The Saint Paul globe., 1897-08-29
ON HOME STRETCH
ONLY FOUR OF THE NATIONAL
LEAGUE CLUBS IN AT THE
FINISH.
BOSTON-B BAL TIMORE BATTLE.
III PROMISES TO BE A DESPERATE
STRUGGLE FOR THE TEM-
PIE CUP.
CLOSE IN THE MINOR LEAGUES.
Efforts Will Be Made Next Year to
Round Up ROwdy Players
CayIOr's Gossip.
nee of the Globe.

Special Correspondence of the Globe.
NEW YORK, Aug. g. - The
home stretch has been reached
in the National league base ball race.
1t finds only four clubs in the struggle
for first and second place. OF these
four it now seems certain-as certain
as anything can be in base ball-that
the Bostons and the Baltimores will
be the final contenders for the pen
nant. The New Yorks have made a
splendid fight, but their handicap of
a few games behind the Bostons and
Baltimores seems too much to over
come in such a short time. Extraor-
binary playing on the part Of the team
till the season closes, or some unex-
pected slump by one of the two lead
ers alone can land them in the Temple
cup series.
The struggle between the Bostons
and Baltimores promises to be one Of
the most exciting battles for the pen
nant since 1889. Both teams are al
most invincible on their own grounds,
but the Baltimores appear to be the
better "stayers" The latter will also
take more desperate means to win, and
if they should win by small margin
there may be no decisive results till
the two teams meet for their last
series at Baltimore in September.
Those three games may settle the is
sue. NV York should beat Cincinnati
for third place.
Some of these Western teams are
liable to throw all calculations askew,
however. particularly the Chicagos.
Anson's June assertion that some OF
those clubs in the first division have
got to make room for me-" has been
verified. His Colts are playing the
best ball of the six Western teams.
and they should end their Eastern trip
with a good record. Perhaps the fact
that they visit Baltimore twice on this
trip, playing the Champions six games,
may greatly affect the final results,
for when the Chicagos are in good
form they are dangerous foes for Han
Ions men.
Again season is ending full of won
der at Anson's splendid record on the
diamond. He has been eXcelled in play
by none Of his team, and will probably
lead the first basemen of the league
when the official figures are finally
printed. There is no doubt where he
will stand in batting. His eyes are still
true, and his name will be found we'll
up among the 300 per cent players.
The Temple cup temptation might
prove serious matter should second
place narrow down to a struggle be-
tween the Baltimores and New YorKs
by the time they meet at the Polo
grounds late in September. Second
place this year means as much as So
Goo or $6,000-maybe more-tO the VIM
ner who would share in the rich prize
Now both the New York and Baltimore
teams contain desperate players who
would stop at almost nothing short
Of homicide to win that prize It
would be more of a fight than a base
ball contest, and foul means would
surely be brought into the game on
beth sides. The extent of the incentive
OF that $4,000 prize for distribution
among the second place team can
scarcely be imagined
President Young has already given
warning to the National league mag
mates that radical means must be
adopted for next season to control the
ers if the game is to be preserved in
it's present high state of popularity.
The rules adopted on that subject last
winter have been found Woefully want
ing in effect, and not since base ball
was first played professionally have
such disgraceful scenes occurred on the
diamond as have marred the present
championship season.
Indirectly Mr.. Young recommends the
adoption of a heroic plan which has
been suggested before, but which the
club owners always heSitated to try
on account of it's severity. The plan is
to grade the penalties against uncalIed
for abuse and rowdyism from a money
fine to removal of the offender from
the game for three days or week.
After such a temporary suspension a
second offense will subject the player
to a suspension and ineligibility to play
with any club during the rest of the
championship season.
Such a drastic rule, if adopted and
enforced once or twice, would un~
doubtedly be found an effective rem
edy. Not more than a score of all the
players would be effected and it
might furnish a couple of terrible ex-
amples. The players who would be
endangered under such a rule would
be men of the Doyle, Kennedy,
Vaughn, Tebeau, O'Connor, Donovan,
Jennings, McGraw class. Benching a
valuable member of nine for three
days or a week would punish the play
er's club more than himself, and the
WOulO PROBABLY De TO IN
duce club owners to take a hand in
the reformation by compelling their dis
orderly players to submit and obey
the rules. Mr.. Young'S timely warning
on this important matter cannot be
ignored. The question will be widely
until the magnates meet
next winter, when it will undoubted-
ly be the one important problem to
confront the base ball lawmakers.
Close finishes seem to be general this
season. The minor leagues are nearly
all having hot contests for pennant
honors. Indianapolis looks like the
probable winner in the Western league
st. Joseph will probably carry off the
championship of the Western associa-
ton, though Cedar Rapids may yet
win. In the Eastern league Toronto and
Buffalo have had a seesaw fight for
first place for weeks, and nobody can
safely name the winner. The Lancas-
ter club Of the Atlantic league, by a.
wonderful string of consecutive vic
tories, went to the front, and the con-
test in that organization will be be-
tween it and the Newark club.
Several of the National league clubs
must be convinced that prosperity has
at last arrived. The attendance at
New York and Boston has been almost
The Bostons' three
days engagement in New York attract
ed 80, 600 spectators to the Polo grounds,
where the crowds are noted for their
grand stand atronage-probably half