Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-09

pair the newspaper DluHutI tno' HehA pccn
committed. Lovers of base ball in the
Kennebec valley had gotten into the habit
of going TO the Globe for reports OF the
games and the Herald has not since been
able 10 recover among the lovers OF base
ball In central Maine, the ground lost at
the opening OF the season, IN the attempt
OF Messrs. stevens and Morse to vent their
petty spleen upon Manager Burnham by
ignoring the Kennebec club. 1t is true
that the Herald has since published repor S;
but how: With disparagins headlines,
with every form of belittlement known to
newspaper ingenuity. with an obvious pur-
pose to do all that could possibly be done,
by indirect and undetermined methods,
10 make base ball a failure in the kenne-
bee valley. It's base ball chat has teeIned
with slurring references and ipsinuations,
it even going SO far. few weeks since,
with a wish that was obviously father of
the thought. as to declare that the Ken
nebec team was on the ragged edge, and
to Intimate very broadly that 1t would not
finish the season. 1t did finish the season,
however, before fine audience. More than
that, It is one of the only two teams to keep
"a written and signed agreement between
the four Maine clubs, to play a series of
games for the championship of this state.
Despite the fact that it was necessarily
composed of young players, new to the
league, 1t finished the season with an aver
age of .407-150 more points than the last
team in the National League now has. 1t
won only three less games than the club
that finished In fifth position Instead of be-
ing last in the race throughout the season,
as the Herald would have its readers be-
lieve, the Remedies have climbed as high
as fifth place, and but for larger number
of accidents to players than has been sus-
tanned by any other team in the league,
the evasion of the salary limit by the other
clubs and the desertion of players under
contract, would have finished far higher up
In the race. AS it Is, the team has no rea-
son to feel ashamed of It's record. 1t has
played hard ball all of the time, and fast
ball much of the time. With little adj
dition of strength particularly In the box,
it will make the best of them hustle an
other season.
Having failed to break up the Kennebec
tnn, hn 4 L.; -,
Manager Burnham, is endeavorlng to start
Il movement to have Augusta excluded
from the league another season Well,
Jacob, even the accomplishment of that
fell purpose would not drive Mr.. Burnham
out of the base ball business, inasmuch
as he already has two fine offers to man
age other teams for next season, and is
liable to have Others before next spring
Managers of his capacity are always in de-
mand We hope to have him with US an
other season, for starting out under con-
ditions that would have discouraged less |
resolute man, he has developed team
that is now able to cope with the best of
them, and has given the people of the |
Kennebec valley the finest exhibitions of
the national game ever seen in central |
Maine. He has from the first insisted up
on clean, honest ball playing, and at home |
and away, has permitted nothing that !
would reflect any discredit upon the game |
Your cheap and dirty little filings, Jacob, /
will have no effect, either with the people |
Of Maine, or the managers of the New |
England League.
You can sit on the outside and listen, il |
there is a convenient keyhole, Jacob; but |
you positively cannot participate in our
annual meeting We will tell you this |
much, however, In strictest confidence:
list. II there is a New England league |
next season, the Maine clubs viii be In it. |
I'd. If the Maine clubs are in the league,
the kennebec valley will be represented
Sd. There are very strong indications |
that both of these things will come to pass |
In closing, Jacob we would be glad to |
know which one Of the dc'unct base ball |
cities of that trolley league you would sug-
gcst as a substitute for Augusta How |
10 you think the observing public would |
value prediction Of yours regarding any |
one of them? You may not know it, but, |
as base ball prophet, you are dead fly |
In the ointment, Having observed your
meteoric career, the lovers of base ball in
New E'clnrd have arrived at the conclu- |
sion that a pound or two of genuine old |
fashioned enthusiasm is worth several tons |
Of compact circuit. -