will be a royal battle when Balti-
more and Cleveland come together week
after next There Is no getting away from
the fact that the Clevelands play great
ball. Patsey Tebeau may not take Lord
Chesterfield for bis patron saint, but he
is base ball general Of the get there"
kind, and he is good ball player just the
same. His strong suit In a game is to get
on to some of the personal characteristics
OF the players, the managers and the
officers of the rival teams. and he uses
his Information in the most aggravating
manner from the coaching lines. He is
a close student of the rules, and while
he frequently violates the letter of the
base ball law. he usually manages to net
tie his opponents to an exasperating de-
gree without subjecting himself to the
penalties which a courageous umpire might
with propriety infiict.
The shake-up in the senatorial outfield
is to commence next Monday. Tom Brown
is to report here for duty Monday, and
will be stationed in right field. relieving
Roaring Bfll'' Hassamer. Since it became
known that Earl Wagner was not satisfied
with the work of at least two of his pres
ent outfielders, the performances of Sell
bach, Abbey and Hassamer have been
closely scrutinized by the local manage
ment and the patrons Of National Park.
While there is no intention of disturbing
Selhach. he appears to have taken fright
at some of the rumorS flying about, and his
stick work has fallen off distressingly, and
his fielding, while at times brilliant, has
been somewhat ragged. Abbey. one of the
iEnocents marked for slaughter. on the
other hand. has displayed wonderful nerve,
and instead Of sliding around on the "anx-
ious bench" has braced up in batting and
fielding, and recently has outclassed either
Selbach or Hassamer Roaring Bill" in
stead of following the example of Abbey,
has apparently played safety in the field
and exhibited timidity at the bat Lush
OF Rochester is expected to be here next
week. and 1t remains to be seen whether
an opening will be made for him in the
regular team.
Jesse Burket did not do much toward i'm
proving his great batting average while he
was here. He did a little business with
Cleveland's star slugger'' carving great
slices out of the atmosphere.
If Hank O'Day displayed little more
courage in dealing with kicking players. he
would come near being an ideal umpire.
His judgment on balls and strikes is ad-
mirable. and his base decisions are general
ly fair and impartial
Watch" Burnham's principal sponsors
have repudiated him, and he is slated to
fall off the staff of Uncle Nick" at an
early day.
Patsey Tebeau says Washington is a
''six-inning club" and gives them the ice
house laugh for permitting Cleveland to
get away with Tuesdays game He de-
clares that had the positions of the two
clubs been reversed when oDay insisted
upon prolonging the contest in the dark
ness. Washington would never have had a
chance to win the game.
Joe Corbetts only recommendation ap-
pears to be that he is brother of Gentle
man Jim He is said to be something of a
utility man, being able to play an infeld
position, or pitch in case Of an emergency
He made his first appearance in Wash
ing ton uniform Thursday, when he prac-
ticed near the bench. He may be a
conner"
Cincinnati is surprising the eastern con-
Urgent by clinging on to place in the first
when he looks at the position Of the New
York Giants at the league table.
Joe Kelly, the acting captain of the Bal
timore team, when Robinson is not in the
game, has this to say of League Umpire
Hunt, who is now on furlough without
pay: Il will give that little fellow said
he, referring to Hunt, the credit for dis
playing more nerve of the good honest
kind than any man 1 ever saw in ball
game. 1t was in the ninth inning of the
fifteen-nning contest between Baltimore
en- the home ground. and in the last half
of the ninth inning Brode made a gallant
attempt to score the winning run by
desperate slide for the plate. Almost any
ether umpire on the staff would have de-
clared the runner safe, considering the ex
citement that was prevailing among the
audience at that moment. Hunt thought
Brodie was out, and he had the nerve to
so rule, and that was his honest judgment.
A man who has the courage of his convic-
tions in such a trying period has my re-
spect and confidence, and from that mo-
ment I determined in my own mind that
Hunt was made Of the right stuff for an
umpire, and when he returns to duty he
will always have my respect and conf
dence." Coming from Kelly, this is
very strong commendation.
Connie Mack actually believes that the
Pittsburg team will end the season one
two or three With delicious confidence
Connie told one OF his Washington friends
how he proposes to take three games from
Philadelphia next week. Said he: Il have