Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-22
HANDICAP PING DOYLE
Indiscreet Newspaper Writers Max
ing Enemies for the New Senator.
DANGEROUS QUOTATION MARKS
New LegisIatiotf soa the "Bunt"
viii Injure,thev Senators.
INTERESTING BASEBALLCHAT


Unless Jack Doyle's self-constituted press
agents take a few reefs in their sails the
Senators new first baseman will go upon
the field next April with a handicap that
will be hard to overcome Jack is quoted
in Baltimore interview as making fun of
the magnates who are backing up the reso-
luton to expel player from the national
game for the use of unseemly language on
the field. As Doyle is reported to be one of
the players at whom the legislation is aim
ed what he says has more weight for good
or bad than almost any other player in the
big league. It is all right to make play
er say funny things in an entertaining
way, but when that same player is made
to crfticise the rulers of the game behind
quotation marks the liberty taken with a
mans name becomes serious.
An eastern paper has taken up the inter-
view with Doyle, no doubt believing in its
accuracy, and whenever possible has mag
nified its purport. This paper says that
Doyle sneers at the proposed blacklist law.
and says the magnates do not dare to de-
prive any player of his bread and butter.
The article concludes by saying that
"Doyle's unwarranted assault of Umpire
Lynch in Boston last fall merited suspen-
sion at the hands Of the league
Doyle's conversational abilities would have
recognized at once the fine Italian hand OF
newspaper man who was DESTROYS Of
airing his own opinions. Doyle has been
in the base ball business too long,
both as a leader and subordinate, not
to thoroughly understand the power Of the
magnates in the base ball world, and for
hum to take chances on making every one
of these officials his enemy would be the
height of folly. When Doyle was inter-
viewed upon his arrival in Baltimore from
the west he simply told the newspaper
men that he had business prospectssin the
east that might keep him out of the game
next season, but added. sort of amend
ment to this statement that he thought
there would be no trouble between Mr..
Wagner and himself In reaching an
son. This was the meat of the interview,
but added to 1t was. a great profusion OF
base ball "shop talk, that is frequently
INDUCED in between the players and news
all the earmarks of emanating from the
fertile brain of a versatile press agent
AS to the reference to the pugilistic meet
ing between Doyle and Umpire Lynch, the
at National Park, Admitted that he was
to blame for the trouble, as he had given
the first blow. Thaz papers all over the
country at that timet were urging the UNI
pire to press charges against Doyle before
the proper base baAeialHhorities and have
him retired from the game, but being a
square and upright man. and knowing all
the circumstances .1ofsHhe little fracas
Lynch naturally refaseaoto act.
+ This case, like many others in which
Doyle was made to appear as the black
sheep is a fair sample of them all. But
one side is generally published, and if any
of the players with MellF known pugnacious
Tendencies is mixed up in the rows, the
player generally has,4isvlast say. At least
nine nine out u, Of the twslys CITES six of them
through their daily Papers have spoken
a kind word for Jack Doyle. acknowledge
Ing his -energetic work on the field, to use a
mild term. but all admitting that they
have yet to hear the great first baseman
stoop to vulgarisms eRJthe ball field. The
Senators new, first baseman has few
friends in Washington in base ball sense,
as 1t will take time to rub out the fact
that he helped Baltimore to victory
many times last season over the local club
through tactics not always above board,
but nevertheless effective, and he will
naturally I have to feel his way: But the
local enthusiasts must not lose sight of the
fact that seven-eightbs of the remarks
credited In the newspapers to Jack Doyle
are fakes pure and simple. There will
be plenty of time this spring to size up
the new man in a personal way, and Mr..
Wagner will stand sponsor for the state
ment that Jack Doyle is known to make
a hundred stanch friends where he loses
one.
The cry for the abolition of the bunt by
Earl Wagner and the demand for a shorter
pitching distance by Capt Ewing of the
Clncfnnatis are to be numbered among
those chats about base ball which are sent
out for winter diversion and not meant
seriously The pitchers would then have
tnree or nve feet added to their advantage,
Whiie the change would undoubtedly have
some effect upon the batsmen If the
league was made up of batsmen like
hesler, clarke, Delehanty and LANCE such
q ohange might be brought about, but while
,of !, ,,rI IL
another OF weak batters it would be sim
change. ~ VI S"9'i d
Certainly the weak batters would ba
nv oetter ana neither would the hard hit
ters. though relatively they might rank
according to the statistics, as really bet
Ter man now by reason of the further
We wsaaness OF the weak hitters. The play
- anu tne spectators want hitting and
peenty OF IT, 1t Is undoubtedly the life
VI tne game, and anything that tends TO-
Wa aru p penucing the batting is blow against
ting by the confessedly weak bitters and
II the gentlemen who are clamorinr for
changes would suggest some means bv
, mti,G1 maj end could be reached thew
would confer boon upon the weak hreth,
rem and the patrons. But do not Ireor.
Even OF taxing away single base bit in
me n game as it is played now.
plies ta s tha sense the same thing ap-
t pres 70 the bunt hit. The abolition Of
Ia Inc punt would be large and distinct step
BACKWARD, and at this writing nobody
SHOWS that better than Mr. Wagner and
1aptaln Brown. ,Messrs. Wagner and
6rown pump up against their own work
Mnsn Lney talk Of sending the bunt into
ophvlon. They have been securing the
wnoIe country for players Of skill. Play
ers are plenty enough, but every man who
understands the game and can play 1t
aIter style has not the skill which would
entitie him to front. place in the big
league. 1t is skill. Skill, skill, which Mr..
wagner and all the orher magnates are
after. what they christianity chasing.
and spending rolls ct GOOD money to get.
inc ounter Is skilled man. fine player
as rule How many-bunters are there
VINO are not also top notchers in their
positions! 1t requires skill to become a
SUCCESSFUL bunter not merely to make
SORT or punt occasionally. but to make
good bunt whenever called upon, and to
make 1t in the way 1t causes the most
confusion to the appesing side. BY all
Nmeans retain the bunta It is not likely
that the n,agnatesI Will give it's absolute
meeting.
With last year's'fsealh of Senators on
MS hands. Mr.. WagIeratand perhaps Cap
tain Brown, would be perfectly right in ad-
vocating the abolit4pn of the bunt. but
with the fast team thar has been signed,
or rather that which will represent Wash
lngton the coming season, 1t would ap-
pear that the bunt Is just exactly what
VIII be needed to land many victory for