Birmingham age-herald., 1895-10-02
HANLON TALKS.

udyS ago ana was lnlerNleWeu ne Daily News says:
 Doubtless the biggest figure in base balldom is MT. Edward Hanlon of the Baltimore club. He is confessedly at the head of the managers and many a club would give a good deal to secure his ser vices.
 When MT. Hanlon handled the Pitts burg club he gave little promise of his true abilities. It was only. after he had gone to Baltimore that he shone in his true light When Hanlon went to Bal timore baseball was in a very low stage. It was fairly bankrupt and could have been had for song. Today it would take a small sized fortune to secure the club, if it could be bought at all, and it is one of the most valuable of the base ball franchises in the country.
 All this is due to the talent and energy of MT. Hanlon, who has organized a club that is confessed to be one of the greatest ball clubs ever got together. To have won the pennant in 1894 was no small task, but to secure the same in 1885, when the champion club was a mark for all-comers. was extraordinary. The obstacles to win this year were conSid- erably greater than last season.
 Hanlon was recently interviewed by reporter for the Boston Herald, and his conversation will be interesting to those who like to see a home club win. In re- sponse to the congratulations upon the
 
 Baltimore. he said:
 Its little early" said he. "We are not out of the woods yet We have some very hard work cut out for us, and while we are very confident that we shall be able to win out we> cannot afford to slacken our gait in the least. The Bos- tons are anxious to get even with us for past defeats, while the Brooklyns are no insignificant adverSares."
 Has the campaign this year been as severe as that of last season?"
 Indeed, it has. Some of the clubs are considerably stronger than they were last season, the Chicagos, Cincinnatis and LouSvilleS, for example, In the west the umpireS gave the eastern clubs the worst of it in their decisions by a great deal. Since McMahon rejoned us we have been stronger than ever. Before he regained his form Hoffer had been fill ing his place admirably. On the other hand, Hemming is not the man he was last season. He has complained of ma laria and stated that at no time this year has he been fairly fit to go into the game. Of course, he has been disap pointment. We were very fortunate, fn- deed, to have in Gleason a player who could play an infield position as we'll as he has done on second Gleason is poSSi- ply quicker man all round than Reitz, but never in my experience ever saw man quicker with his hands than Reitz. You will remember that Fred Dunlap had an enviable reputation in this re- spect I surely expect to play Reitz on the team next year. Carey is coming all the time and has been making marked progress in his work. At first he was nervous and anxious while at the bat, but he is overcoming this nicely, and, on the whole, his stick work has been very satisfactory
 "Do you anticipate making any changes in the team next season?"
 "No, I think not. Our inf1eld is all right and I know no better in the coun- try. Our outfield is very fast and SatiS- factory. In the catchers' department we have been much strengthened by the ad- vancement made by Clarke I want to secure another first-class pitcher, and if I do so will release two of the present force. If I can make good exchange will do so
 Do you mind giving the mode of train ing you prescribe for your club?'
 Mot at all. We rehearse in baseball just the same as actors do on the stage. We go through plays on the diamond. As a result, two years ago, after I had put the club through such a course of sprouts in the south the men began the championship season as if they had been playing together for years, and the ef- fleets of this system were commented upon and praised by everybody. When we are at home the men go to the park every morning at about 10 o'clock and we practice together for an hour or an hour and a half. If there has been a Slip-up in play that needs attention we go through it. In the game as it is played today there can be no let up. You must progress all the time and you must have men in your ball club who feel that they are in the best club in the country and will work to show 1t. At the same time there are other good clubs, we'll manned and well-handled. The C1eve- land club, which has been giving such a CTnIn Oh iS h1Cf in every respect, but we think we are somewhat faster. Then there are the Phillies, dangerous at all times on ac- count of their heavy batting powers. Ib is a matter of great regret that the Bos- tons and New Yorks have not been able to make better showing this year. Of course I have my opinion as to the causes that have led to the failure of these clubs to make a better showing than has been the case, but 1t would not become me to discuss them at this time. Doubtless with the opening of another season these clubs will be able to pre- sent the same formidable front as for merly."
 Have you anything to say about the game itself this year?'
 II think the greatest mistake would be made in doing anything that would abol- ish or lessen lively ( aching That is the very essence of the game. Take it away hnd it's very life would be lost The best ball game in the world would lose it's interest if you take away coaching. In fact. it would kill the game. By coaching I mean the right kind not mere noise to rattle the pitcher not SenSeleSS howl ing and chattering, but lively work with the voice that will keep the spectators on the qui vive and in good humor. Every body knows the public likes coaching. How dead game is in your city if Tom my Tucker is not on the lines and how they call for him when he is not there! Not that I approve entirely of the way Tucker coaches, but Tom would be just as effective-every bit-if he kept within the rules. Again, the spectators like kicking I do not mean the senseless kicking that delays the game, but well-timed kick when a player gets the worst of a decision and wants to say so. Let him make his protest and then re- tire. If man is badly treated by the umpire, the spectators not only expect him to tell the umpire so, but want him to do it. Empires are but fallible, and they expect to be told when they have made an error. If they make any fuss a hOnt if thaU Shoxy poor iI,dpp,apt and