Evening star., 1897-03-20

get his hands under It, Anson took the bet
and selected me to attempt the feat. 1t
judging the ball.. got both hands under
it fairly. but I didn't try to catch it. I'll
let $50 to $25 that can catch a ball thrown
from the monument If the watchman will
can't Judge ball 500 feet in the air and
keep an eye on the watchman at the same
time. Amy time II can get bet and be
given half q dozen trials. with no inter-
that I can make the catch. I never had
any trouble with foul flies. don't care how
high up they go. or the condition of the
sky. 1 rarely fan to get under them.
only missed three, foul files all of last sea-
son.. ~
In this connection it wouldn't ne a bad
thing to try Jim Mcclure at the Washing
ton monument business. Jim didn't drop
one high foul last season, and Is conceded
to be the best catcher in the league on
such balls.
Do not place too much confidence in the
published accounts of the training trip of
the different teams now in the south, and
you will no: be astonished at their playing
when the season opens. A majority of the
correspondents who accompany their re-
spective teams on these spring tours re-
gard a Jolly as the prOper thing and dis
cover championship timber in players who
are discarded as worthless when the real
campaign begins. Glowing reports will now
be coming in daily from tn. son.i, but
they should be taken with few grains Of
salt. Manager Stallinss Of the Plhilics Is
reporting for several of'the papers in the
Quaker city. and 1t is dollars 70 a peanut
that he will not hammer his own team, but
will praise them to the skies If necessary.
No matter where the Cincinnati club may
land in the championship race the coming
season. there will be no openings left for
the enemies Of the club to accuse Mr..
Brush of being stingy or lacking enterprise.
The top notch has been reached in the mat
ter of bonus money by that club Not in
years has any league or association club
spent as much money for the privilege Of
negotiating with players as the Cincin-
has been paid out by Mr. Brush for talent
with which to strengthen this years team.
and. from Indications it looks as though
still more cash would have to be parted
with. This large sum Of money is q sub
stantial rebuke to those who have been
continually harping on the idea that John
7. Brush is always looking for the best end
OF 1t in a financial way. At the close Of
last season Mr.. Brush said that no money
would be spared to strengthen the Reds
and put them in the race this season. Cap
tain Manager Ewing selected Breitenstein,
but. although costing a cool $4,000 the
mighty left-hander was quickly landed.
Then Short Stop Corcoran was spotted, and
again the Cincinnati owner went cunning,
but this time he had to deal with Charley
Byrne a past master in the art of trading
Smith and Fisher and 81 600 had to be given
up by the former. Then Corcoran refused
to sign, and 500 had to be given for Short
Stop Ritchfe. whom the Brooklyns had
drafted from the Eastern League last fall
Should Ritchie fail to fill the bill in the
short field additional money will have to
be given up. Corcoran would come down
off his perch for about $500. but John T.
has taken 1t into his head to discipline the
stubborn short stop. and there Is no tell
ing who will win the battle. If the Gin
cinnau club does not start OF with the
bunch, and keep in the first five clubs until
the middle Of the season, barrels of money
will surely be lost. and weakness in the
infield would very likely drop them back
has not given up hope of landing Corcoran
and has written him several letters. un-
known to Brush but SO far without result
II the Cincinnati tIfub should fall down.
Corcorans wait would be a good one, but
should the club win. and Richie prove a
capable fellow. NH Corcorans name in the
ters.