The morning times., 1897-02-11

Mr.. j. Earl Wagner, the generalissimo
of the Washington bail club, spent yester-
day in the city 1t was in the nature of
a pop call, as he came over on late train
Tuesday and returned to Baltimore yester-
day evening.
AS stated in The Times yesterday MORN
ing, the principal object of Mr.. Wagner's
visit was to inaugurate number OF repairs
at National Park, which was somewhat
devastated by the cyclone Of last Sep
tember. He made a personal inspection Of
the premises and gave orders to his local
representatives TO have a force of men put
TO work in a few days to make the neces-
sary improvements.
As the opening of the season draws near
Mr.. Wagner grows more confident of the
ability of his Senators To make the other
eleven clubs hustle for the persimmon that
hangs so high on the League tree.
Not that expect the Senators To knock
the 'persimmon,' :" naively said j. Earl,
but, really, i do think they will push and
scrouge the other fellows who will be
crowdng around the tree with their long
poles.''
In this vein Mr. Wagner reiterated his
remarks of former time when he said
that the Washington club was a candidate
| for first division honors. Said he:
IL will state now, as l have said before,
| that our team gives better promise for this
1 year. than ever. The club has been im-
proved by the addition of Charley Farrell
and Charley Reilly, and for the first time
| since / have had team in Washington /
can say that l amprepared for emergencies
and accidents.
For instance, with Wrigley, Abbey,
| Smith, and either Mcclure or Farrell in
reserve, I can plug up any hole in the in
| field or outfield, should an accident to
| any OF the regular men occur. Should
Cartwright get hurt / can send either
| Farrell or Mcclure TO first base, In the
| absence, for any reason, of DeMontreville or
| O Brien, have WTigley, and so ii Will be
| seen that we are air tight, iron bound, and
| copper fastened. This is an advantage
| that we have never possessed, hereto
| fore, and 1 can't see where we can lose a
| great string OF games as in former sea
| sons, as result OF cripples.
| "Ihave said before, and say again, that
it all depends on the pitchers. l think l
i p
Win Mercer, taking his headwork, cunning
| batting, base-running, and fielding into
| consideration. Then, there is Charley King
| and Jimmy McJames to finish out big
| three, and to assist them, / have Norton,
| Swain, Ash, German, and last, but not at
| all least, Al Maui. It would take me too
| long TO tell all the good things I have
| heard about Swain and Ash. Sufficient
| to say, Mercer vouches for Swain, and
| Farrell for Ash. l have never seen, either
| of them, but / am perfectly willing to
| risk the judgment OF Mercer and Farrell
and have signed the youngsters on their
say SO.
As TO Swain, George Tebeau told me
lsat fall that he was a good one, and con
graduated me on securing him. And when
Tebeau says a man is ball player i
comes very near being a fact.
Morton had poor health the latter part o
last season, but / hear that he has beer
successfully treated for the kidney troubl
with which he was afflicted, and if he
should show up stout and well l hayen1
the least doubt but he viii become stal
| pitcher He knows how, and if he has the
strength he will make many crack bats
man hit the atmosphere instead of the ball
| In good shape, he can come as near splitting
| the plate as any man in the business.
II am quite sure that Charley Reilly vii
become a great local favorite. He is al
aggressive, snappy player and is alway
in the game Harvey Smith will not com
plete bis course at college until in June