Evening star., 1896-03-14
All Clubs Rounding Into Shape
Through Plenty Of Practice.
PLAYERS BATTLING FOR POSITIONS
Composition of League Clubs at
the Opening of the Season.
LATE BASE BALL NEWS

with the exception OF the senators all
the clubs in the league are down south or
their way there to secure preliminary
practice before the opening of the season,
April 16 Cincinr att played the first regular
game of the season last Sunday with the
New Orleans team, winning by the score of
IL to 1. Washingtens old favorite, Dunn
my" Hoy, made the first home run of the
season, hile at the bat the first time and
on the first ball pitched. Irwin. who takes
Latham's Ilace at third, has created good
impression, and the remainder of the team
appears to be in the best possible shape.
The clubs that will get the best practice
however. are the New Yorks, Chicago,
Cleveland. Pittsburg and Louisville. as they
all have enough players to make up two
teams. ard the second mines are all strong
er than a minor league club. Pittsburg and
Cleveland will practice together, and as
there is great deal of rivalry between the
two clubs both will be Der Gifted to a mark
ed degree. Cincinnati will, of course, easily
defeat the New Orleans club, but when they
go against the Pittsburgs, April 16, they will
find that the smoky city lads have had all
the kinks hammered out of them and are in
the greatest possible shape.
AS to the new men the different teams
1t looks as If shorty Fuller is doomed as
paushton is playing the position out of
sight and batting like fiend. The only
hope held out to Fuller is that the new man
can't keep up his gait, which is very likely.
Bill Clarke Will play first, Pfeffer second,
Gleason third, with Davis, Tiernan and
Stafford in the outfield. With Fusie, Meekn
and Clark in the box, his makes pretty
strong aggregation.
OF the Philiies, 1t looks like Brouthers
Hllim2n second.
third Sullivan left. DeleEanty center and
Thompson right. Another great aggresa-
ton.
Louisville. the club tipped to do wonders
has not yet selected a third basanlan or
short stop 1t has four candidates for
each position and the proper man is ex
pected TO be found during the preliminary
season. When 1t is considered that Big
BIZ Hasamaer has pretty good chance
for short stop the strength of team can be
pret well sized up. NcClosky made 4 big
mistake when he let that steady. every
day-in-the-week player. Jimmy Donnelly,
slip through his hands.
The St Louis team will present consider
able change, Latham goirg to third. Monte
Cross. formerly of Pittsburg to snort, and
If Cooley ard Dowd are not gotten into line
ar entire ew outfield will have to be Sc
lected.
Chicago has second base and left field to
fill, Decker no doubt playing the latter po-
sition when not on first and ..JigSS" Par
rott going rack to his old position at sec
ond. Arson is stuck Parrot. and owing
10 his good record in the Western League
last son will be given another try
Boston's line up will probably be Tucker
Lowe. Long and Collins for the infieid and
Hamilton, Duffy and Bannou in the out
heid- Many experts pick tcis team for
championship honcrs.
Brooklyn viii have only three new faces
on the team and they will shine at second
base, left ard right field. Bonner will prob
ably play second. Mccarthy left, and either
Anderson or Jones right.
fn Ct artl fho hos
ball world the coming season account of
shortstop and third base, two terribly big
holes last season being plugged up with
Two crack-a-jacks like Ely and Lyons. The
latter will be playing for his life, and is
said to be in fine condition. If this proves
true the Pittsburs lads are not to be de-
sIisad by any club In the league as every
body Is aware that Hawley and Killen
, will be doing business at the old stand.
Baltimore, Washington and Cleveland
will stand pat with last years teams, the
latter being unable to find players strong
enough to replace the old men and the 9th
er two believing their teams strong enough
From row on until the opening of the
season lUrid reports will come up out of
the south of the phenomenal playing of the
nifty and one youngsters being tried down
there by the different clubs, but when the
umpire calls play ball. the changes that
have taken place will be about those given
above.
Members of the National League are in
reality partners. in business sense. How
long would a commercial or manufacturing
enterprise last were the directors to fight
and quarrel and bicker and backbite and
slander and plot and scheme one against
the other? For a year or so after the ANAL
gamation of the Natoral League and
american Association harmony gurgled
IKE a mountain brooklet when the mag
mates held their conferences. They all
pulled together and the result was that the
national game regained it's pristine popu-
larity- Nowadays the league is a great
deal like the "Old Homestead when the
stage hero returns after absence of many
years; II Is case of "how changed the
stranger in the league councils. Magnates
no longer seek TO make friends for friends
sake, but to keep him from joining the
other faction" The old but true motto
In union there is strength" and the shib-
boieth, United we stand. divided we fall
have coDwebbed over with venom and hate
and envy and distrEst. Another watch
word has been proclaimed. 1t Is now DO
the other fellow or he'n do you" Healthy
rivalry among the teams is the life blood If
the sport. Trickery and treachery among
the magnates is quite another thing and
VIII have quite the opposite effect.
IL Is now given out that Manager Schmelz
Will not join the Senators until the theatre
cal season closes. and that Vice President
wagner and William Joyce will take care
OF the team until that time The boys
are dropping in slowly. Cartwright being
The first TO put in an appearance hut with
warm weather the players will doubtless
come to Washington in a bunch The
grounds at present are in horrible condi-
tion- not so much on account of the snow
ana slush as to being overhauled and re-
graded. and it will take considerable rolling
and hne weather to get them in shape by
Arrli l. With Joyce in entire command
OF the crew and Earl Wagner as a whip
perrin and chief jollier, the boys will be
sure to get into shape quickly. Good
weather Is all that is necessary.
prominent base ball writer has dis
covered some changes in the rules which
were not given out at the league meeting
The rule defining a baIk now reads: "a
balk Is any delivery of the ball to the bat
by the pitcher while his pivot foot is not in
cCntact with the pitchers plate, as defined
In rule ~
Players must stick to their bench while
their team is at the bat, unless engaged i'm
coaching, and only presidents and man.
ayers are allowed to sit on the bench with
the men in uniform. Won der Ahe's ex.
perlence with Tim Hurst when the former
was ordered off the field last season for
arguing with the latter during an exciting
game no doubt led to the adoption of the
latter rule. as formerly no mention was
made of the owner of the club in connec-
uon with the players bench.