The times., 1898-07-26
DIAMOND DUST.

Jake Gettman has got his eye on the
ball at last. Keep it up, Jake.
Dineen is a great pitcher and has a
good head when men are on the bases
The boys seem to be at the old heavy
hitting again, now that Duke Farrell is
back into the game.
Cy Swain is practicing at National
Park, cultivating his cunningly devised
twisters and cyclone straight ones He
will go West with the club on Thursday
and says he will win a majority of the
games he pitches while away.
The gold brick season is now on. Some
minor league managers are advertising
their wares in double-leaded-n -next-to-read-
ing-column write-ups that are very
attractive to managers in search of
''phenoms."
Whatever Mercer may lack in skill or
ability as q pitcher he makes up I'm
magnificent fielding and cerebral cum
ming. He wins as many games by his
headwOrk as he does with his good
right arm.
The best friends man has are those
whom proper spirit-tell him of his
shortcomings. Just and timely criticism
of a ball player is proper and frequently
advantageous; ill-timed and malicious
roasts are harmful.
Clean-cut and earnest ball playing,
even though characterized by some sci
entific tricking, devoid of brutality is
what the public likes to see. Games that
are won by brutality and rowdyism are
thoroughly disgusting.
1t is to the credit of Mr. Wagner and
his players to say that no more gentle
manly fellows are seen upon the bail field
at home or abroad. No complaints of row.
dyism or bad conduct have been filed
against them this season.
The Cleveland club is a much stronger
combination than the Cincinnatis, and
had it received the loyal, generous
and enthusiastic support of its home peo-
pie, as has the Cincinnati club it would
easily have stood first or second, and 1t
may still possibly win out under adverse
circumstances.
A player who is always sharpening up
his spikes for the purpose of injuring a
brother player and putting MIN out-of the
game deserves the anathemas and con-
tempt of all respectable people and
should be banished from the game for
life. There are just such creatures now
playing in the National League.
Sporting Life says: President Soden, of
the Boston Club, says he will retire from
the business before he consents to the
Beaneaters playing Sunday ball. Guess
baseball would survive the retirement
of not only Soden but of most of the
tweloe-club push That is true, and it
is q fact that the League still exists
without the aid or assistance of an off
cial organ"
1t is to be hoped that the shifting of
Wrigley to third and of Wagner to short
will improve the infield. Both of these
youngsters are earnest, hard working
players. Wrigley goes after everything
in sight, and frequently makes an error
that is disastrous and which disgusts him
as much as it does the manager and the
spectators He is hard loser and
there is no man on the team who delights
more to win than Zeke. Wagner is built
very much upon the same lines.
Ed Hanlon says of Charlie Farrell: He
is the best emergency hitter in the busi-
ness, for the reason that he goes up TO
the bat with perfect confidence that he
will make the desired hit. He will take
strike and allow a ball to go by, and
when the pitcher least expects ii he will
hit the ball a mile. Confidence is the
'sina qua non in the repertoire of a ball
player
game that attracts the attention of
the old as well as the young people and
offers them pleasure and entertainment
deserves the patronage and support of the
public. There are some old ladies and
gentlemen who are frequent visitors at