The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-08
CAYL0R'S BALLGOSSIP.
Baseman Childs OF Cleveland Handicapped,
But Successful.
Anson Offers Odds on Himself-Bur-
kett Leads tho League Batting.

Baseball In Philadelphia Is as unsettled
as tho mind Of summer girl OF as tho
weather In March. In the curly spring
oil eyes were contcrod upon tho Quaker
team, and but for the experience of othc-
years they would, by their initiatosy
work, have become favoritcs In the pom
nant raoe Every one, however, remcm-
berod tho In and out playing of the team
during former seasons and the wise OBJ
server said. Wait Tho wait was not so
long this year as formerly, for the break
came littlo earlier than usual From
the work OF formidable candidate for
pcnnant honors the Philllcs fell off to form
which If maintained would nearly land
them at the bottom Of the column before
the season cnds.
IL Is no surprise, therefore, that the
owners and managers of the club havo
finally mado up their minds to reorganize
the team; 20 weed out and transplant. In
dividually the Philadelphia team Is very
strong; collectively 1t is week. When
q body of players passes through several
successive seasons without doing much
good for the club, the most sensible policy
Is to rcorganizo, weed out and inject new
blood. In many cases star players repro
sent the fault and should be disposed OF.
Boston found Its team growing useless last
year on account of internal dissensons
which would not heal. The club, there
fore, got rid Of Nash and Mccarthy. Tho
indications are that tho pruning process
was not close enough.
Boston attended TO It's reorganization be-
tween seasons Philadelphia is driven TO
Il Ia midseason. President Lincoln sound
cd a warning against swapping horses
while crossing stream, but every case
has it's exception, and presume tho 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 tho pin
nacle of hope only 10 plunge them into tho
miro of disappointment, the club officials
have given up their faith in the collection
of players and have decided TO reorganize
In mcdias res. They frankly acknowledge
that they surrender all expectation Of win
ming this years pennant and realize that
by maintaining their present team they
havo little 30 hope for in the future. They
accordingly begin to trim for future
championships. Old players who slump
annually Just Wien their services arc most
needed will be exchanged for new material,
and a reorganized team Of Phillies will be
In the field before August
Bitter as may be tho thought Of abandon
ing the 1895 fight before 1t Is half over, the
clubs patrons must acknowledge tho 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 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 the Philadelphias may do much
better with other clubs and in other cities.
1t is the experience Of baseball managers
that players often lose their usefulness by
too much service for one club. Change of
place frequently renews n players declin-
Ing abilities. In any case the rcorganiS-
ing policy of the Philadelphia club will be
watched with much interest. Tho 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 q success.
Tho remarkable playing of Second Base
man Childs Of the Cleveland club calls to