The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-13

WALTER s. DRoDIE OF THE BALTIMoREs.
as n rule, q profitable period to any Of
these clubs. The Western association for
the first time In two years has been CON-
PEELED TO reduce its circuit from eight
cities TO six before its pennant race Is end
ed. Had the season ended Sept. l the
break would not have come. In all the 9TH
er minor organizations the season will end
moro promisingly probably. Toronto has
not favored its club with the support which
its owners believe IL deserved and they
have therefore sent the team away TO finish
tho season on the grounds of the other
clubs. Usually such q move Is poor policy
and H. almost as bad in effect as disband-
ment.
But, looking at the whole minor league
field, tho September situation Is wonder
full to contemplate. Never since baseball
was played were there so many professional
clubs I'm the field at this season of the year
as there are now. Ii shows the healthy
state into which the national game has
settled after many years of tribulations
and trials.
Some wonderful reyersals Of form have
been seen during tho past month among
the National league teams. The greatest
OF all is that of the Pittsburgs. On the
10th of August Manager Mack's men held
the proud position Of second place in the
pennant race. On the 4th of September
they had dropped into seventh place or had
passed into tho second division. The team
left home for their last eastern trip In
fairly good condition. They lost their
first game In Brooklyn, but won the sec
ond day In New York. Then came ten
successive defeats which 1 believe Is the
National league record for the year.
In this case 1t was not a series Of acci-
dents which pulled the team down. but
simply one Of those unaccountablo slumps
In which every man on the nine seems to
have lost his batting eye and his field skill.
Similar periods of inability, though not Of
so long a stretch were experienced by the
New Yorks, Brooklyns, Cincinnatis, Phil
adelphias and Bostons earlier in the season.
An eastern newspaper offered $50 prize
to the first reader who should correctly
place the first six clubs of the National
league as they would be found on the
morning of Aug. 81. The contest opened
July IL and closed Aug. 10. OF more
than 10, ,0G0 gucssos sent in one only was
correct and IL was blind luck which gave
the winner the prize. When / state that
on Aug. 10, when the contest closed, the
Pittsburgs were second and the Philadel-
phias were eighth, and that 20 days later
when the clubs were inarshaled for the
prize the Phillies were third and the Pitts
burgs sixth, IL will be- seon why say the
winner In that contest was In blind luck
As the season Of 1895 closes the many
weak points In the big professional teams
become more apparent. With the excep-
tion of the two clubs at the head of tho
list not one of tho u Is satisfactory In its
m.s-oup. Tho great Bostons, which were
looked upon last spring as second TO mono
In their pennant prospects, are utterly
broken up and demoralizcd. Lately accl.
dents TO players havo had much Co do with
the teams I'll success, but those accidents
came after internal disscnsions had first
put the club out Of the race. Something
very nearly approaching feud sprang up
last spring and divided the players of tho
nine pretty evenly Nobody was able 20
wipe out that difference in tho team, and
now accidents to three OF the best players
)n the nine have put the club I'm n dcplora.
bio condition for the closing Of the season.
The New York club has suffered from
ack of discipline, unusual accidents and
weakness on the infield. The Giants have
,ocn monumental disappointment I'm
iotham. But In spite of blasted hopes
he enthusiasm of metropolitan rootcrs
annot be downed Thrty-ninc thousand
coplo were on the Polo ground to SEQ the
'amcs on the four days from Aug. 81 10
'ept. 4, inclusive.
Labor day furnished ono more proof Of |
he unimpcachable honesty and square
ess" Of baseball On that day the New |
forks and Clcvelands met for two games.
rhe Clevelnnds were tho dangerous rivals
Z the Baltimorcs in tho fight for tho
They alone had chance
o beat Hanlon's mon I'm tho race.
Mark the situation on thcRorping Of 4