The times., 1897-03-28

The season OF 1896 completed twenty
one years of history Of the National League,
beginning with its organization in 1876
and ending with the past year.
The League began with circuit of
eight clubs in 1876; leSSened its number
to five in 1877, and increased to six in
1878 After that year it had a steady
circuit of eight clubs, or from 1879 To
1891, inclusive.
In 1892 the circuit was enlarged To
twelve teams, representing the cities of
New York, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Bos-
ton, Baltimore and Washington in the
East, and Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati
Pittsburg, st. Louis and Louisville in the
West.
1t was then that the National League
became the one great major and compact
organization Of professional baseball, hav-
ing as its patrons the cream Of the admirers
of the popular pastime, and holding on its
roster the names OF the eminent and
artistic exponents of the sport.
As stated, Washington became a member
of the League in S92, the Messrs Wagner
having acquired the franchise, upon the
amalgamatiOn OF the old American Asso-
ciation with the larger body, which took
place December 16, 1891.
The franchise, or right to the exclusive
privilege of operating q League club in
this city, was about the only value the
waEners received in exchange for their
outlay. The players that were transferred
TO them in the bargain were in the has
been" class, with one or two exceptions,
and today their names are printed only
on minor league score cards, or else have
been dropped from the records altogether.
IL was hard task to build up win
ming club that confronted the new owners,
but they resoIutely put their shoulders to
the wheel and despite adverse circum-
stances, they continued the effort and
slowly but surely climbed the mountain
that stood high before them
The clubs representing the city in 1892
and 1898 were composed merely of au
donations, who simply moved and had their
being. In 1892 the Senators finished
tenth, barely ahead OF st. Louis and Bal
tinore in the order named. In 1898 they
were the despised "tailenders," with the
poor percentage of $40.
The season of 1894 witnessed the advent
of Manager Schmelz. who was brought from
the South by the MeSsrs. Wagner. With his
coming the reorganization of the club
along the lines of progressive and up-to-
date portraiture of the game was COM
menced. Young and ambitious players
were secured and the dead ones and
"has beens" were weeded out and rele-
gated to less faster company.
IL was rather a potpourri of talent
that Manager Schmelz had to work on.
He had an aggregation of ''an sorts
from which to choose, but he patiently
bided his time and carefully picked the men
that he thought worthy to eventually
form the nucleus of winning team. Nc
CURE, Joyce, Maui, Mercer, selbach,
Abbey and Cartwright were those he es
teemed properly qualified to remain, and
from time TO time such veterans as Wise,
Mulvey, Petty, Esper and others that could
be mentioned were given their tickets Of
leave.
The club representing the Capital in 1894
crawled out of last place and pushed Louis
vile into the hole.
There was no cessation of energyin L S95,
and such additions were made to the
strength of the club that In spite OF the
hardest kind of luck in the way of acci-
dents and sickness tenth position was reach
ed, st. Louis finishing eleventh and Lou
isviile again bringing up the rear.
The steady though slow gains made n
these two seasons had a tendency to arouse
the baseball feeling which has been lying
dormant in the city to the highest pitch,
and perhaps no club in the League had a
more loyal or more enthusiastic support
than was accorded the Senator's in 1895.
From the opening OF the season to its
close, with the Bostons at National Park
September 26, the fans never wavered in
their support of the team, and there was
great gratification over the success achier-