The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-21
CURRENT SPORTING TALK
The Senators to Begin Earnest
Practice To-day.
DOYLE STILL HOLDING OUT
Ar,oic aud Swain Also ContendinE
for More Pay-Emily Believed In
he the Coming TrottinG Queen
Daily May Fight Dick BurGe-other
sports

Out Of the twenty men reserved by the
Washington club who were ordered by
Manager Tom Brown to report in this city
for practice Saturday but three outside OF
Brown had shown up on that date. 9th
ers. however. will surely be added to the
colony today and tomorrow, so that Man
ager Brown can begin his preliminary
practice with a team of six men and
few outsiders who are getting into condi-
ton here. The trouble with the men re-
porting seems to be that they received
their contracts rather late, Mr.. Wagner
mailing the papers on the LIST of March,
and thus giving them only about nineteen
days in which to do their kicking and get
ready 10 report.
There seems to be more dissatisfaction
among the players of the National League
this year than ever before and there is
hardly a manager who has not had his
troubles. Hanlon has q hard lot to deal
with in the striking Orioles. Mr.. Wagner
also has his hands full, and has no time
TO sympathize with any of the other mag
mates. Nothing has been heard Of Doyle
lately. He is undoubtedly the hardest of
the ''hold-outs" TO treat with, but the
general opinion is that he will turn up
all right before the season begins.
Two of the twirlers Mr.. Wagner has en-
gagged for this seasOn-Amole, who was
transferred in the deal with Baltimore,
and "Cy'' Swain, the tall sage of Cadwal-
lader, who signed with the Senators the
latter part of last seaSon-are also hold
ing out, and their sole grievance is the
amount of the long green offered them
Amole will be as well treated as he was
in Baltimore, and ICY" Swain is playing
in good luck to be in the major league.
Until Mr.. Wagner is heard from it will
not be known whether any of the other
men are striking, but all ought to report
during the week weighing is on his way
to the city, and Leahy, who has been
refereeing polo games in Hartford, fin
ished his work Saturday and promises to
report Tuesday.
The men who have already reported
Brown. Mercer Mcclure and Selbach-
have been practicing hard. BY running a
few miles night and morning they have
put their bellows in good repair and linn
bered up their hinges. They suffered from
soreness the first few days, but have
about worked 1t off, and will be in tip-top
condition to begin hard practice today.
Mercer gave his pitching arm little
exercise Saturday and showed up in beau
tiful form, exhibiting almost perfect con-
troll.
The local boys-Baben, an outfielder,
who will 20 with Lush's Springfield team,
and Hand, who is under contract to Jim
O Rourke to play in Bridgeport-have
been out with the squad getting in condi-
ton. and have added interest to the prac-
tice. Bert Myers, who played third for
Milwaukee last year, has also been steady
at practice games and shows good form.
Myers played with the Browns two years
ago, but devoted a little too much time
TO outside attractions, and as a conse-
quence was given a probationary term in
minor league. Bert learned a thing or
two by his experience and is anxious to
get in fast company once more. He is a
local boy, and like about So per cent of the
other players in the Western League is
holding out for more salary He says he
can make a living in Washington and
that is all he could accomplish by going
with Milwaukee at the terms offered him
Mr.. Wagner will bring his family TO the
city today and settle here for the season
When he and Manager Brown commence
working together they will make things
lively in a short time. AS soon as a
sufficient number of players report they
will be divided into two teams and prac-
tice games VIII be played behind closed
gates at the park each afternoon, with
the usual limbering up exercises in the
morning. On April the Senators will
make their initial bow in the game with
the strong Georgetown College team and
after that they have enough practice
games scheduled with amateur teams to
keep them busy up to the time they open
the championship series with the Orioles
on April Is
The work of the pitchers. Mercer, Di-
neen, Amole, Swain, Bresnehan. Weyh-
ing, Donovan and Mahafy. will be watch
ed with especial interest in these practice
games, as some of them are practically
unknown, and the ones who don't show up
well will be weeded out. The infield will
also be watched closely and picked for
team work, as but one of them, Wrigley.
played with the club last year.
Manager Brown thinks he has annie
time to put the club in first-class shane
If practice begins with a viii this week.
Again that hope, eternal in the breast
OF all harness horse men, that the two
minute trOtter will be deyelODed al no