The morning times., 1896-04-13
lNTE-sEAsON OUTLOOK
Prospects of the Senator's TAX
Ing a Higher Place.
WILL HAVE TO WORK HARD
Eastern and Western Clubs Have
strengthened and VIII Play From
the Jump-Senat ors' Tea M w ork
and All-ArOund Play Should BE Bet
ter Than Ever Before.

- " " u 'iiue plttbs Cuhddy
presaSe pretty week TO follow, then
! the Senators and Giants will have
! auspicious weather for the opening League
contest next Thursday at National Park
But this is tickle pril, and when all
| signs fail, and is the season when Gentle
| Annie,'' in shaking her winter beau, CO.
| quettes with him to the extent of ex-
! asperating all other suitors for her smiles
| and favor.
| But the best can be expected from the
| weather man from now on, and with him
| in good humor, all attention is centered
| In the Senators.
| What viii they do?
Is Washington to have a winning ball
club or not This season? THAT" as the
melancholy Dane remarked on one occa-
sion, is the question:
Let us analyZe the matter and after
wards philoSophiZe over the dissection.
A condition, not theory, Confronts the
Washington League club at, present, or
rather will confront them, commencing next
Thursday afternoon at 4:15 O'Clock.
A duck hunter originated the condition
and theory expression used in the preceding
aragraph, but as il has become so COM
mon no credit is given further than to
aScribe its origin.
1t serves the very good purpose here to
denote the position OF the Senators on
the eve OF the opening of the season and
is used accordingly regardless of quotation
marks or the taunts Of plagiarism.
TIE ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION.
To analyze the situation. In tie past
the Washington club has been the weakest
of the six clubs in the Eastern division.
This was due TO causes of a general nature
more than to the incornpetency OF the
players individually. The team has been
strengthened this year-no doubt of it,
But so have the other Eastern clubs
balanced up and taken on new life. With
the exception Of Baltimore and Brooklyn,
marked changes have been made i'll tile
makeup of the New York, Philadelphia and
Boston teams, and the best authorities are
free in saying that the playing strength OF
each has been largely increased.
Baltimore and Brooklyn remain about
the same as last year, with the exception
Of Doyle's transfer TO the Orioles.
Looking Westward, Louisville gives
promise of troubling all Comers, Cincinnati
has filled in weak places, Chicago and
Cleveland are strong, as they always are,
and st. Louis has not such Il POOR team as
some OF the writer's would make the public
believe.
Not single club has been weakened from
last year. if indeed they have not all been
materially strengthened. ana that is the
condition that will confront the Senators.
The philosophy of the situation is this:
If the Senators are TO take n higher place
in the list they must put forth increased
effort, and play bah to the very utmost
of their ability. They viii have TO be
Oh the jump and in the game every minute
they are on the diamond.
They Will have strong rivals 10 face In
every club nj home and abroad, and if they
would climb higher up the League ladder
they must indulge in no ''off-play,'' but
must get az 'em'' from the start.
LOCAL PUBLIC is LOYAL.
The Washington public is loyal as
class, aud down in every rooter's heart
is n burning hope that the home club will
make respectable showing this year.
The local fans have subsistcd on chips
and whctstones. and on husks and dis
appointment SO long, that they are hungry
for pie.
Great will be the feast and merry the
banquet f MFR. Wagner. Mana ger Schmelz
Capt. Joyce, and other Senators will only
stand up in the race and make the CapitaTs
name an honor instead of a gibe and re-
proach in baseball circles.
The fans indulge the hope that the
Senators will play better han from the
fact that 1t Will be the third conse cutive
season together Of a majority OF the
standbys Better team work and an
excellence OF all-aroun6 play Is cXpe CteL.
This anticipation is not i'll founded. The
club will play better ball cole ctively-
than ever before, and team work wins
games, pennants, and the other honors
and trophies accruing TO successful as
pirants IN the national game.
Great then, Is the responsibility OF each
member of the home club. failure will
fall heavier ON them than anyone else.
This spring they are all daisies next fall
their names may be mud. 1t rests en-
tireIy with them.
A winning ball player is a popular idol.
He is shOwered with applause and bears
the exultant peans or an appreciative con-
stitucncy. His pathway is strcwn with
roses and for him life is W orth living.
AS q loser he is revled ana abused. His
name becomes hy-wOrd for Incompetence
and his existence is made miserable by
harsh criticism and unfeeling comment.
SENATOR'S ARE POPULAR AT HOME.
Individually and collectively the Senators
are popular with the local baseball public
Every player on the team has large fol-
lowing and they will root this year
they never rooted before.
Barring unforeseen accidents, such as
sickness, no excuses will he accepted for
poor showing. President Young has
selected most cOmpet tent staff OF umpires
andit cannot be possible that the team will
again be despbiled of victories as il was
last season by the novices who We're kinder
gartcned at National Park.
To sum up, the public will expect the
Senator's to play ball all the time. Nomat-
ter If they lose, so they put forth their
very best effort A game, gritty loser is
never despised.
Now, Capt. Joyce and your players, get
al EN- Thursday and keep at 'em until