The Saint Paul globe., 1899-04-23
BASE BALL is KING
PASSING OF ALL SPORTS TO MAKE
ROOM FOR THE GAME THAT
is NATIONAL
WHAT Is THE SCORE TODAY r.

Pennant Possibilities Puzzle Those
Who Are known as "Fans''--In-
Problem of the Hour Is Not Who
VIII BE Champion of Prize Ring,
but What Club VIII Float Flag.
1.-THE king is dead-long live the king'
And base ball, which has slumbered the
winter months away, is again the only
sport that wins the multitude. Fitzsim-
mons and Jeffries may train and train,
and the sport-loving public will turn to
them at times and listen to the story Of
their progress; but they are reiegated to
second place in public interest now. Base
ball is due. The st. Pauls are first In st.
Paul The team is said to be strong, and
of the winning calibre Manager
Comiskey is more enthusiastic than ever
before and predicts season Of glorious
successes. In all the Western league.
cities there is noticeable enthusiasm that
gives promise of a season Of prosperity
for base ball managers, and that means
better ball and more attractive sport. All
the Western league teams have been
strengthened, and the race will likely
prove exciting from the outset. st. Paul
did we'll last season, but should do better
this, and should the pennant come this
way, there will be rejoicing such as no
other city could excel. The struggle will
be a mighty one-perhaps much closer
than in the big league. 1t Is early to pre-
dict-but ST. Paul is out for the flag, and
will make the others hustle to wrest 1t
from the Sanity City.
BIG LEAGUE RACE.
In the National league there is far more
uncertainty than there has been in recent
years. There have been so many changes
in players that there is nothing tangible
upon which to base more than guess
as to the probable pennant winner. On
this point Tim Murnane says:
while at least six teams have chance
for the pennant, / can see only three
teams, four at the most, who have
working chance for the honors this sea-
son. Boston, Brooklyn, ST. Louis and
Cincinnati will bear watching, while Chi
cago will show up strongly. Boston will
have the same incentive to play from
the start that the other clubs will have.
Brooklyn and st. Louis will have entirely
new teams, transplanted from Baltimore
and Cleveland, where the crowds were
growing cold and failed to give the prop
er encouragement With larger crowds
enthusing the great teams under Han
lon and Tebeau, Boston must work hard
from the start to keep in the race. This
will be the grand opportunity of Capt.
Tebeau's lifetime. Back in his native
city. with rafting good team to follow,
this brainy, aggressive ball player will
leave no stone unturned to win games
and land that flag. Ed Hanlon will try
to win the applause of the metropolis
fans by the ball playing of his clever
team, and he, too, will spare neither
money nor labor to keep the Bridegrooms
in the race to the finish. Cincinnati has
been strengthened by the addition Of
Outflelder Selbach. Manager Ewing will
get out all that is in his fast team, but
the chances are that 1t will finish behind
Brooklyn and ST. Louis, for lack of good
hitting, as the season passes to the sec
ond half Boston has a team at least 10
per cent stronger than any team today
in the league, or, in. fact, just so much
stronger than any team that ever played
for base ball honors. This great team
is more than likely to take things quite
easily at the start, feeling confident of
making a Garrison finish when called
upon. With Boston first choice 1t would
be well to keep an eye on st. Louis and
Brooklyn"
RESURRECTION OF M'GINTY.
Joe McGinty, the new pitcher of the
Baltimore nine was originally find
of Jimmy Manning, of the Kansas City
team. That was in 1894 Manning ran
across him in the Indian territory and
when McGinty reported at Kansas City
he was about the wildest-looking and
greenest specimen of a player ever wear