The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-17

The transfer of the Louisville clubs
games for the balance OF the season
is construed by many as sure sign
that this club will surrender its fran
chise this fall on terms already agreed
on, says the Sporting News. The rea-
son assigned by President Dreyfus for
the temporary desertion of Louisville
is lack of patronage. This is explained
by the failure of the club officials to
provide accommodation. Instead of re-
building its stands, circus seats of the
cheapest kind were built and the peo-
pie refused to put up with these dis
comforts. President Dreyfus and his
associates had plenty of time, before
the retCrn of the Colonies, to erect
suitable stands to replace those that
were burned, but they pocketed the in
surance money and put the people off
with the promise of pretentiouS
structure for next season. This coupled
with the transfer of the games, leads
to the conclusion that the owners of
the Louisville club will not invest an
other dollar in improvements. The
TWelve-c1ub agreement has only two
more years to run, and there is little
prospect of Louisville being member
of the National league after 1901. If
President Dreyfus can get good price
for his players, it is probable that his
club will resign its membership this
season. 1t is said that the Wagners
have given an option on the Wash
ington club, and that. the Robisons are
ready to surrender their Cleveland
franchise under certain conditions. If
these statements are authentic, the re-
duction of the circuit to eight clubs
hinges upon the Baltimore club. In
stead of being a tail-end team and an
expense to the syndicate, the Orioles
are prominent in the, race and have
earned $4,000 for their, owners. Their
success has made 1t diffcult~to bring
about a reduction. The Louisville
Courier-Journal comments on the
transfer of the Colonies games as fol-
lows:
1T can be said, however, that the
prospects for a big league team for this
city for next year are not at all flat
tering. To date the Louisville club has
made money on the season, and Presi-
dent Dreyfus says that he is not go
ing to lose it all by remaining here
and losing 5000 day. 1t is also known
that the powers that be are eager to
buy out the Louisville club in order
TO reduce the circuit to eight clubs.
1t is also known that many of the
clubs are eager to buy some of the
Louisville players. Clarke, Leach,
Wagner, Cunningham, Bowling, Phil
lipi and Dexter are in demand. The
others would sell from $500 to $1,000
apiece-at least most of them would.
1t is probable that the Louisville club
COulQ get SoU,UUO VI 1on,uuV LOT us play
ers. Earl Wagner, it is said, has given
an option of $4,000 on his Washington
franchise The Louisville franchise
ought to be worth at least $4,000 or
100000. With the grandstand burned
down, a very small attendance, and
the marketable value of players and
franchise 100000, fans can draw their
own conclusions. The officials of the
club have said time and again that
Louisville would remain in the league
until the 10-year contract had eX-
PRED This may be true and it may
not be true. Transferring the games
will not help the public to believe that
the team will be kept here next sea-
SON." =.
Besides the unmistakable signs that
they were newly wed, the fact that
she had secured possession of the rib
bons was very conspicuous, says the
Detroit Free Press. She fitted into the
hollow made by the protecting bend his
shoulder took on, and he called her
"dearie'' at the beginning or end of
every sentence. This was the first
game of ball she had ever attended, and
I christened him Job" after the first
half of the first.
Dearie-Why doesn't he hit the ball.
If that is what he is there for?
Joh-He is trying to, but the pitcher
has pitched three balls.
Dearie-Why, he hasn't, either; that's
the same ball he threw every time.
Job-Yes. of course; but it is called
ball If it doesn't go over the plate.
Dearie-Well, isn't it just as much of
a ball if does go over?
Job-No, no: it is II strike If it goes
in the right place.
Dearie-How perfectly silly. Does he
want that man to hit the ball?
Job--No, he is trying to keep him
from hitting it.
Dearie--Well, you said awhile ago
that he was trying to pitch the ball
over a certain place; that batter I'M
derstands that, doesn't he?
Job-Oh, certainly.
Dearie-What does he put it in that
certain place for, and yet not want that
man to hit it?
Job-He tries to fool the batter by
making the ball curve different ways
before it gets there.
Dearie-Well, suppose he does; if it
has got to go over that place, why
doesn't the batter keep his eyes on that
spot and then just as the ball gets
there hit at it?
Job-Don't talk quite so loud, deafle.
He couldn't do that. You see, he gets
all ready to strike, and II ball comes
over he gets back out of the way and
don't strike at it. .s,sLa
Dearie-Well, what on earth does he
strike at, if it isn't the ball?