The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-16

Boston, Van Ha1tren and Davis Of New
York, Jones Of Brooklyn, Delehanty and
Lajoie Of Philadelphia. It is almost cer-
tainty that among these eight will come
the leader Of batsmen for 1897. A great
many eyes are Watching the daily record
made by Keeler Of the Baltimores, and 1t
10 he that would probably be the favorite
n choice were made at this time.
Keeler Ia the wonder Of the baseball
world. As scientific batsman he has no
equal II is said that he can place the
ball In whatever field he likes, but that il
an absurd statement. No player ever lived
who could do IL. Keeler may suoceed In
placing the ball moro frequently than any
of his fellow professionals, but to do 20 at
will II an impossibility. Keeler is not q
hard hitter, but rather q sure hitter-as
sure as one often flnds them. A large per-
centage of his hits never go outside of the
diamond. His sprinting abilities from
the home plato to first base are unexcelled,
and 1t takes the quickest kind of fielding
to get slowly hit ball to that bag before
him. He is an export bnnter, and no one
oan ever tell whether he will try to drop
the ball or bit 1t out Therefore the op-
posing infleld is on tenter hooks when
ever he goes to bat.
This man Keeler, as stated above, Is the
wonder Of the baseball world. His fielding
10 almost II not quite as marvellous as his
batting. Yet his first experience In the
National league was 80 wretchedly disap-
pointing that the New Yorks released him
outright, and Brooklyn threw him in
with trade for "big Dan" Brouthers,
pretty much as butcher throws a mar
row bone into good customers basket as
a sort of full measure Offering. The Bal
timores found him such an Indifferent
fielder that he would have been benched
and maybe released had not the crippling
OF several Of the regular players made it
necessity to keep him in right field till all
at once he began to show rapid improve
ment. From that day the little fellow
ran rapidly into fame.
Keeler Is q living proof that It Is not
necessary for successful ball player to be
man Of stature and Drawn. He Is one
of the smallest men playing ball. under
medium height-about 8 feet sand
doesn't weigh more than $50 or 1856
pounds. In citizens dress this great
player looks like "kid," and he is ia
miliarly called "little willie," but his
habits are strictly correct, and all the
faculties which are necessary In his pro-
fession he nurses with the utmost care.
Anson insists that bis Colts would do q
great deal better work II they would use
lees tobacco, especially In the form of Gig
arcttes and cigars. He has been worried
with moro Cigarette flends" among his
players than any other captain In the
League. Dahlen and Lange arc especially
offenders with that seductive little luxury.
One Of his former players, Camp, would
wake at night while travelling and sit up
In bis berth to smoke cigarette.
Van ltren Of the New York team 10
an invet. ate smoker out OF season, but
he became convinced several years ago
that he couldn't keep up his average con-
sumption OF cigars during the playing
season without injury to his batting "eye."
As soon as he reduced his daily supply of
"the weed" his batting began to improve
Anson was lover OF cigars, but had to
quit smoking altogether some eight years
ago. It Is a curious fact that among all
tho smokers In tho profession one II sell
dom found using n pipe. Probably moro
than half Of oil the professional ball plnyers
In the country chew. It IL not an unoom-
mon sight to see players taking nips from
their plugs while I'm n game, or to SEQ
one member Of "a nine borrowing chew
from q moro fortunate mate or member
of the opposition as he goes aflcld.
The rather startling announcement wns
made recently that Bobby Matthews had
mnde application TO a National lenguc
club for trial at pitching, putting In the
claim that he was NJ good ms he was In
his palmiest days II would look like
Joke were it not that neither Matthews
nor the club named put I'm denial.
IL n mooted question whether Mat
thews would be n successful pitcher, even
though he could put mp tho same gnmc be
played In his prime. 10 was nearly score
Of pears ago when Bobby was ~ iis flood.