Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-25
WILL soon REPORT
One Week From Today the "Sen-
ators" viii Be Here.
THREE MORE PLAYERS Sign CONTRACTS
Manager Irwin to Be Given Free
Hand Next Season.
DISC SSING THE RULES


The most important news concerning the
local club that has been given out for pub
LEGATION recently was the fact that WIN
ME" Mercer Jimmy Slagle and Jack OBrien
had signed Washington club contracts, and
that Mercer was satisfied with the terms
offered him, and was perfectly willing to
play third base. Slagle and OBrien were
cheap men, but great players last season,
and it is only right that they should ex-
pect additional remuneration in the big
league That Messrs. Wagner and Irwin
have agreed to give these two men an in
crease speaks we'll for their foresight and
wisdom. The men will play their best and
that is what is wanted. The many friends
of Mercer in Washington were rather du-
bious about the clever East Liverpool boy
accepting the salary that would be oHered
him this season, but Winnie Is too brainy
player not TO see and appreciate the fact
that 5000 is too big figure for an expert
mental third baseman. That he is willing
to make a try for third base speaks well
for MERGERS shrewdness, and should he
turn out to be a good one his salary the
coming season will doubtless be very near
the limit. Mercer will never make half
way third baseman; he VIII either be the
real thing in that position or again go
back to the pitchers box. With his we'll
known shrewdness and knowledge of bat
tiers, Mercer is far from being "has-been'
in the twirlers' class.
With this trio of players safely inside the
senatorial breastworks the Washington
club is almost complete for next season.
Manager Irwin admitted last fall that these
three players were the ones he would prob
ably have the most trouble with when 1t
came to signing contracts, but he doubt
less was satisfied with signing the other
members of the team so easily that for once
Slagle, Mercer and O'Brien were given all
they asked for.
All the members of the Washington club
have agreed to report to Manager Irwin
in this city by March 4. and two days later
the band will leave for Hampton, Va, for
almost a months practice. During that
time al the men will be given full trials in
tfeir positions and should a weakness crop
out several of the Senators that have been
farmed out will be auickiySrecalied.- A per-
son can hardly realize that one week from
today the entire Washington club will have
assembled in this city and be ready for the
preliminary practice for the coming season.
Club owners in base ball who are wise
enough not to interfere with their practi-
cal team managers are IN avery small mi
nority, but they have enjoyed more pros
perity and victories than ethers who seem
to feel that their managers must be con-
tinually subjected to atrviE. The great
success of Managers Selee of Boston, Han
Ion of Brooklyn. Tebeat of Cleveland and
Ewing of Cincinnati is solely due to the
tendency of their employers not to NEEDLE
with the players Selee's dhility to turn
out five championship teams since 1890
would perhaps have been nn1lified If Soden
and Conant, had systematically crossed his
path. Hanlon has beehl absolutely in con-
troi of the Baltimores, as Harry Wonder
horst handed over thetreinsi of government
to him without. conditions, when Hanlon
first signed a Baltimore contract. Frank
Robson, owner of the cleveland team has
never been known to make suggestions to
Pa r1y ha haG FRO
quentiy upheld his manager when the lat
ter was in the wrong. 1JofrnCT Brush has
implicit confidence in Ewing and the latter
has been allowed to run the Cincinnati
team according to his own ideas. And now
President Hart of the Chicago club an>
nounces that Manager Tom Burns will
have indispHtable control Of the players
this year in view of the excellent record
management. AS proof thai it is good pol
icy to let team manager alone during the
playing season 1t is pointed out that the
teams handled by Selee Hanlon, Ewing,
Burns and Tebeau finished ahead of all
other competitors last year
The Messrs. Wagner have promised not
to hamper Manager Irwin the coming sea-
son with advice, and there Is a big posi-
bll1ty that the Washington manager may
get into the successful class occupied by
the hve managers mentioned above. Arthur
Irwin has clearly demonstrated that he
thoroughly understands the base ball bust
ideas, but when "coppered' by ambitious
owners these ideas quickly go to seed and
the originator has to shoulder the blame
When in Washington before as a manager
Irwin was, OF course figurehead but in
Philadelphia and Toronto he had his own
way and his success was remarkable 1t
Is to be hoped that he will lose none of his
energy the coming season and what little
luck there is in base ball will come his
way.
The gossip that has been going around
the past two days about the captaincy of
the brooklyn Shutters" placing Mike
Griffin in that position can be taken with
a grain of salt. The wiseacres that shift
and sort the ms and outs of base ball
should stop to consider why Manager Han
ION mas decided to leave such a fine first
baseman as Mccain in Baltimore and shift
Joe Kelly from left field to the first corner
or the diamond. Joe certainly cannot play
the position better than McGann, or even
as veal, put captain is needed on the in
field and 1t is more than possible that
Kelly will have what little remuneration
and honor that goes with that position the
coming season. Kelly understands Man
ager Hanlon and the latter is In perfect
accord with the former Griffin would haya
to be taught all the Hanlon tricks and be-
sides would be out of reach in CENTER
field. AS a matter of fact there will be lit
tie need of a captain on the Brooklyn team
the coming season, as the entire group be-
long to the bra,ny class of PLAYERS and
need not be told what to do on the bail
field.
Considerable discussion has arisen over
the new rule put forward for the coming
season by the rules committee, that makes
foul tip strike whether the ball is
caught up under the bat or back near the
grand stand. The members of the COM
nittee claim that its adoption means that
1t will take from the game simple play
that at times has caused dissatisfaction. It
is believed that catching d foul tip back
near the grand stand isieasier than up un-
der the bat, and for that reason if the tip
Is penalized within ten. feet of the batter
It. should be for the remainder of the dis
lance to the stand. There Is considerable
common sense in the Suggestion. and the
rule will probably be adopted at the coming
meeting of the league ymagnates in New
York next week. rs 50
Breitenstein, the leftlhafided pitcher, is
back In st. Louis. his native city, where he
Is liable to remain foff SOME time, If not
for the entire season of 80. Breitenstein
said recently that he would not sign the
contract the CINCINNATI club management
had sent him. His refusal to sign Is be-
cause of his objection TO the famous tenn
perance clause, and also TO the fact that