The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-29
Jesse BURKETT.

were precious few who won their spurs
OF these may be mentioned Wallace of
Cleveland, Miller of Cincinnati, Clarke,
Holmes and Collins of Louisville Ander-
son of Brooklyn, Dolan of Boston, Demont
of Washington, Harry Davis of New York,
Ely and Cooley of ST. Louis, Foreman OF
Pittsburg and Friend Of Chicago. There
were not enough capable recruits turned
out to repair the weak spots In the League
mines. Hence the above named semiorip.
pies and age worn veterans keep In the
game because they are more valuable, can
do better work. lame, halt and senile, than
most Of the green, untamed and nerveless
students from tho lower classes.
1t Is not because the major managers do
not want young stars that tho old cracked
ones continue to shine. A glance at the
experiments made by National league
clubs last year which failed will show that
there has been, as there Is yet, on anxious
yearning for young players to relieve the
veterans whose days of usefulness ART
drawing to close. Baltimore released
Carey, Kissnger and Pond. Boston let
Wilson, Sexton, w: acr and Stockdale go.
Cincinnati found Spies and Hogriever toe
light for Its team. Louisville turned out
Luby, Borchers, JantZen, Preston, Flaher-
ty, Sweeney and half score of other fail
ures. New York chased Knauss, Bos-
we'll, Smith, Murphy and Butler. Pitts
burg had no constant use for Colcolough,
Jordan, Clingman and Cross. st. Louis
parted with Flanagan, Mason, Irvine.
ham, Hogan and Brown, while Washing.
ton ran them through the mill in O. regular
grist from early spring till late in the au
tumn.
The crop of new players this year Is un.
1txr1 nrn in hn Cfnr
League club has gone south with gross OF
two of the article to test their abilities in
the land of sunshine sand and early
freckles. We shall hear wondrous tales OF
tho doings of these youthful phenomenoDs
while at practice. On paper and ut re
hearsal most OF them will come along rs
professional wonders; Mt least that Is the
experience of every years training trials.
But whom the championship season
opens and they face the 'rcnl thing" then
the actual test will come. Then it Is that
weak hearts pull many below the League
Lowell and they draw back whence they
came. A few Of these temporary failures
may come up again year or two hence.
They are those who are called too soon A
notable instance of this class is Jesse Bur
kett, who is the champion batsman fol
1895.
remember when Burkett played his
first National league engagement with
the New York team in 1850. He went to
the club rs n pitcher; but, failing there
they put him into the outfleld, where he
created more amusement by his conical
mishaps than no caused enthusiasm by
brilliancy of work. If there had not beer
q players famine that year, on account O.
the Brotherhood war, he would not hav,
lasted a month ms member of tho New
Work tn0Ip Whom tho coli la IN
in 1891, Jesse WINS cut adrift. Ho went
back TO minor leagues and finished his
preparatory education. Three years age
that wise young manager, Oliver Tcbeau,
called Burkett back to the League and kept
him there till he landed tho Now York
cast off of 1890 at the top of the batting list
of 1896.
1t frequently occurs that manager gets
a-young player in whom no secs great pos
sibilities for the future. but who is so far
undevoloped that no League club can afford
TO play him in championship game. 1t
does 10 good to keep such man on the
bench, where ho has no opportunity to ma
ture, but on tho contrary would retrograde.
There was no other recourse few wears
ago than to let the uncut diamond 20 back
to a minor league and run the risk of some
rival club getting him when he developed
1t was this dilemma which led to the
origin Of the farming" plan.
Soon after tho February meeting Of the
National league and the adoption of the
now national agreement there was con-
siderable war talk among the minor class
es. A few insurgents went so far as to
call u meeting to issue ordinances of scces-
sion from the pluribus unum of associa-
tions and declare war, Offensive and de-
fensive, against the parent body. The jim
goes of the diamond had their bristles
standing erect ali along the limo and n sort
of Cuban situation was threatened in the
baseball provinces. Time in allopathic
doses of few weeks, has somewhat allay-
cd the belligerent fever. Only one minor
league president is bold and brave enough
to declare his willingness to fight, bleed,
die and be buried in the cause of enamel
patton from the tyranny of the National
league. This uDconquerable warrior is