The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-08

A letter was written by Patsy" Teb.
lau, the fighting captain Of the Cleve-
lands, to a friend who sent the letter
to Scranton and which contained this
reference to Wellncr, the big twirler,
who comes here from the Texas league.
81 see Scranton has signed Wellner;
If he don't make some of the Eastern
league counterfeits hustle, I'll miss my
guess" We are gratified to know that
even such an all-around bad man as
Tebeau speaks well of Wellner, whom
he met at Hot Springs last winter, but
: there is a slight objection to the word
counterfeit"
The talk about Big Bill" Massey
being slow is all bosh. He's a little
slow and so was Dan" Brouthers and
Roger Connor in their prime but they
named their own salaries. They were
valuable men because they could bat
like fiends and feIdCd their positions
well. Massey batted out .337 per cent.
in about siN weeks last year after an
idleness Of equal period. That perform
ance is pretty fair considering that
"Bill' came from the minorist of minor
leagues into fast company. Brouthers'
average last season was 400 but Mas
sey could run backwards around the
bases while Dan was going it toes
foremost ard yet Tom Burns consid-
erS Brouthers one of the mainstayS OF
the Pony team. Big Bill' Massey
will do and when next September rolls
around his hitting percentage Will be
found up among the five leaders.
SAYS the Rochester Democrat and
Chronicle: "The Springfield union has
heard from seven sporting writer's of
seven Eastern league cities. Each eX-
Cept Rochester, of course, and Buffalo
@ picks his team for a pennant win
uer. w. Horace LerCh, of the Express,
is the modest Bison. He never would
dare to exhibit such impartiality in
the Express. Springfield is so far
away, however. that even Bison may
he impartial without fear of being
found out. Lerch is the unfortunate
victim of environment" In this case
fiction is Il little stranger than the
truth. No Scranton writer has picked
this city's team for first place or for
second Scrantcns manager, owners
and base ball writers are confident
that the club will not be as low as
in the second division and they make
no bones about It, but confidence has
not reached the limit where reason
gives way to braggadocio.
ABE" Lezotte, the eX-Wilkes- Barre
right fielder, drafted by Pittsburg and
sold to Syracuse, was in Scranton yes
terday. He called With Manager Griffin
on r. r. Brooks and during the visit
said that he had not agreed to play
for Kunt2sCh. He speaks highly Of the
Scranton club and says it contains the
most positive lot of hitters In the
league.
John Walters, Scranton new center
fielder, arrived here last night vie
Philadelphia from his home in New
Bedford. He is no stranger in this
state. having played with the Altoona
Johnstown and Harrisburg clubs. He
was with Altoona when that club was
called the Rainmakers. The name was
suggested by the teams feat in once
making the circuit without playing g
game on account of rain. While ir
Philadelphia Walters saw Pat" Mea'
ney who has been getting nearly two
weeks Of practice and will report iT
good trim. Last year while with New
Bedford in the New England league
Walters ranked sixth in hitting anC
fifth in fielding. His batting percent
was 37i.