The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-22

GEORGE A. MAHoNEY.
pitcher Georgetown university baseball
team.
ebrated wherever baseball has been played
Cincinnati with extraordinary attraction
drawing loss than 1900 people to Its
ground on that day, with Ideal weather.
Even Philadelphia. where Harry spent ten
years of his life building up its great
team, did nothing In honor of his memory
commensurate with his life work.
presume this Is only one more proof OF
the lasting quality Of Rip Van Wrinkles
philosophy, "How soon we are forgotten
when we're goner' 1t applies more en-
phatically TO baseball than to any other
profession. The names of Kelly, Fergu-
son, Williamson, Flint, Whitney, Pike
and O. Brien, which only few years ago
were on the lips OF multitudes OF enthusi-
asts, are now scarcely ever spoken. 1t Is
only when heroes die that their memories
remain green.
A few of these Harry Wright day games
also proved the rapid passing Of the base
ball stars. At Cincinnati and Rockford
old timers were on exhibition. In the first
city Charley Gould, who quarter OF a
century ago was king of first base men, es-
sayed to play in his old position. Alas,
that once worshiped wonder made such q
sorry exhibition Of himself that tho unro-
mantle spectators called for more modern
player Then Will White, who was once
o diamond hero In Cincinnati, was COM
PEELED to get out Of the exhibition after o
few farcical attempts to revive bis former
skill.
In Rockford they went back still far
ther for "reminiscences and dug up the
baseball mummies OF the early seventies.
Chief among them was Chicago's million
nire merchant, A. g. Spalding, who moro
than 20 years ago earned, as a pitcher for
the old Forest City club of that place, the
money which formed the basis of his pres
ent immense fortune. George Wright Of
Boston and other old timers took part In
the game. 1t was played under tho simple
rules which prevailed in those early days.
Even that primitive style would have been
burlesqred without intention had not n
merciful rainstorm interposed and cut tho
absurdity short.
These attempts at reviviflcation reveal
TO us "a startling fact--the short reign and
thorough rs well as permanent decadence
of the baseball star. 1t Is not SO in other
professions. a good actor usually grows
better as he grows older, and an absence of
years from the stage will not wean the
public from its fealty. remember seeing
the veteran Murdoch In the cast of Julius
Caesar, with Booth, Barrett and MoCul-
Tough at tho dramatic festival in Cincin-
natl some Is years ago. He had been of
thes stage for many seasons, yet the once
popular favoritc shared equally In the pub
lie applause with the then reigning stars
of the tragic stage. II we should inaugu-
rate baseball festival and try to re-estab-
lish the Dennys, Fishers, Hotalings, Nell
sons, Snyders, Chapmans, Burdocks and
Barneses In their former popularity, won-
der what would be the result?
The early games among the college mines
indicate generally weakening from the
strong teams of former years. Carter's loss
is particularly foit and such mon as King,
Stephenson Otto and Shoenhut have not
been replaced on their mines. The new rule
at the u. of p. makes ' Pennsy's' team rel
atively weaker than any OF the collegiate
aggregation. Princeton has osming
pitcher in Easton who promises to be a
second Carter. But If Mahoney of the
Georgotowns keeps up his last years pace
no should easily lend all college pitchers
for 1896. Mahonoy's work last season was
all but phenomenal. Without Carter Yale
will not have such walk over for the col
legiate championship this year. Yet a
brother OF Greenway, Carter's catcher, a
member of Yale's freshman class, Is doing
some strong pitching for old Ellis sons.
Carter told mo after the to . New York
game that he considers the present Yale
nine in fielding and batting the best the
college has had for years.
Tho opening games OF the National
league championship season this year ex-
emplify the glorious uncertainty of the
sport which Is SO often spoken Of. The
greatest surprise Of oil was the defeat of
tho Cleveland toam by tho st. Louis
Browns. II any one Of the I2 League teams
was supposed TO have what sporting men
coll "clnch" on tho opening day, IL was
the Cleyelands. And, lol with the great Cy
Young pitching against them the gener-
ally rated tail enders went In, played the
best gamo OF tho day and defeated Te.
beau's ponnant chalmers.
rohRdsa In BG5s Sy tS5p shH SSp Of cna
with McMnhop In the box. the champions
submitted 90 the superior playing Of a
team which no ono ever picked rs one OF
the probable pennant winners. In Wash
ington Now York's Giants lowered their
colors TO the Senators. Even Anson's pets
had the hardest kind OF work beating the
Louisvllles. Probably tho most evenly
matched teams on that day were tho Bos
tons and Philadelphias. That victory was
triumph for Pitcher Nichols. This feal
of holding tho hardest hitting nine I'm Oh,
Union down 20 sovoa hits shows how wei
this peerless twirl4 h holding up his abil
titles mt the slab.
Most Of tho defeated clubs In the FIRST
games will bo among the leaders at tho