The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-09
WEAK CONDITION SHOWN BY Bos-
TON, CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
CLUBS,
THEY NEED WARMING UP.
CAYLOR PREDICTS THEY WILL BE
WELL UP TOWARD THE TOP
YET.
NO SHOW FOR THE STRIKERS.
Prosperous Season In Base Hall Ger
Observation-Disclosures of the
Game.

Special Correspondence of the Globe.
NEW YORK, May 6.-The first week
of the National league season was full
of surprises and notable Incidents. Sur
prises in painful form struck the ad-
vccates of the Boston, Chicago, Cleve-
land and New York clubs particularly.
Boston and Cleveland's big punches Of
defeats right at the outset are only adj
ditional proof that base ball is mighty
uncertain. The four clubs named
above were selected by the wise ones
to finish in the first division of the
race, and, in spite Of their slowness in
getting away. it is a pretty certain
prediction to place them all in that Sec
ton.
Boston is supposed to have a team
which will finish we'll up if it does not
annoy the winner. The teams trouble
in starting off has been weak batting.
The same cause can be assigned to the
poor start Of the Clevelands, Chieagos
and New Yorks. Weak batting does
not always mean a few base hits In
the score, but rather an inability Of the
batsnan to bunch the hits or to hit
when hits mean runs.
Several of the pitchers of these clubs,
OH whom the main reliance will come
later, have been badly punished when
they faced their opposing batsmen.
Especially was it true Of Meekin,
Young, Nichols, Griffith and Terry.
These old pitchers must "thaw OUT in
warm weather before their arms be-
of n q n inn a
the young pitchers, like Hill, Fraser,
Payne, Doheny, Orth, Hoffer and Dona-
hue, are doing their very best work in
spite of cold weather.
Again the cry goes up, Look out
for the Phillies." 1t has for years been
such a cry as the legendary one OF
''The wolf, the wolf!' and it may re-
suit in the same way, with a final
reality when least expected. But l
consider such thing improbable. The
team is stronger than it was last year,
especially at first base and in the out
field, but it's old, fatal weakness-in
the pitchers POSITIONS likely to loom
up again almost any time. The team
has always been VIGOROUSLY weak on
the road, and the coming Western trip
will show whether a new manager and
few young players to replace the OLD
will remove this handicap of former
seasons. The team is starting off as
the Pittsburgs began last spring.
Perhaps the event Of the opening
week which attracted the most wide
spread attention was Rusie's reappear-
ance as pitcher with the New Yorks.
The report that his condition was eX
cellent was not generally believed by
those who had no chance to see him.
But when he joined his former COM
rades upon the opening, day there was
not the slightest doubt in their mind
upon that point. The big pitcher was
trained down4 to midseason form and
showed in his face careful abstinence
from his usual winter indulgence in
liquor.
Then there were thousands who be-
lieved that his years absence from the
diamond would weaken his powers.
All this was refuted when he pitched
against the washington on Grant day
and showed his old time skill, wonder
full curves and peculiar power Of con-.
troll. Indeed, he has never been in such
good form so early in season as he
shows now upon his return to the
ranks.
Rusie's reimbursement in the hearts of
the rooters was marked by the tremendous
enthusiasm with which $1,000 spectators
cheered him on to victory. His proof OF be-
ing the Rusie Of old and the undoubted sue
cess of left-handed Doheny put the New
York team in the list of probable pennant
winners, because the pitching corps Of Rusie,
Meekin Doheny and Clarke is one which has
probably never had rival in any one club.
There is fed of hard hitters and good
supporters behind them, all of which is bound
to bear good fruit. Most of the New York
players are veterans, and they are slow in
getting into their stride, the same as the old
horses on the turf, but when they do get to
going they are hard to STOP Should New
York show up we'll in the race this season,
it would mean prosperity all over the coun-
try; for, as has been pointed out before,
base ball enthusiasm in the metropolis is
looked upon as the games barometer of the
York, all other cities are similarly affected,
and vice versa. Nobody has ever been able
to give a reason for it, nor is there any
body who can successfully deny the truth
of it.
Attendance upon the first championship
games in the East point to great season
in professional ball. Boston had 1880 at
its first game. Philadelphia played it's first
three games before $4,000 spectators, and
New York turned out 900 to the first two
contests. That taken as a whole, is some
thing extraordinary in the matter Of patron
age, especially as the weather was decidedly
unfavorable to comfort while sitting in the
oDen air.
The rumor of a proposed revolt Of the
players developed certainty within week
is bound to XII all chances Of , the success
Of any such scheme if it ever had any. So
far as is known, the scheme originated
among the Chicago playerS-so Anson de-
cares-but it Is probable it had not spread
to the players of other clubs when 1t was
given publicity. The idea of a general
"strike' cannot be carried out. The plan
has no chance to succeed, or even to be
launched. Conditions now are entirely diff
ferent from what they were in 1890. There
Is no brotherhood oath to hold the players
together against their better individual judg-
ment. There is4no capital to back the play
ers in anothers assault upon the league and
the reserve rule. SCapital has not forgotten
the expensive lesson of 1890, and is very
shy. In conclusion, the percentage of dis
contepted. players Of the National league is
not ten in a. hundred.
The Indian in base ball looks like a sue
cess. Tebeau's new rightfeder, Sockalexis,
has been putting his new associates to shame
by outbatting and outfelding them. True to
his ancestral blood, Sockalexis doesn't know
what defeat is. He goes right along max
ing hits and marve.ous plays in the field
while his team is losing, just as II it were
carrying everything before it. With an In
dian and Frenchman. Uajoie) monopolizing
the attention Of the rooters this spring. may
we not begin to look to other nations than
the Irish and Germans for baseball recruits?
1t has often been noticed that few families
ever turn out more than one. star base ball
payer as has been shown by the failures
of the brothers Of such favorites as Clark
son, McPhee, Tebeau and other stars. The
latest failure of the kind is brother of
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