The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-06-20

| " play ball Win
semi professional
team at Blooming
ton, Ill. His first regular engagement
however, was in 1887 when he joined
the professional team that represented
Bloomington in the lllinois-lowa
League. His good work that year in the
pitchers position led TO his engage
ment with the Milwaukee team, or the
| Western Association, for the season oil
1883. This organization was at that
time looked upon as one Of the strong
est baseball organizations outside the
National League or the American AS
ISOLATION, but the promise OF a success
ful financial result Of the campaign did
not pan out as well as anticipated; in
fact. In monetary point of view that
year was one OF the most disastrous
known in the minor leagues OF the
West. During the first three weeks OF
the season IL rained almost every day,
and the games which were contested
were played under lowering skies, on
muddy grounds and in the presence OF
the association aggregated in even fig
ures $4,000. However, Griffith took
part that year in Twenty-Five cham
pionship contests, ranking fourth in
the official pitching averages OF the or
ganization. He remained with the Mil
waukees during the next two seasons,
taking part in 1889 in fifty champion
ship games. in forty OF which he occu-
pied the pitchers position and during
1890 he took part in forty champion
ship contests. in all OF which he Off
ciated in the pitchers position. In 1891
he began the season with the ST. Louis
Club, of the American Association, and
finished 1t with the Boston team, of the
same association. That was the last
year OF that Inflated but sturdy orga-
niZation. which probably did more to-
ward revising and improving the play
ing rules during the ten years OF its ex-
istence than did any other organiza-
ton. Griffith took part that year with
the two clubs in thirty-six champion
ship games. and helped the latter ma
terially in winning the pennant OF its
association. In 1892 Griffith immi-
that season played with the Tacoma
team. OF the Pacific Northwest League.
ranking fifth in the pitching averages
OF that league, with a percentage of
1888. He signed with the Oakland
Club, of the California League, for the
en- IF In
team until August. when his release
was obtained by the Chicago Club, OF
the major league, and he finished the
season with the latter, but did not take
part in enough games with that club
to make a record in the official aver
ages Of the major league. However, he
showed up sufficiently well to be re-
served for the season of 1894, taking
part that year in forty-one champion
ship games, and ranking seventh in the
official fielding averages for the pitch
ers In the major league. During the
season of 1895 he took part in thirty
nine championship games for the Chi
cago Club, and he ranked well up in
the official batting averages Of the ma
jor league, with a percentage OF .319.
Among his best pitching performances
was the preventing the St. Louis team
from making more than four safe hits
off him on June 80. 1885, at Chicago.
ILL.,, the Chicagos winning by to /.
So Willie McGunnigle has gone TO
Louisville to raise that team from the
slough OF despond. Strange, too. that
he should drop in Just in time TO meet
his old friends, the Brooklyns. The
year that McGunnigle sat on the bench
with the championship team in Brook
lyn was the happiest of his life. He
was proud man then, and his mind |
seemed to be fertile with base ball in |
genuity. McGunnigle was not one OF |
these managers who gets a great deal |
OF credit for what the players really do.
He was original, and had some re-
sources OF his own that he called upon
to good advantage. When things re-
fused to come his way" however il
struck me that he wobbled in trying To
stem the tide. The reversal from sue
cess to a mediocre position was too
trying for him. Perhaps he can build
up from mediocrity TO a high standard
and meet with some OF the old favor
that carried him TO prosperity. 1t