Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21
ON THE EMERALD DIAMOND
News About the Men who Earn Their
Bread with nat and
HALL.

With the 80 big league season but a
month old, it is a bit too early to apply
the X-ray to the future in an attempt to
discern the pennant winners but by using
the work that the teams have already done
as basis of what they can do, 1t is not
hard to get a line on them" to speak,
and venture predictions accordingly. All
the clubs in the first division of the race
Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago. Cincinnati. Phil
adelphia and st. Louis-have played uni
formly good ball so far, and Judging by form
there seems to be no reasn why they should
not stay in that division for some time to
come. A test on that point will occur when
the clubs of the eastern circuit take the
first swing around the western circle. The
series commenced last Friday and will close
on May 2S and its result will have an i'm
portant bearing on the chances of Boston,
Brooklyn and Philadelphia In this series
the western clubs will have the advantage
over their eastern rivals, because they will
be playing on their home grounds. Hence
it is to be expected that in the series that
has just started the western clubs will carry
off the honors, possibly with the result of
landing one of the easterners now in the
first division over in the second and that
club may be Philadelphia but Immediately
upon the conclusion of the series mentioned
the western clubs will commence their first
series on eastern grounds, the games be-
ginning Decoration day and ending June 9,
and in that series the eastern clubs ought
to recover whatever ground they may have
lost on their western tour. very tmpor-
, tant factor in this latter series may be the
Orioles Baltimore, although the bulk of its
crack players of last season have gone
| over to Brooklyn, has played remarkably
good game so far this season and as they
inject a tremendous amount of ginger into
their work they will yet prove thorn In
the sides of. other clubs. On their own
grounds in past seasons they have met with
uniform success in their games with western
clubs and If they are similarly successful
this year there will be some surprises when
the east against The west series is con-
cluded.
It is rumored that the ownership of the
Baltimore franchise is likely to pass away
| from Ned Hanlon ct al in the not very dis
/ tant future. Ever since the Brooklyn -Balti-
| more deal was consummated there has been
| q desire on the part of the owners to cut
loose from their Baltimore holdings because
! of the cry of syndicate ball" that has gone
up all over the league circuit. Within the
last week negotiations have been on, 1t II
said, by which the Orioles will be purchased
PLAYERS franchise and all-fOr 600 cash.
! One of the prospective buyers is j. j. Mahon
| of Baltimore, brother-in-law OF Joe Kelly,
and the hitch over the sale is said to be :
demand on the part of Mahon that Kelly be
| included in the assets of the Baltimores.
This condition may result in the dropping OF
| the deal as Kelly is one of the malnstays
of the Superbas. Brodie and Griffin have
been mentioned as likely chaps to succeed
Kelly. but it is admitted that they would
All Eelly's hropanS about as well as q Gin
derella foot would fit the slipper of a Chi
cago miss On account of the good ball that
the Orioles have been playing the club han
not been losing much money, and it is ex-
pected to be a good Investment in case the
new owners spent little moaey for more
material of first-class quality.
The WagneTs of Washington are following
in the path that was blazed last year by
the Robinsons of Cleveland. They are try
ing to transfer some of the home games
to other grounds. Tue entering wedge OF
this scheme was directed during the las,
week toward Pittsburg, Earl Wagner making
n proposition to Kerr to change two games
from the Capitol City to Pittsburg. Kerr
however, frowned down upon the scheme and
responded with a chilly nay, nay to the Te-
quest This is but straw that shows from
what point in the compass the zephyr Il
blowing. With less than 100 hands turning
out on an average to view the performances
of the home team 1t seems to be question
of but a few weeks before Cleveland ant
Washington will be occupying plots in thu
big league base ball graveyard.
Dunn the Brooklyn twirler, heads the lis
of winning pitchers far this year with flv