Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-02
PITCHER CHARLES EsPER, BALTIMoREs.

PITCHER CHARLES ESPEIi, BALTIMOIsES.
| livious to his surroundings while ofliciat
| ing, and nearly all arc swayed, moro OF
| less, in their desire to give satisfaction tC
capricious rooters in the stands. In somt
instances this umpire bias is so great that
it becomes a severe handicap on the visit
ing nine. / am sorry to say that Presiden'
Young has several umpires on his staff
who not only favor the rooters, but fcal
them to such an extent that they will
strain their conscience in order to please
tho often unreasonable demands OF
"cranks" on the seats. These arc the um.
pires who, in the end fail to give genera
satisfaction and drop out of tho Drofcs
sion in few months or a year at most
The success of Emslic, Hurst and Lynch
has always been based upon their habit o.
giving decisions exactly as they saw tho
play, regardless of tho opinions or mum
bcrs of the spectators.
There can be no doubt that surrounding
sympathy also has much to do with &
mines playing. In some of tho western
cities as we'll as in Philadelphia, Balti
more and Washington the FOOTING 70,
the home team is always intense and serve
not only to encourage and spur the local
players, but the joers, derisivc shouts and
ofttimes boots of the spectators aimed al
the visitors effect the latter disastrously.
Lastly a team on the road is sure to be
handicapped by their mode of living
Travelling long distances tires the players
out. Change of food, and particularly OF
water, is liable to distress the inner man.
During the recent western trip dozens of
the visiting players were weakened, and
some were Frustrated by the i'll effects OF
river and lake water. Ball players, as a
rule, drink water excessively, and mixing
ones drinking water is rs bad, if not
worse, than mixing ones drinks. If the
stomach is ''out of kelter," the eye is af-
fected, and every player must have good
eye" to be effective In his business.
The New York and Boston teams have
the least loyal crowds to play to at home
OF any of all the League clubs Their
newspaper support is not so partisan as is
that of the other clubs, and the attendance
on games is more cosmopolitan in its com
plexion. Therefore the two teams which
represent those cities are more or less han
dicapped thereby.
Left handed pitchers in the National
league have not been such potent factors
in the race this season as they were once
Breitenstein maintains his right to be
called king of the left handlers, and Esper
of Baltimore, l presume, gets the place
Esper's success is based on a change of
pace. His old catcher, Charley Farrell,
says Esper is the only left handler playing
ball today who can use slow bali with n
deceptive movement Of the arm. He has
steadied down during the last year or two
which adds to his worth. l believe it was
his unreliability in that respect which
caused the Philadelphias first and the Wash
ingtons next to dispense with his services
Just now he is very important man for
the Baltimore club.
The first serious break in tho A and
Is classes of the minor leagues comes
from the south. The Southern league
as in previous years, shows signs of
midsummer trouble. This year, how
ever, the clubs have held out later than
usual, and there may be finish to the
championship by depleted circuit. The
clubs in the southern circuit ALWAYS start
OIL well, but some of them are sure to suf
fer for want of patronage before the mid
die OF the season. Who knows what good
timber the teams of the Southern league
OF 1898 may turn out? The minor leagues
gave the Nationals such young stars this
year as Clarke of Louisville, Clark of New
York, Anderson of Brooklyn. Sullivan and
Dolan OF Boston, Clarke, o Brien and Col
Inns OF Louisville, Tebeau Ill of Cleveland,