The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-05

a. e. NJ BRIDE.
champion batsman of last years Texas South
western league now with Chicago.1
sonvillo during the cool week this month
and was surprised to SEQ the Floridians 90
ing about In straw hats and without over
coats, whereas the northern tourists wore
winter wraps and wondered to see the af-
fectation of comfort by these people who
look upon snow as luxurious rarity.
Tho result of the northern teams ex-
perience in tho south during the first half
of March is liable to be postponement of
the annual spring hegira next year till
after St. Patrioks day.
From Texas comes doleful sound
Our Uncle Arson Is not satisfied with
some Of his newly drafted Colts. The
pitchers whom he expected to riso up I'M
dor his instruction like so many prodigies
are already said to DO branded IN. G." by
this expert trainer. 1t may be that in his
latter days Captain Arson Is learning d.
plomacy; that he is discriminating for the
purpose of throwing his opponents off
guard. To pronounce a new candidate
bad before no gives him his congo is SO I'M
like Arson that the wise ones read the
Galveston bulletins and wonder what they
mean, not minding what they say.
But, in Mcbride, Arson says he has
winner. Mcbride was champion batsman
of the Texas Southwestern league last
year and was clearly tho pick of all the
players down there. If these early reports
be reliable, then Mcbride has come into
classA to stay.
Since Uncle Adrian's dramatic dream
was shattered last winter he shows SIGNS
of losing faith even in himself and his
team. He is not betting so many suits of
clothes and his championship claims are
not orowding each other so much as In
former springs. He has parted with Will
mot, turned Hutchinson back into the
minor leagues and taken up second base
man who was sent adrift one year ago
Last of all, comes the news that the great
est outfielder in tho country, William
Lange, broke n small bone in one of his
ankles early in March and may not bo able
to play until after the championship sea-
son opens. 1t does look as if "Anse's''
streak of i'll luck was on at last
There have not been the usual number
of bluffs among the stars this year, but
those which were worked had tone and
novelty to them. Jack Doyle issued
weekly bulletins all winter, in which he
declared his unalterable determination to
live on his relatives rather than play in
Baltimore. Hanlon, however, is a tacti-
clan as we'll as manager. So he used a
sure process when Doyle was invited to
baltimore and hOnored with banquet
Hanlon struck straight for the stomach,
anu through 1t he reached Jacks heart
and head.
Then came the funny Breitenstein plan,
wherein that left handed pitcher was adj
vertised to be under contract to q country
club in Illinois. That afforded amuse-
ment till the st. Louis club got ready to
treat, and the redheaded diplomat got into
line.
Rusie, tho king of them ALL of course
kicked. The big fellow INDUCES in these
spring hold outs as religiously as n good
Catholic observes Lent. This year he
seemed to be a little more jealous than
ever and needed more persuasion.
There was never more than one promi-
ncnt National league player who held out
during an entire season. That one was
Pitcher Lovett of the Brooklyns, who re-
fused salary of 81, 300, and who in con-
sequence remained off the ball6eld an en-
tire season. Tho result was that when no
returned the following year at u reduced
salary no found that his long rest had left
him behind the procession. and before the
season ended he dropped into a lower
grade, never again to advance That les
son was impressed upon the minds of
clined to follow Lovett's example had IL
not been for his fate.
The recent meeting Of delegates from
tho minor leagues at Washington should
teach the dominant magnates caution. 1t
was tho rumbling before the storm. For
two years the National league party in
power has been curtailing the vested priv
ileges of the minor leagues under the ma
tionai agreement until by the Instrument
OF classification adopted at New York in
February severe blow was dealt to the
confederate leagues.
This invasion Of the minor rights has
almost precipitated open revolt. Only the
knowledge that another baseball fight
might kill the game holds the more con
servatlve of the minor league representa-
tives In check. The Washington meeting
may have the effect OF centralizing the |
wisdom of the National league official |
and OF checking the Hotspurs who OF late
have secured al unhealthy leadership in |