Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-14
BUT ONE MONTH MORE
THE ATLANTIC LEAGUE PENNANr
RACE TO FINISH IN SEPTEMBER.
A VERY EXCITING CONTEST IT Is.
Hichmond's Chances for Landing the
Flag Are Good, But Reading is
Making q Strong FIght-Lancaster
in Third Place. ann,

l
the Atlantic League pennant viii hay
Deen concluded, and the contest is no
as exciting as could be desired. Rich
mond Is In first place with Reading
very close second and Lancaster is
third place with excellent chances 70
improving that position.
Altogether. the race is one OF the pre-,
test that has been run since the reorgani
zation OF the Atlantic League, an
the closeness OF the teams, together witt
the excellent article OF ball playing the,
are putting up, has done much to re
awaken the interest in the national sport
which the war had so greatly dimin
| isbed.
The race Is practically between Rich
mond and Reading, and 1t would appeal
on the face of things that Richmond hal
| the advantage. so far as the makeup
OF the two teams is concerned, the club:
are about even, but in the games TO b,
| played Richmond has slight advantage
Richmond has thirty games to play
| fifteen at home ard fifteen abroad-and
Reading has a like number to play,
though fourteen of them are scheduled
on her home ground and sixteen abroad
Richmond also plays more weak clubs
than does Reading, and II the Bluebirds
continue TO put up as good ball as they
have been doing in the past month they
VIII land the pennant in this city.
Jim Murnane, the greatest authority
on baseball now living since the death
of o. y. Caylor Is out in the Boston
Globe with the following opinion on the
big league race:
The next ten weeks will see the live
Hest interest ever taken in the race for
baseball honors. With about sixty
games vet TO play. it would be no great
surprise TO see New York-who Is now
in sixth place-pass the Cincinnati club,
which has fine lead at this time. The
race between the East and West is the
most interesting ever known in the his
tory Of the game. The first division
includes three clubs from each section.
w,tn the West taking first, third and
fifth position. The eastern teams, with
fighting chance, are now nearly through
their third western trip, while the west
ern clubs have made but two trips east
This is a percentage Of at least three
games. and would change the positions
of the first six clubs. With the full
strength Of each team In shape for a
grand finish, the champions would be my
first choice. with Cleveland. Baltimore.
New York. Cincinnati. and Chicago fin
isNng in the above order The Cincin-
natl team has held the lead so long that
the players would never stand the strain
OF a close finish should one OF the other
teams head them on. Buck Ewing Is
one Of the best generals in the business,
and can get as good team work out OF
his men as any manager I'm the league
hut even Ewing will find IL difficult to
fortify weak hearts when the lombard
ment comes In earnest all along 1he line.
We all know that Boston, Baltimore,
New York. and Cleveland players can
stand the spur without finching. Chicago
may grin and bear the whip under
killing finish. but there is room Cor grave
doubts when 1t Genes to those Cincin- |
natl BOYS. who are usually heralded as
champions about this time of she race |
each season. yet seldom so considered |
by the heady professional, who ranks |
STAYING powers above even skill. when |
IT comes TO the finish, when every nan |
must have the sand Of red ackle 10
attain top notch form.
Billy Shindle says a ball-player needs
rest occasionally and a writer in Sport
ng Life, commenting on It. says: Billy
nay have been misquoted, but l take my
lat off TO him in the interview in which
lie Is attributed with saying that bail
players ought 10 get two or three days
II now and then 10 keep from becoming
tale. Billy is right. / know soma who
ought TO get two or three seasons off.
They need rest. on the whole, though.
can't see that the ball-players work a
armed bit harder than the man who puts
en- hours OF each day I'm a hot factory,
nd has to be satisfied with one day OF
est out of seven. It's a moral cinch that
he ball-player gets better food than The
IAN who works in the factory, and has
vice the time to himself If there is one
hing more than another that any bali
layer should keep quiet about. IT is in
egard to the hardships OF his occupa-
lon. l presume players do get sick OF
heir work At times work becomes irk
)me to the most even-tempered mortal |
n the face of the earth. However, there |
a pleasant variety about ball-paying
rat. even the pampered toiler of the ,
ewspaper world envies at times. The
elights Of morning practice afternoon ,
Dplause, and evening poker appeal
rongly TO the humble scribe, who is
ondemned TO a diet of pate de foie gras
I'd innumerable bottles of champagne ..
MY"
Reds Breitenstein and PeitZ execute a
Fry neat sham quarrel when they are In ,
e points by which many batter pas
zen fooled I'm tight pinch. Brett was ;
liking about the scheme recently, and
his is how il worked, according 10 the :
'uthpaw: you see, when we are in a
sht place, and the batter comes up very
lxious to crack out something that will
in the game. 1 proceed TO pitch the first
Ill very wide of the plate. Heine. Of v
urse, is on, and he gets IT, and then he II
oceeds 10 call me down much after this q
shion: Come on; get it over here; you u
Mt afraid of this guy. are your ~
This in an undertone, and then I pro- y
ed to get very angry. and 1 call Petty 81
wn something after this fashion: IL
ever mind me, you big Dutchman; 40 n
nd to your own business. and you will *
I'VE all you can do / say a few other u
ings 10 him. and then Peitz straightens >
as he did not expect me to pitch, and =
rms TO the batter, saying: We'll, what IL
you think Of that swelled-up guy? u
lie batter, of course. is interested in the III
pposed quarrel, and when he sees that oil
tz apparently is not ready 20 catch al
takes his eye OF the ball. Then Heine u
res me the sign, and 1 shoot u over ~