The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-11
CAYLOR'S BALL GOSSIP.
The Reorganization Of the
Tickle PhiIIies.
PATRONS HAVE LOST PATIENCE.
Players Fleshy and Lean-Childs of
Cleveland, Handicapped, but Sue
cessful-Anson Offers Odds on
Him-Burkett Leads.

Baseball in Philadelphia is as unsettled
as the mind of a summer girl or as the
weather in March. In the early spring
all eyes were centered upon the Quaker
team, and but for the experience of other
years they would, by their initiatory
work, have become favorites in the pen
nant race. Every one, however, remem-
bered the in and out playing of the team
during former seasons and the wise OBJ
server said, Wait. The wait was not SO
long this year as formerly, for the break
came q little earlier than usual. From
the work of a formidable candidate for
pennant honors the Phildes fell off to form
which if maintained would nearly land
them at the bottom of the column before
the season ends.
1t is no surprise, therefore, that the
owners and managers of the club have
finally made up their minds to reOrganize
the team; to weed out and transplant. In
dividually the Philadelphia team is very
strong; collectively it is weak. When
q body of players passes through several
successive seasons without doing much
good for the club, the most sensible policy
is to reorganize weed out and inject new
blood In many cases star players repre-
sent the fault and should be disposed of.
Boston found its team growing useless last
year on account of internal dissensions
which would not heal. The club, there
fore, get rid of Nash and Mccarthy. The
indications are that the pruning process
was not close enough.
Boston attended to its reorganization be-
tween seasons Philadelphia is driven to
it in midseasOn. President Lincoln souro-
ed a warning against swapping horses
while crossing a stream, but every case
has it's exception, and presume the Phil
adelphia club people are justified in the
radical course they have recently taken up.
After series of disappOintments run
ming through several years, whereby their
team has raised their patrons to the pin
nacle of hope only to plunge them into the
nire of disappointment, the club officials
have given up their faith in the collection
Of players and have decided to reorganize
in Inedias res. They frankly acknowledge
that they surrender all expectation of win
ming this years penHant and realize that
by maintaining their present team they
have little to hope for in the future. They
accordingly begin to trim for future
championships Old players who slump
needed will be exchanged for new material,
and a reOrg6nized team of PhiLies will be
in the field before August.
Bitter as may be the thought of abandon
ing the 1896 fight before it is half over, the
clubs patrons must acknowledge the wis
dom of the course adopted by the manage
ment. 1t is heroic policy and proves the
stability of professional baseball and Of the
National league. When a club looks ahead
several years, and by doing so makes i'm
mediate sacrifices, it announces to the world
that its business has permanency.
Some of the players who will be ex-
changed by tho Philadelphia may do much
better with other clubs and in other cities
It is the experience of baseball managers
that players often lose their usefulness by
too much service for one club. Change of
place frequently renews players declin-
ing abilities. In any case the reorganiz-
ing policy of the Philadelphia club will be
watched with much interest. The plan
was successfully worked by the Washing
ton club, which since 1891 has gradually
replaced its old players until only two of
them, Maui and Mcguire, remain. The re-
suit has been quite success.
Tho remarkable playing of Second Base
man ChiIds of the Cleveland club calls to