The sun., 1897-12-11
DIAMOND DUST.

The following comments on the great
American game, baseball, are credited to
an Englishman:-
"rhe game throughout seems to be a
dastardly assault with intent on the bats
man, who, armed with a polceman's
stick, or waddy, or club, or whatever it
is called, sets himself up, within a de-
fined area, which looks like the ace of
diamond, to be cockshied at by long,
strong man, who can project ball with
unexamplcd violence, at the same time
imparting to the missile a disposition to
dodge and curve and twist, and ulti-
mately land on the batsman's short ribs
by false pretences. However, the bats
men seemed to have Injured themselves
to these brutal attacks and they await
the onslaught with commendab!e folti-
tude. A ball that to the uninitiated spec
tator looks like carrying away large por-
tions OF the strikers anatomy is nearly
always and unexpectedly smitten below
the vest and wiped right out.
"!Anothcr feature of the game which
lends excitement to the whole under
taking is the wild scramble for bases.
When the runner starts out to cover his
ninety feet his chief anxiety is to land
on the next pad before the ball, which is
invariably heading in the same direc-
ton at top speed, as the boys don't stop
to blow on it when it comes in hot
These contcnding elements give vivacity
and spirit to the game, which is never at
greater pitch than when runner finishes
a brilliant run by plnnging forward and
finishing the rush by sliding gracefully
in on his ear or nose.
Baseball is a spirited affair; it is alive
from start to finish, like football; it does
not give one time to grow old; it does not
wear on the spectators like lingering
illness, as cricket is apt to do when two
stonewallers are in. If a man should
perchance 60 TO sleep he does SO at the
risk of his lie, and in case OF death there
is every prospect Of the insurance conf
panies refusing to hand over the money,
on the plea of contributory negligence" !"
The roster of the players who will
probably go South with Cincinnati is as
follows: Smith, Miller, Hoy, Holiday,
Mcbride and Mcfarland, outfelders;
Beckley, McPhee, Corcoran, Irwin,
Ritchey and Stcinfcldt, intieldcrs; Brett
enstein, Dwyer, IIawley, Ehlrt, Dam
mann, Goar and Hahn, pitchers; Peitz,
Vaughn and Wood, catchcrs. This is a
total OF twenty-five players. The team
will spend about three weeks in San An
tonic.
Brcitenscin says that even if the
League did decide at their last meeting
that Hurst was to be dropped from the
list Of rmpires, on account OF his trouble
in Cincinnati last fall, when he threw a
beer glass at a fireman, that he would be
in his old position before the season was
very old. lie declares that magnates,
managers and players througout the
country are OF the same opinion, that
Hurst far overshadows all the other UNI
piics, and public clamor is bound to be
SO loud in demanding Tins rcappoint-
ment that the League will be forced to
give him another trial.
The daily average Of attendance in
Toledo Interstate League), this year
was 1900. This beats st. Louis, Louis
vile and Brooklyn.
Louisville critics think that the
Colonels will land in sixth place next
season.
1t is rLmored that the Baltimore Base