The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-09


big as a barn 10 him.
gates the official averages, which may not
be for several weeks. Until that time no
certainty can be arrived at because Mr..
Young has the only complete set of official
scores of the major league In existence.
But the unofficial figures put Jesse Burk-
EFT of Cleveland so far ahead Of all compet-
itors that ne Is almost certain To be the
honored one.
Burkett is no taller and not so heavy as
Duffy, but he is giant In speed, nerves
and solidity of muscle. This man is one
of the good things which THE New York
club once possessed and let go. He and
Keeler make couple of cast offs which
cause the New York management much
painful regret in these DAYS when they
have thousands of dollars 10 pay for the
release Of couple of good batsmen and
can find none for sale.
In 1890 when the Brotherhood waged
its war on the National league the at
tack was concentrated against New York.
The Brotherhood leaders argued with
much logic that could they rout the New
York enemy the battle would be over. But
the National league leaders anticipated
these tactics and sprung a surprise by
transferring the best players Of the Indi-
annapolis club of 1889 to the metropolis.
Among them were Rusie, Buckley, Den
ny, Bassett and Glasscock Still they We're
"shy," and Glasscock recommended Jesse
Burkett, sort of protcge of his from his
native place, Wheeling, who was playing
at that time with the Worcester club Of
Massachusetts. Manager Mutrie called the
boy to New York as n pitcher. In that
capacity he was 'pie" for the other teams
Il. l, oil
account of his batting; for he could hit
the ball artistically even then. Jesse had
no trouble distinguishing fly ball when
he saw one coming his way, but 1t was not
so easy to catch IT, His fielding was heart
breaking. i saw him lose a fly ball near
the right field foul flag one day az the Polo
grounds-now Manhattan iield--and there
he stood turning around in one spot like a
skirt dancer. Somebody yelled, Right
at the foul flag, Jessel" The effect was
magical. Jesse dropped on his knees
pulled up the foul tiaR and began 10 digin
the sandy soil with his hands like n terrier
after gopher. He had completely lost his
presence Of mind. 1t was the funniest
sight l ever saw on n ball field
The New York club at the end OF the
season cast him adrift and he went TO the
Lincoln club Of the Western league. Man
ager Tcbeau had his eye on Jesse, how
ever, and took him to Cleveland. The
country knows the rest. He learned to
field and didn't need learn to bat Now
the New York club would pay SS, 600 for
the release of this jewel which IL threw
away in 1890.
Burkett is one of the large number of
players who have failed at pitching and
made their mark In another position
Ticrnan and Van Haltrcn Of the New
forks, smith OF the pittsburgS Gleason
Of the BaltimOres and O Neil Of the old st
LOUIS bruNns arc other examples Ui mis-.
takon beginnings in the lives OF baseball
players. Few good pitchers ever exccllcd
as batsmcn. Deylin, Stiy,ttS, Ferguson
of Philadelphia, koutz, Caruthers, Ken.
nedy and Taylor are exceptions Yet two
OF them have led the batting Of the coun
try-namely, Maui, in 1887, and Luby In
1890. Maui Is still pitcher in active en-
ployment.
Baseball has suffered n severe loss In the
death of Harry Wright. This notable man
was the pioneer OF the game. | believe ho
was the first professional baseball player
in America. The Cincinnati club about
1866 engaged him under salary TO manage
and play with its unsalared nine. If there
N"H ehg i'SuidTlN SaliFlCu bttN'itlt payer
previous To that am not aware Of IL.
Harry Wright was about go years old
He was born I'm England in 1885 of Eng
lsh parents, nnd though ho was brought
20 America when only a ycar old and lived
here ever afterEard be- cogld not conceal
his English lineage, even Co bis love for
roast beef. His father was anotahc cricket
player and his boys grow up with love
for the snine sport Harry and George, ~
well as Wright pcre, were skilled cricket
srs. About the Brst considerable money
ever earned by Harry was his salary a.
manager OF tho St. George Cricket club of
New York, just. before the war of the r..
bellion. The club ilnaily fitted up grounds
In Hoboken. Nearby wcro Tho grounds of
the old Knickerbockcr Baseball club
There Harry learned To- play baseball ~
well that he partially abandoned cricket
for the game which afterward became ua
tionsl In that at least hs was not Eng
lish.
As baseball got n footing In New fork
after the civil war Harry Wright became
cloeely identiflod With tha sDort and his