Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-04

himself, and the result has been crafty
ing to those who predicted he could VIE
a pennant Several good mems places hao
to be filed, and ne did it. Shannon's sue
ceeding Kahn in right-held has been the
only change in the playing department
and the release Of Schmidt and the pur'
| chase of Bishop the only change in the
| battery.
BLUEBIRDS MADE FRIENDS.
All over the circuit the club has clearly
| demonstrated its ability to play the game,
and everywhere has made friends.
Lancaster has been the only place where
the press has been unfair to the club,
and there the public has been led to be-
Heve that baseball patrons in Richmond
were nothing better than lot Of wild
Indians, who made umpires give decisions
| against Lancaster.
| fair sample of how Richmond STANDS
with the people elsewhere can be judged
| from the Reading correspondent letter
to last weeks Sporting Life. In part, re-
ferring to Lancaster's recent victory In
| Reading, he says:
| "The cry around the city is that the
| three games were sold to Lancaster, so
as to let her win the pennant. ! am sorry
| the patrons Of baseball should think so,
| but il is not one, but there are hundreds
who have formed that opinion, as Lam
| caster has but few admirers here, while
| Jake Wells's team has many, who viii
| give Richmond a good, hearty welcome
when they next play here, and hope TINS
season 10 see the flag float in the South,
instead Of at Lancaster
The Richmond team on the held'
when at Reading, acted like gen.
tlemen, as have said in sporting
Life before, but for Lancaster l cannot
say that, as they acted more ike chill
dren who have had no training at home,
and are out in company and want 10 De
funny and can't. Who caused several
umpires to resign in the Atlantic League
this season? Not Reading or Richmond,
l am sure If you want TO play baseball
for pennant, play the game, but don't
burlesque IT, as last weeks two eXnibl-
tions on Thursday and Friday.
Az n conclusion, l will r9y luck 10 the
Richmond team, hoping they Will win
the flag and championship Of 1898 by hon
est gentlemanly ball-playing, and not
only please the rooters OF Richmond out
also their many friends and rooters at
Reading"
ANY time just such complimentary
notices can be found in the sporting
columns Of every paper in the league
except Lancaster.
CHANCES FOR THE PENNANT.
The chances for the pennant are good
for several reasons. Richmond Is just
now playing good ball and will have ten
games at home. against three Lancaster
plays at home and four on the road.
Editor FrarNis c. Richter. of Sporting
Life. commenting upon the big league
race, has this to-day:
The glorious uncertainty OF base-oaA
was illustrated during the past week.
when Boston Unexpectedly went down
before Chicago and Pittsburg and thus
permitted Cincinnati to regain the lead
and hold it for one day. The race has
narrowed down to Boston. Baltimore, and
Cincinnati Cleveland, Chicago, ana
New York have nothing more than
bare chance for first or place. The
former labors under the handicap Of be-
ing compelled to play all Of its remaining
games away from home; Chicago plays
too much in-and-out, ard must, also, ike
Cincinnati, make another eastern trip,
while New York is handicapped by light
batting and variable pitching, and num-
Der of games still to be played with
the leading teams. OF the three leaders
Baltimore now has rather the best chance
OF winning out. as the team is now strong
ing corps ii ever had. and. moreover ex-
cells all Of its rivals. including Boston.
in batting At any rate, the Birds are
Going to make good Sporting Lies spring
prediction that "the winner Will have
10 reckon at the wind-up with Balti-
more" The Orioles furthermore have
financial incentive to win the flag In the
fat purse hung up last spring by the club
owners. an advantage shared only by
New York, which, however, is not likely
TO overcome the ground lost earlier in the
race Boston can be depended upon
however, even without special financial
incentive, to make a hard race clear 70
the wire SO could Cincinnati were the
team not so markedly inferior TO the other
two in batting. In the second d.
vision the only interesting feature is the
effort OF Philadelphia to beat Pittsburg
out, in which the Quakers will undoubt-
eddy be successful. Louisville has at last
captured ninth place and now holds IT
by such a margin that only very bad
let-down can dump the Colonies out
HAVE A BROTHERHOOD.
Two or three times during the present
baseball season 1t has been limited that
the players of the National League were
about TO organize an association similar
to the brotherhood that passed out of ex-
istence in 1880. A New York writer in
Sporting Life says that he has been in
formed by one OF the most prominent
players Of the league, whose name, for
manifest reasons, cannot be given, that
a canvass has been made among the older
players of the organization, and that
decision has practically been reached 10
20 ahead and perfect players organi-
cation. Said this player:
"The action Of the Board of Directors
in the Freedman Holmes controversy has
done more than anything 10 precipitate a
final decision upon the part Of the players.
The object Of the new association VIII! not
be 10 establish a new league and invite
another financial war. but to protect the
interests OF the players against unwar-
ranted fines on the part OF the magnates.
The course adopted will be simple enough, |
being nothing more nor less than appeal |
TO civil courts. AS there is considerable |
doubt that the present form OF league |
contract VIII stand legal test. and as
the arbitrary methods of punishment in |
vogue in the league would not be upheld |
by justice, II is apparent the players are |
not likely to make 1t very comfortable IL |
they go ahead. II is needless to add that |
the players will not accept as members OF |
the alliance any New York player who !
testified by affidavit against Holmes"
The surprise OF the season In baseball |
drcles has been the success OF Al. Maui. ]