The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-03

Perhaps the most talked Of baseball
player in the country TO-DAY is Sockaiexis.
the frsl-blocdod Indian, playing with
Cleveland OF the National League. Local
baseball enthusiasts remomber Socka-
lexis as "a Holy Cross fielder when he
played with his Worcester associates
against Brown on lincoln Field n year or
so back. At that time u brilliant base
ball future was predst tod for him 10y tho
knowing ones, but not for moment was
It expected that his advent into national
league company would score such q sem
sational success as 10 has or that exDer-
ienoe promises Co make him one OF tho
most valuable players IN the land. He Is
au'plended batsman, wonderful thrower.
and In time Will DO last man Oh tho
bases, for he Is an exceptionally swift
runner
Sockalexis though full -blooded Indian
does not hail from one Of the Western
tribes as Is generally supposed. but from
civilized Maine tribo. He picked up his
baseball knowledge at college and his
playing ability has been known TO several
managers for long time. John Mont
Romery Ward, New Yorks famous veteran
shurtsuop says he iiIst discovered the
Indian two years ago. He made known
his discovery TO several clubs, but IL was
not until this year that IA national league
club became inters sted In the matter.
Manager Iobeau, OF tie Cievelapos went
TO Holy Cross looked him over and de-
cided ne was just the man he wanted.
Sockalexis' term was not completed, and
it required some persuasion 10 induce
him to enter the professional East bali
ranks. The faculty warned him that II
ne lett he would not bc taken hack, but
the dc liars W. re tempting, no succumbei
TO the o mp at on and has becC m fsmouF.
1t was a most lucky find for Manager
Tebeau for the Indian has won many
games by his remarkable hitting, lieldiug
and throwing. At the opening of the
season the scores showed Sockalexis 10
be winning games for Cleveland almost
single handed.
lie has fallen off in his batting recently
and IL is attributed 20 the fact that the
pitchers have discovered just what balls
he j. eak on. In game at Cleveland
Ed Doney of the New York club made
him look like an amateur with his fsst
ball and Amos Rusie, tho greatest stu
dent of baseball, says that fast curve
ball will fool Sockaexis all the time.
Perhaps this Is so, perhaps 10 IN not but
at any rate the Indian won game from
Rusie at Cleveland by a timely hit in the
10th inning. Personally Sockalexis "
most attractive young man he has tho
racial features OF the redskin, but in his
civilian clothes passes as a Sandstone
fellow. He is well educated and has a
genial manner Tall. 1.-the straight rs
an arrow admirably proportioned. he is
most striking figure in the ball field.
The winning of the Brooklyn handicap
by Howard Mann brings his owner
"PittsbCrg Phll' once again in range OF
tho public eye. MIR. George +. Smith off
tho track and Pittsburg phil In the bet
ting ring arc one and the same person.
His sobriouel was obtained something III
this manrer: When no leg his sIecula-
tive career some dozen ,er ago in tho
fa "A UnO0IX
moer Of Smiths buvirg auction pools IN
y lilap Rilel's Ci gy office. Riley
acJr gg improyeu IA stinR OF aliases
lCr he ~, iths nd named the b0yish look
ing llunger from littsturg "PittsOurg
Phil" The name has stuck by him like
a good omen through the succeeding years
aud today Riley's alias OF "Pittsburg
Phil" l. a household word with tfe horse
fraternity following the runners. MIR.
Smith began bis Easter n career just ten
years, ago. He cam 10 New York and on
the day of his debut won $1,000 on back
ing Preciosa and Ben Ali or the HaggIn
stables. During tho next three seasons
his W nnings amou 10 n Cu irter Of
million. II hd" began buy ny horses In
1889. his first purchase OF note being
Kern. The first big haul he made out Of
his own horses was through King
Cadmus, who won by head enabling him
10 cash tic Sets amounting To something
over Sl20. OUJ Five years ago the victory
Of his Parveuu at Sheepshead n,t5ed Kim
upward OF 500 600. He won handsomely
over his Cfntetubra and Applause ut times
curing recent seGsoDs, hut Monday was
the irt time Le had his colors b1rCo 10
'ictory IN Cne OF the premier turf eventS
The amount won by 'Pittsburg PhP'
over Howard Mann's taxing the Brookly n
is still a matter Of conjecture. Somctniug
like $500. UO0 changed hands and was pald
over 10 persons who had supported the
Smith stable. One quarter OF this total
probably found its way back into phils'
bank account. His commissions averaged
3 10 l about the stable Against Howard
Mann's, separate, the prevailing quota.
tion was 10 to |. A great deal of this was
accepted by Smith, because the lrico
looked false one. Had he Thought
Howard Mann equally as good rs Belmar
he would certainly have Withdrawn
Belmar and averaged or s TO about his
fortunate candidate Having n mudloc1
keyed up TO racing pitch and eligible TO
the handsome Brooklyn was another
Instance OF "Pittsburg Pills luck or
good Judgment.
So fer in this column the condition of
Harvard S and Cornell's crews have been
spoken Of at various timos now 10 ~
Yale's turn and from New Haven comes
the Information that the outlook Of win
ming the Intercollegiate triangular race is
bright II Yale's proverbial luck keeps
up. The stories Of the defeat CT the var
slty crew by the freshmen eight are things
OF the past. and the members of the regu-
lar boat are getting into shape With u
rapidity that was scarcely TO be expected.
considering the disasters that acconpan
led the work Of the crew early III q U se,-
son. Now the oarsmen are oil IL uAcol
lent physical trim and their two weeks
work at New London is expected TO put
them in tip top shape for the race The
oarsmen will leave New Hayel tomorrow
and will occupy their old quarters nt
Gales Ferry, near New Lonio3. The
idea of taking the members of the crew