The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-27


And fairy forms in trousers hid,
Essay the bike as she Is rid.
A rare and radiant vision she!
dream! song! IA rhapsody!
To whom none other there was like,
Came forth TO tame the festive bike!
She cast about bashful glance,
GaZed at her wiry steed askancc;
Then eyed her bifurcated skirt,
And wondered II u tumble hurt.
Then. at the masters stern command,
She grasped her steed with trembling
hand;
gasp, sigh. with anguish pent,
bounce, II boost, and up she went.
Prate not to me of dire alarms.
VI ilfe ana Hoods and martial arms;
For depth Of woe there's nothing like
frightened female on bike!
She stuck. she strained, she vainly strove
10 make that pesky pedal move;
bhc pumped, she pushed, turned ghastIy
white.
And worked both feet with all her might!
And now she starts! she seems to feel
thrill of life along her wheeIl
bni. Oh! bump! a z!gzag stump!
d'ri, Dixie, spokes, legs, all In a lump!
New York Sun.
Scranton base ball cranks are gen.
orally satisfied with BILLY" Barnie.
the ex-Natlonal league manager, and
the now manager of the Scranton
team. He is practical, experienced
and considers base ball as legitimate
business as dry goods or boots and
shoes. His team, too, has shown up
well In practice play and Is not es-
peclally weak IN any one position. The
work of Rogers and Patchen, who
caught for Scranton last year, Is too
well known to invite description
california" Johnson. Brown, who
pitched last year for Baltimore; De-
laney, an old Eastern Lacquer, and
Fox. the ex-Pottsvillian, are each In
good fettle for work in the box Clarke,
Ward and Whitehead on the bases
and Sweeney (captain) at short, make
| an iron-bound iniield Brady in left
held and Houle in right, cover their
territory in excellent style and are
| good hitters. Johnson, in center field,
| covered that position after Hogan left
for st. Louis last year, and has con-
tinued to serve the club as well, if not
| better, than the idolized Marty"
Winkleman, the extra man, has al
ready supplied temporary gaps in the
outfield, shortstop, third base and be-
hind the bat. He is youngster and
has plenty to learn, but Is satisfactory
as a substitute. All things considered
the club should at least finish above so
per cent, which means that 1t seems
as good as the other clubs of the East
ern league. Barnie's we'll known disci-
pline and knowledge of the game may
do much toward landing the club
among the first division.
Some spol't-loving antiquarian has
compiled a list of the has beens," who
were once famous twirlers of the elu-
sive sphere. OF course AL Spalding
comes first. Twenty years ago spald-
ing was the cleverest pitcher known to
base ball. Others famous in his time
were w. A. Cummings. "Bobbie" Mat
thews and George Washington Brad
ley. Spalding was a member Of the
Chicago team, and 1t won the pennant
In spite of the fact that he could not
pitch a curve and was obliged to rely
altogether upon straight arm de-
livery. 1t was not considered necessary
In those days to carry more than one
pitcher with a team. Arthur Cum
mings was a member of the Hartfords.
He could pitch curve ball, and is said
n a ha yif o1,at. ,hn
who was able to curve ball with the
| old-fashioned straight arm delivery.
He used peculiar motion of the wrist
that put English" on the ball. In 1878
| one Of the watchwords among the
cranks was the "Only Nolan" He was
q member of the indianapolis team of
that year and one Of the most promin-
ent of the professional pitchers, but he
violated the rules Of the club and was
ruthlessly suspended and thrown out
on the cold world. John Ward first saw
the inside of q professional ball field in
this year.
The year following Ward pitched the
Providence team into the pennant.
Gentle Jeems' Calvin, and Jim Nc
Cormick, King Kelly's old battery
partner, came into prominence about
this time, as did 'Corcoran and Gold
smith. the then star twirlers of the
Chicago club. Mickey" Welsh came
to the surface in Troy, in 1880; so, also,
in Providence, did the graceful Rad
bourn, afterward denominated the
king of pitchers In 1882 Weidman,
the Detroit 'phenom," first won his
laurels In the big league. Next year
the only Burlington. with his mys-
terious drop ball. dawned on aesthetic
Boston; as did lanky Jim Whitney. In
1856 John G. Clarkson became men,
Der of the Chicago club. and from that
date until 1891 there was not a pitcher
In the league who eXcelled him, and
probably not one who was his equal
for everyday work He was called
truly and rightly the king of pitch
ers." While Clarkson was prominent
In the league there were other pitchers
who were better than ordinary. Keefe,
of the New Yorks, was one of the
greatest generals who ever stepped
into the pitchers box. Getzein, of De-
troit was the wonder of 1887. OBrien
Of Cleveland, flashed like q meteor
across the sky In 1889, and for the brief
time that he served in the National
league was a wonder. Philadelphia,
strange to say, with good base ball
team and good patronage. was never
able to secure star pitcher. Perhaps
that should be modified to some ex-
tent, for Philadelphia had a good
pitcher In the person of Ferguson, but
he died suddenly to the great regret
of all the base ball patrons of Penn
sylvania. In later years, notably In
1891, the three most brilliant pitchers
who have come to the fore are Rusie,
Young and Meekin. Rusie is with
New York andsMeekin, starting in with
Louisville, has finally reached New
York. Young Is still with Cleveland,
where he has been since he came into