The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-23
EASTERN LEAGUE.
President Pow ers
Thinks Well of
the Outlook.
TEAMS ARE STRONG
A Good Word for the Wor-
cester Club Prospects
of Successful Season.

President p. 7. Powers of the Eastern
organization for the season. At the re-
quest of the sporting editor of The Spy,
Mr.. Powers writes concerning the league
as follows:
ITO the Sporting Editor:
1.-THE base ball season of 1898 was gen
orally disastrous one This was due on
account of the very bad weather the first
six weeks of the playing season and the
intense excitement over the war with
Spain.
During the latter part of the season,
after the war excitement had subsidized,
the public took more interest in outdoor
sports, and of course base ball was the
chief attraction. At the close of last sea-
son things did look dark for the Eastern
League. The majority of the club owners
were rather fearful for 1899 on account of
the makeup of the circuit.
1T had been clearly demonstrated that
Ottawa was not a good base ball city,
and it was argued that Wilkesbarre was
so situated geographically that it was i'm
possible for the clubs to be Self-sustain-
ing another year. The owners of the OF
taWa club expressed a Willingness to re-
tire, but the Wilkesbarre people did not
feel that way. Later both clubs rendered
their designations, which left matters in
better shape. Buffalo requested the priv
ilege of being allowed to transfer to the
Western League, and no doubt would
have preferred to remain in the Eastern
President Franklin so expressed himself
but he feared trouble in getting Ottawa
and Wilkesbarre to retire. and therefore
Joined the Western. Whether the change
to the Western by the Buffalo club will
prove profitable or not remains to be
seen.
1.-The outlook for a successful season in
the Eastern League is now more encour-
aging than at the same time in former
years The admission of Worcester and
Hartford, makes the eastern division very
compact, and win Springfield and Provi-
dence there will be intense rivalry. The
present great interest in base ball and
the large crowds that are in attendance
daily at the National League cities is a
good indication that the Eastern League
with teams of equal strength and COM
pact circuit will enjoy prosperous 1893
season.
At Montreal, everybody is anxious for
the temperance of last years cham
pions, and great preparations are now be-
ing made for the opening game with the
Hartford club on May 10, when the new
Eastern League pennant Will be un-
furIed to the breeze for the first time.
"The makeup of the Montreal team,
with one or two changes, is the same as
last year. At Toronto things are going
dlODR SIlOOlHiHy lIlG lCdin Nbt W anOdt
the same as last year, and will be handled
the coming season by w. N. Taylor OF
last years Toronto team. -
Eat Rochester A G. Buckenberger Will
be the manager, and this means that
Rochester will be fighting hard all the
season. The team individually seems
strong, and l expect, with Buckenberger
hustling, the Rochester club Will stand
AT Syracuse Lew Whistler will be in
charge From all accounts the players
that Whistler has gathered about him are
young and aggressive; Only three or TOUR
Personally, I think the new faces will
bring back the old patrons, as it was the
general opinion that most of the old play
ers had been with the club too long. The
public like new faces, and If whistler
men are what they are cracked up to be-
Syracuse will be right in line again.
"At Springfield Tom Brown, the new
manager, has surrounded himself with
almost a new team. AS Tom with his
long experience in base ball, knows the
game from A to y there is no fear but
Springfield is well taken care Of, Tom
Brown is very well liked by all players
and will in a short time be just as popu-
lar at Springfield as the other Tom (Burns)
was.
Providence will again be under the
management of William j. Murray. Bill
has been under cover for some time, and
Z suspect he has something up his sleeve
which means well for Providence. Muir
raw enjoys the commence OF the IIONl-
dence owners, and rightly so, and has
been with the Providence club several
years.
1.-THE other two clubs, Hartford and Wor-
cester-will be handled by two men long
experienced in base ball. At Hartford
William Barnie is the owner as well as
the manager. He has engaged team in
dividually as strong as any club in the
league. has everything ready and enjoys
the respect and confidence of all the good
people of Hartford.
'srThe affairs of the Worcester club will
be taken care of by President Charles
Marston, and Manager Frank J. Leonard
is to have full charge of the players, and
the team now selected to represent Wor-
cester is looked upon as being very strong.
1 am confident that the public of Worces-
ter will be pleased with the team playing
and appreciate the enterprise Of Mr..
Marston by giving them such a good team
''Take it all in all: the outlook is good
of 1899 will be one of the most successful
in the history of the Eastern League
Respectfully,
up. T. Powers, President"