The morning times., 1897-02-10
NEARING THE BALL SEASON
The Fans Will Soon Awaken
from Their Winter Lethargy.
THE SENATOR'S DUE In MARCH
Mr.. Earl Wagner Is Expected TO
Arrive Today to Commence the
Work of Putting National Park
In Order-Gossip of the Players
in the City.

In this intermittent weather OF rain and
snow, sleet and occasional sunshine, there
is not much talk about baseball and that
little only in the abstract. Yet the
preliminary season is only few days
away when the grand army of fandom
VIII awake from tie winters lethargy,
eNude from a Jack Frost hibernation, and
reveI over the sound of the rocsn calling
TO:
play ball!''
A fortnight's 5 time VIII witness the gath
ering in Washington of the greater portion
of Mr.. WagneT's hired men, and when they
assemble and begin their warming-up
work, the globule covered with horsehide
SHOWN in the shop Windows will be bigger
III the eyes Of the small boys and great
boys than is the sight OF fat water
melon to the lamps OF pickaninny from
HOke Smiths region.
The average baseball fan is something
Of a philosopher, inaSmuch as he neier
crosses a bridge until lie reaches il. Ac-
cOrdinely, he bides his time and waits
developments, paying marble Eeart at
tention to the misgivinGs Of the novices
who are in constant alarm as TO whether
''our club VIII finish higher this season
than last
TIE fan, that dyed-in-the- wool genius,
has seen the seasons cone and go with
tie budding Of the leaves and their mel
lowing into the gold and purple OF au-
tumn. 1t is no matter to him whether
the home club is in the first division or
bunched in the '.also ran list. He has
had his inning.
lie has had opportunity galore to cuss
the umpire find fault with the players
and anathematize the management Time
and again has he sat under a burning sun
and pointed ont Just how the game should
be played, and usually he works himself
up to a degree Of Fahrenheit that nothing
short Of circus lemonade and queer tasting
soda pop wadded with peanuts will allow
his coppers and his nervous system TO re
gain their normal condition
The fan knows his business and gets his
moneys worth no matter whether the Sen
ators stand sixth or at the bottom of the
column In fact, bottom Of the column
adjoining pure reading matter is the SEN
ators' accustomed position and the fans
don't think of kicking on a little thing like
that.
But abandoning the abstract and discuss
ing the real. the Senators. on form. should
leave the also ran list the coming season.
1t seems TO be a splendid fielding team
and If three or four of the men pick up
in their batting and the pitchers come good
and strong they are liable toleave dusty
road for Brooklyn. Cincinnati, Pitt sburg
Louisville and St Louis.
II has been intimated that MI Wagner
s siniereSted in the Toronto, Can. Club. of
the Eastern League, and that it will be
used as farm from which TO pluck
new Senators and relegatc old ones The
rm,or has not been confirmed, however,
ana il is probably the fact that Er Wag-
ner. if Interested at Toronto at all, is
only a lender OF money 10 his friend,
Arthur Irwin, who has undertaken the
management of the Canucks
Should il be true, though, that Toronto
is TO be used a 5 a farm the same might
prove helpful 10 the Senators in the long
run Young and promising players, like
Wrigley. Smith, Swain, Ash, and Flynn,
would no doubt be improved by minor
league experience under such a good
teacher as Irwin. And if the old players
among the Senators get slow, il wouldn't
hurt to call in the youngsters and send
the vets to ill their places.
Mr.. Earl Wagner was due 20 arrive in the
city yesterday from Philadelphia, but he
was unavoidably detained. He expects 10
come over today, when he VIII commence
work at once to repair the ravages made on
National Park 10y tie September cyclone
The storm played havoc with the fences
of the park, the loss in dollars running up
into the hudnreds. The entrance off of
Seventh street was damaged worst OF all
Tie diamond and field is in fair condition,
and very little labor Will be required to
put the surface in excellent playing opder.
The players in the city at presen are Capt
Brown, Ed Cartwright, Charley Abbey and
Gene De Montreville. The last two make