The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-29

The early and complete failure of the
Southern League has been the cause of
much criticism in base ball circles, both
in the South and In the big league cities.
President Nick Young of the National
League IS much surprised. He thought
that the league was strongly orRanized
with good men at Its head and had hopes
that the South was to have a successful
ball league for once
There Is no doubt that base ball has
been almost irrepably injured in the South.
1t IS practically killed for several Years
at least and it would be a foolhardy I'M
dertaking to try to get up a league for
several years. OF all the years that have
ever been in the South the last one was
the most mismanaged of all. There was
a splendid opportunity to put base ball in
this section in a good way. There had
been no professional bail in many Of the
cities of the league for several seasons
and most Of the towns were base ball
hungry.
The advent of the war no doubt lessened
the interest in the game and hurt the at
tendance some, but had the league operat-
ed in better way and been better man
aged It should have been able to pull
through. After the first week or so of
play 1t became obvious to those on the
inside that the league would not last.
but even the most pessimistic gave 1t un-
I'll the first or-mddle OF June. The crash
was expected, but not so soon as it came.
With the death rattle of the old league
still sounding base bail men are already
talking of a league next year. They say
there viii be league that is a league and
give out the sterotyped information that
1t viii be managed on strictly business
principles" This is what has been said
of every league the South has ever seen
and 1t has been lived up to in none of
them. Atlanta is blaming Henry Powers
the president of the league, for its down.
fall, and Powers says Atlanta's with
drawal from Mobile was the death blow
to the league. Meyers says he viii never
go in league again with Powers and the
latter says the same about Meyers
There viii be no Southern League next
season. Not unless the situation clears up
nightly. The men In the cities of the cir
cult who have backed the game for years
have become estranged and it will be hard
to get them together. Backers for a ball
club will be harder to find than ever.
It is understood that the owners of the
Savannah franchise are willing to back a
club again next season. If Savannah is In
the league the club will be managed by
Pat Meaney, who played left field for Sa-
Vannah this season
1t will be interesting to the Savannah
fans TO know that had the Savannah team
ever returned from its trip and PLAYED the
series at home that a shake up was TO be
maue. Huston was to get his release and
Meauey was TO be made manager DoWle
was also to be bounced and other changes
were contemplated. Huston was a big dis
appointment as a manager and he did not
live up to the record that was given him
by large lot Ele possesses few of the
qualities necessary to make a successful
manager and was absolutely no good as a
player
Tim Doll s,,,
1ured in a game just before the team left
savannah, has mended and he Is in coudi-
ton TO get in the game. Ballantyne would
strengthen any minor league team in the
country in need of a catcher. His work
for savannah was superb and ne was cas-
lily the best catcher in the league. When
he was signed 1t was dOubt cd by some thar
he would he able to hold up, but his work
after the first TWO games was faultless
In q game played between Savannah and
| Montgomery recently there happened an
incident that has probably never occurred
| before and probably never will again
! Violet, NIOntgomery's fiery little second
| baseman, went TO bat six times. He got
| four bases on balls and was twice hit bv
! the pitcher. According to the peculiarly
| OF the scoring rules when the score was
| made up Violet was put down as being at
| bar no time. while he was credited with
making four runs. This was caused nv
| the scoring rule which says that a time at
| bat should not be credited when a batter
| gets his base on balls or is struck with
the bah by the pitcher.
! Fred Clarke, the manager and captain Of
| the Louisville club, is one. Of the most
/ written about players in the big league. lie
! Is one of the highest salaried men and
! there is not a club in the league which
| would not pay him the salary he is get
! ting from Louisville with a bonus besides
| Clarke came 10 Savannah raw youngster
/ Ia 1894 and went to Louisville when the
! Southern league teii through in July 81 that
| year. He played pretty good bah that
! season aud has steadily progressed untu
he is now considered the fastest fielder I'm
| tho big league.