The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-28

sonville during the cool week this month
and was surprised to see the Floridians 60
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 luxurious rarity.
The result of the northern teams ex-
perience in the south during the first half
of March is liable to be postponement of
the annual spring hegira next year till
after St. Patrick day.
From Texas comes a doleful sound.
Our Uncle Anson is not satisfied with
some of his newly drafted Colts. The
pitchers whom he expected to rise up IN
der his instruction like so many prodigies
are already said to be branded IN. G." by
this expert trainer. 1t may be that in his
latter days Captain Arson is learning di
plomacy; that he is discriminating for the
purpose of throwing his opponents off
guard. To pronounce a new candidate
bad before he 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 a
winner. Mcbride was champion batsman
of the Texas Southwestern league last
year and was clearly the pick of all the
players down there. If these early reports
be reliable, then Mcbride has come into
class A 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 Oh championship claims are
not crowding each other SO much as in
former springs. He has parted with Will
mot, turned Hutchinson hack 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 outfelder in the country, William
LANCE, broke small bone in one of his
ankles early in March and may not be able
to play until after the championship sea-
son opens. 1t does look as if ''Anse's''
streak of ill 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 unaIterable determination to
live on his relatives rather than play in
Baltimore. Hanlon, however, is a tacti
clan well as manager. So he used a
sure process when Doyle was invited to
Baltimore and honored with a banquet
Hanlon struck straight for the stomach,
and through it he reached Jacks heart
and head.
Then came the funny Breitenstein plan,
wherein that left handed pitcher was adj
club in Illinois. That afforded amuse-
ment till the st. Louis club got ready to
treat, and the redheaded diplomat got into
Line.
Rusie the king of them all, of course
kicked. The big fellow INDUCES in these
spring hold outs as religiously as a 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-
nent National league player who held out
during an entire season. That one was
Pitcher Lovett of the Brooklyns, who re-
fused a salary of %, 300, and who in con-
sequence remained off the ballfeld an en-
tire season. The result was that when he
returned the following year at reduced
salary he 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
many others who might have been in
cIined to follow Lovett's example had 1t
not been for his fate.
The recent meeting of delegates from
the minor leagues at Washington should
teach the dominant magnates caution. 1t
was the 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
tional agreements 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-
sentative of the minor league representa-
tives in check. The Washington meeting
may havo the effect of oentralizing the
wisdom of the National league official
and of checking the Hotspurs who of late
have secured an unhealthy leadership in