Evening star., 1897-02-13
It Improved in the Last Month of
Last Season.
WARRANTED An INCREASE In SALARY
Making Up the Schedule for the
Coming Season.
NOTES OF THE PLAYERS


Wagner to Washington he. of course. called
on President Young of the league. and in
cidentally went over the records Of the
Washington players. 1t will be a surprise
to many local followers Of the game to
learn that BILLY" Lush. of whom great
things are expected this season. batted at
over a 800 clip during the last month of
the season of 90. 1t is upon this showing
that Mr.. Wagner granted the little right
fielder an increase of salary over Is st year.
and the local magnate asks that local en-
thusiasts suspend judgment upon Lush un-
til he gets down to work the coming sea-
son. Cartwright has also gotten himself
into first-class condition; in fact, the big
first baseman is in better condition than
he has been for years. and says that II
he does not show a big improvement over
last season he will quit the league This is
a bold assertion on Cartwrights part, but
gives indications of returning confidence,
and should he bat as his friends believe he
Can there will be no kick coming on ac-
count of the man at the initia! bag. Tom
Brown is also in f1rst-class condition. and
if he plays as we'll as he did last season,
barring the period in which he had a bad
attack of charley horse, everybody will
rest content, as Toms headwork and base
running are needed to help the club along
in a quarter where it is notably weak. At
convincing trial. and should he fail young
WrigIey will be placed on the third bag,
and should he fail to keep up the pace to
the satisfaction of Mr. Wagner a strong
third baseman with reputation that en-
titles him to thorough trial will be quick
ly secured. Harvey Smith cannot join the
club before the 1st of June, but should this
plucky little man play in the form he did
last year 1t will take remarkable third
baseman to keep him out of the game.
No trades of any kind will be considered by
MIR. Wagner. but this does not imply that
the club will not be strengthened should
the necessity arise. The owner of the local
club has secret up his sleeve that will
be an eye-opener to the local enthusiasts,
but for satisfactory reasons the news has
to be held back for some time yet until
contemplated plans are rounded out and
completed. Considerable adverse criticism
has been indulged in by the Washington
fans of late on account OF the apparent
hstlessness of the Senator's leaders, but
this will be proved to be unjust and when
the proper tirie arrives it will be demon
strated that Mr. Wagner need not take the
dust of any of the league magnates when
diplomatic skill and base ball sagacity are
taken into consideration.
The thing most interesting to the base
ball magnates, after the arrangement Of
their teams, is the makeup of the schedule
of championship games. There Is a great
deal more in that than the average person
would believe. OF course, the teams come
first to the public, but the magnate has his
eye on the schedule as we'll He Is looking
to get as much as possible out Of It, He
wants all the Saturdays that can be work
ed in at home, and as many from home as
can be conveniently forced into the sched-
ule Then he wants all the best holiday at
fractions at home, and to get the best pay
ing cities on the road. The public knows
little about these things, and cares still
less about them, as long as they get good
game of ball. The work Of preparing this
vcha a,,lo uyffh
has been found to be the better plan to
trust to his fairness and judgment than to
a committee, each member Of which would
naturally try to secure dates that would
benefit his club 1t is a very thankless job.
no matter how one takes it. as the work
seldom pleases everybody. Some one al
ways has a kick coming. and If he thinks
he has received any the worst of it Uncle
Nick will come in for a roasting" He will
be accused Of all manner of things In gen.
eral, and in particular Of favoring all the
other clubs except his. OF course, some
clubs are favored more than others, or at
least 1t looks that way to an uninterested
person, and no amount Of explanation will
make the matter look otherwise. The
meeting of the league to indorse the sched-
ule for the coming season will be held in
Baltimore, Thursday, February %. and all
sorts Of rumors are flying about as to the
outcome Of that gathering, but 1t Is fore
gone conclusion that little will be done out
side of the adoption Of the schedule and a
trade or two that may or may not border
on the sensational. Nobody Is permitted to
see the schedule until it is brought before
the meeting. and it Is all guess work to
place the clubs on the big holidays and
opening days. The trips west will be on the
same general idea as last year.
That there is contemplated deal on be-
tween the st. Louis. Cleveland. Chicago
ard Louisville clubs all the western writer's
believe Every one Of the above mentioned
clubs can be strengthened in certain posi-
ticns and an interchange of players would
be good thing for all concerned. Both
sections of the league. the east and west
have In a manner become claHnish, and as
a result 1t Is hard matter to get a good
player away from either section The east
ern wing Is decidedly stronger than the
west and for this reason, II for no other.
the magnates beyond the Alleghenies should
stick together. For instance Chicago might
trade man to Louisville, and then to st.
Louis. Cleveland needs an additional hard
hitting fielder and Louisville has a surplus
In this line ST. Louis needs a good second
baseman and Pittsburg can spare a man
to fill the bill. Through these changes the
St Louis club may be braced up SO as to
be an attraction in the eastern as well as
the western section of the league. and not
only one club be benefited, but all would
come In for share of the spoils Cincin-
natl has troubles Of its own and has de-.
cfded to stand pat On its present aaRre-