Evening star., 1899-02-06
Consummation Of the Baltimore
Brooklyn Consolidation.
qHE COMBINED TEAM A WINNER
Gossip of Interest 4 Regarding the
National Game.
F U TU RI OF RIGLEY

The Baltimore-B Brooklyn consolidation was
finally consummated Saturday night and the
enthusiasts of the latter city devoted the
better part of the Sabbath in congratulating
each other over the bright prospects of the
city of churches; in base ball the coming
season. With the surrender of Charley Eb-
bets the promoters of the consolidation
were confronted with only one remaining
obstacle the shares held by the Byrne es-
tate Mr.. Byrnes demand for 100000 for
his holdings had been accepted but not un-
til late Saturday evening was his demand
for cash acceded to, and the money will be
paid over to him Wednesday,
By the terms of the consolidation Messrs
Won der Horst and Hanlon will own so per
cent of the stock of the Brooklyn club, Mr.
Abel 40 per cent and Mr.. Ebbets 10 per
cent. Mr.. Hanlon will manage the club
but Mr.. Ebbets continues as president
Upon the face Of things it would appear
that Mr.. Hanlon is about as good handling
a financial deal as he is trading players.
The Brooklyn team the coming season
will be one of the strongest ever put to-
gether, especially on paper. With the eX-
ception of a slight weakness behind the
plate, which may be easily remedied, there
is not position that is not filled by a
player who belongs to the first class. Bill
Clarke and Jack Grim, catchers are first
class ielders but weak stickers. In the box
Dunn make a strong aggregation. Kelley
on first is an Improvement on McGann. Joe
has played the initial bag before and gave
evidence of being at home in the position,
while there is no comparison between the
two men when batting is considered. At sec
Cnd Tom Daily replaces De Montreville and
Jennings will be at his old place in the
short field. Billy Dahlen goes to third in
place of McCraw, the latter refusing to
leave Baltimore on account of business in
terests. There are very few third basemen
equal to McGraw but the same also applies
to Dahlen. He may not be the Baltimore
boys equal, but if he can continue the
stride he worked at while playing the third
corner for Chicago Manager Hanlon need
not worry about McGraWs substitute.
In the outfield, Keeler, Griffin and Jones,
the club is especially strong, every one Of
the trio being hard hitters and feders of
the first class. Mr.. Abel can be congratu-
lated upon at last placing firSt-c.aSs
club in Brooklyn, and it is to be hoped that
the financial returns will amply repay him
for the sacrifices he has made.
The situation. over in Baltimore will
doubtless remain very quiet for the next
week or so. If the club that is to repre-
sent the monumental city is placed in the
hands of McGraw and the players not
needed in Brooklyn are given to him. his
team can be placed in the first division
from the start. AS fed general McGraw
belongs to the Ward7Tebeau class and be-
sides having a strong nucleus to begin with
he can be depended upon to pick good ones
to fill in the weak positions. The Orioles
under McGraw's management will make
money in Baltimore, but the team would
have been a financial loser had Hanlon re-
manned in charge, .
DUSTY Miller has signed a Cincinnati
contract, temperance clause and all, and
says that he is not the least worried over
the reports that one of the extra men
will drive him out of that sun field. 1t is
a dead cerbaihty' that neither Selbach
nor Smith would be satisfactory in that
position.
The Eastern League muddle is still un-
tangled. The latest report says that both
Rochester and Albany will be overlooked in
selecting the final club, and that Utica
will be taken into the fold. The magnate
back of the Utica club has already come
forward and deposited 5000 as a guarantee
that his club will play out the season.
The farming out of Sailor Boy Wrig-
ley to the Richmond club does not mean
that he will not again wear Washington
uniform. Messrs. Wagner and Irwin are
too we'll acquainted with WrigIey's ability
to allow him to drift out of their grasp,
but course of discipline is to be dshed
out to the shortstop that II is hoped will
hnaiiy develop him into a player of the
"a OH