The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-05

Z.
losses of the league demanded a more
economical policy, and consequently the
reduction of salaries. Such lofty salar-
les as $4,000 and $4,000, paid to players
of the reputation of Comiskey, Ewing
and Hanlon, came under the cheese
pairing knife. The players groaned, but
were obliged to bear It. There were no
more angels prepared to undergo the
clipping of the financial wing.
The league met with another handi-
cap in 81 in it's fight with the Ameri-
can association. After that disastrous
season the leaders of the league, in
Guiding John T. Brush and Charles
Byrne, met Chris Won der Abe, then
the associations big mogul and ar
ranged the present twelve-club league
which is bound by the ten-year COM
pact made at Indianapolis. The condi-
lions of baseball in 81 demanded this
twelve-club amalgamation. There are
several club owners who believe the
conditions have changed radically, and
that the ideal up-to-date league should
consist of eight clubs or a return to
the older order Of things that existed
when the American association and
league were in the field. Perhaps such
change would be better. 1t would
doubtless benefit those eight clubs that
represent the larger cities. l have
given this subject the closest attention
this. compact, formed at Indianapolis,
can be severed to the complete salts
faction of the IL clubs,
Baseball, or rather the rules that
govern the playing of the game. have
undergone radical changes since the
sport came into professional existence.
The pitching rules have been changed
repeatedly and radically, while other
statutes have been amended. But with
all these changes the rule-makers never
advocated that the size of the diamond
be altered. The diamond has remained
the same since baseball evolved from
the ancient old English game of round
ers. The most original ball player and
manager the game has ever seen is
Harry Wright 1 say is because his
name will stand in the chronicles of
baseball as long as the sport lives. The
quickest witted player to turn an inn
provised trick was poor Mike Kelly.
The most versatile, and to my notion
the greatest player, taking him all in
all, was the late Charley Ferguson. who
could catch. pitch, play the infield and
outfield, run bases. and play brainy, ar
tistic ball. regard Al Spalding. Charles
Radbourne, and Charles Nichols as the
foremost pitchers in their respective
generations: George Wright, Jennings
and Long the leading shortstops. and
Fogarty the greatest center fielder.
The season Of SO promises well after
the past year of financial disaster to
SO many teams, due in no small meas
ure to the war. A reaction is bound to
follow, and in the course of events it
ought to come this year.
The Boston club will ctart the sea-
son with practically the same team,
with the addition of two or three new
utility men and probably a famous
catcher to replace Yeager. There is 20
be but few and perhaps no changes in
the Baltimore club, and I am almost
positive that the present team of ORR
oles will remain in Baltimore at least
another season, and probably till the
10-year compact has expired. If Mr..
Hanlon is able to secure the services
of that splendid pitcher, Joe Corbett,
for another season, he will have a team
that will soar high in the race all the
year.
'Messrs. Brush and Ewing have
strengthened the Cincinnati Reds in
batting. pitching and in the outfleld.
The purchase of Jack Taylor was a
master stroke. and gives the Reds as
strong pitching corps as any team in
the league. Mr.. Brush, with his GUS
tomary liberality, put up big price for
Selbach, whose batting and base run
ming will push many needed tally ov-
er the plate, while his work in the
outfield will be one of the features If
the Reds next season. Chicago is
stronger in the battery points by the
acquisition of Pitchers Taylor and Pyle
and Backstop Nichols. one of Tommy
Burns discoveries from his old team at
Springfield, Mass. Danny Green, also
from Springfield, who played in the Or
phans outfield late in the season, will
give that stccky little gentleman, Mr.
Mertes, hard run for the permanent
possession of right field In the two
games in which Green participated in
Washington he struck me as an az
tive young athlete, and while he made
no hits-I believe he batted against
Weyhing-I like his position at the bat.