The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-16

very common ono at this season of tho
year. But the answer Is more diffioult.
Probably 90 per cent will name the Balti-
mores. 80 per cent will divide their pre-
dictioos among elk or seven other clubs
and 20 per cent Will "give IL up Tha
makes just 20 per cent Of wisdom to 50 pc
cent Of misguided enthusiasm.
Baltimore's team has the call because Ii
has won it for the last two years. A cham
pion is always prime favorite for the next
event. Besides, the team from Maryland's
metropolis Is acknowledged to be one OF
tho best ever got together. And yet that
old but oft proved proverb that baseball
Is mighty uncertain" causes tho wise man
to "give it up"
Accidents and sickness have great deal
TO do with the winning or losing of b. -
ball championship. Ill luck usually comes
in bunch and carries all before 1t on the
diamond. That fact Is the first one which
must be faced while trying to pick q win
ner.
With tho exception OF the Baltimores
and the Cleyelands, most OF the other
strong teams have been materially changed
since last season, and the two teahis jusc
named finished heads apart with nip and
tuck race down the homo stretch. One
would naturally argue that IL should once
more be a close contest between them.
But there are others. The Bostons, Phil
adelphias, New Yorks, Chicagos, Pitts
burgs, I3rooklyns, Cincinnatis and Louis
villes will begin the season stronger than
they were last spring-how much stronger
In each instance II is hard TO say. The va
rious trades OF players last winter were
wisely made, and In several instances es-
pecially the exchange of Nash for Hamil-
ton and Doyle for Gleason, each club In
the deal was benefited by getting player
exactly fitting into its nine at q weak
place. The Phladelphias for some years
have needed an in1eld captain. They got
one in Nash. Tho Bostons needed hard
hitting outfelder to replace Mccarthy, and
they get him in Hamilton.
Baltimorc's nine suffered last year on
account of their weak hitting first base
, man. So they wanted Doyle, and they got
him. New York had two Other good first
basemen, but needed second baseman,
which they got in Gleason.
The Boston team last season were torn
asunder by discussions. The result was
the same as has always followed team
wrangling. So Mccarthy was released 10
Brooklyn Nash was exchanged for Ham
ilton, and Tenny replaces Tucker at first
base. The cause Of much of last years
slump being removed, Boston is once moro
looked upon with much favor by pennant
pickers.
That same old cry has already gone up,
"Look out for the Philliosp' Ii has been
shouted annually for tho last ton years.
We've looked out, and that's all the good
it did us. Those Phillies have habit Of
flashing to the front at some time every
season, and then, just as one is preparing
TO hail them as champions, the brecching
breaks, the end gate comes out OF their
cart, their hold slips, and the cry TO "Look
out for the philliesl" comes from the clubs
In their rear
The club has always been weak In
pitching L, has tho greatest collection Of
batters seen on one nine since the days Of
the famous Detroit sluggers, but they're
lost in the box. II they batted out 16 runs,
their opponents weaker batsmen, would
pound for 20. They expect material aid
this year from Orth and Inks. If they get
II, then wo'll shout again, "Look out for
the Philliesr'
With Meekin and Rusie at their best
the New forks gave the Baltimores
close race in 1894. Last year Rusie had an
off season and Meekin was disabled most
of the time, The team missed Ward Mt sec
ond, and the result was altogether disas
trous. Meekin has recoyered; Rusie thinks
he Is once more in form; the team will
have the veteran Pfetfer at second, and
with the help of Gleason and several prom
ising young stars, the club hopes To b,
sup among the leaders most OF tho year
Pittsburg has secured strength by III
acquisition Of Ely. Brooklyn ccrtainl
gains in Mccarthy, and seems TO have sew
eral young players of promise, whilo Gin
cinnati and Louisville should show addc
strength over last year.
Last but not least there Is the Bismarc
Of baseball Adrian Cathode Anson, az
his colts. The old gentleman's claim
the pennant is perennial and annual. r
has issued il unusually early this yea
The funny part of ii is that he Is earncs,
sincere This baseball philosopher argu
that the only reason he did not win la!
year was on account Of q failure of hi
pitchers. 1t may be true too. This year y
thinks he has found tho missing ingred
ents to his oriental optica! pennant tcau
In young Friend and Dolan, two promis
Ing young pitchers, and no Is maxim
enough bets of suits, hats and dollars {
either make his fortune, if no wins, {
beggar him,.i he loses.
An unknown quantity lies in the 60 o.
moro now prayers DrOnght UP from tn'
minor leagues There may bo n few genu
Inc prizes among tho lot, and their wori
In the south will be closely watched.
The youngest Of them all is j. Bentley
Seymour, one Of the New York pitchers
He has just passed his eighteenth year
Though boy in ago ho is man in stat.
urc, standing feet in his shoes and
weighing 10 pounds. Young Seymour is
a left handed pitcher with terrific speed,
lacking only control TO make him star
In his profession.
Last week 1 met Arthur Cummings,
whose nickname OF Candy Cummings l
gave TO him In 1878. Eo n tho pitcher
who should live In famc after all othoro
are forgotten, and yet ho is almost lost to
the world In his humble Brooklyn home
II was he who discovered tho curved ball.
In 1876, while pitching for an ainatoG-
nine called the Excelsior Juniors, Cam.
mings played In n game against the Har-
wards on Jarvis field In Cambridge. A
Al n. A.