The Anaconda standard., 1899-09-03

The Chicago clubs championship
chances have been sacrificed by the
dissipation and dissoluteness of ma
jority of its playsers, says the Sporting
News. They know more about the
form of the race horses than they do
about the standing of the clubs in the
pennant race and think more of two
pair, three of a kind and flushes than
doubles, triples or home runs. The sal
ary list3of the team approximates $40,-
900 and several receive more than $2.400
for their services for six months. Dis
cipline is not enforced because there
are so many gamblers and Incorporate
players in the club that the club Off
cials do not dare to deal summarily
with them. The only course left to
President Hart is to trade the chief Of
tenders and fill their places with men
of better habits. The delay in adopting
this remedy has been due to the fact
that the most intractable men are
among the best members of the club
and rank as stars in their positions.
First-class players are such splendid
property that a club can i'll afford to
part with them even though their value
is impaired by bad habits when there
is chance of reformation. Anson al
lowed anarchism to establish itself
the ranks that Manager Burns is un-
able to stamp it out, and as con-
sequence the. city WITH the best pat
ronage in the National League viii
u a"e to put up in all probability with
u second division team for lN9' The
bad example of the older members "s
the team has had an evil influence on
this years recruits and the young
ster who holds aloof from drinking.
and gambling is antagonized by the
sporting element. President Hart
should place no reliance on ante-sea-
son promises of reformation, but pro-,
coed to make deals that will raise the.
moral standing of his team. AS long
as the Chicago club continues to en-
ploy gamblers and drunkards it will
have no championship chances.
Tim Donohue is comical cuss. The
Colts catcher and captain is freak
ishly built and his appearance sug-
gests the typical stage Irishman. One
can find amusement in watching him
walk Tim is quite a sport and is al
ways ready for a poker party or
plunge on horse race. His judg-
ment is none of the best, but his abil-
ity to fill bob-tail flush or tighten
up two pair is unrivaled. He takes
great many liberties with the queens
English and often springs words on
his listeners not to be found in Web
ster's unabridged. He is a Walking
encyclopedia on baseball. He not only
knows his own average for every sea-
son he has been out, but can give you
the batting and fielding performance
of most of his fellow players. Tim
owned a saloon in Chicago, but has
sold out to his brother. He says that
it was a good investment, but he
concluded that the ownership of a
drink foundry was a knock to
him as a ball player. II had the sense
to keep it in the family, however" he
says. None of the Donohues give up
a good thing altogether. l patronize
it occasionally just to show my brother
that l am a good fellow
Catcher Bergen of the Fort Wayne
club of the Interstate League has
made a fine record for continuous
catching. The brother of the great
Boston backstop, since the beginning of
the pennant race, caught in 96 games
and in the last So without missing an
inning. AS the strain began to tell
on him. Manager Glasscock insisted
on his taking rest for few days.
The younger Bergen seems to be the
antithesis of his famous brother in dis
position and it is to be hoped that in
time he will be the latters equal from
professional standpoint
"Burkett is a companionable fellow,
and as good ball player as l ever
knew" said Pat Tebeam. He gives
and takes on the ball field, but as soon
as the game is over he drops all his
aggressiveness and is every mans
friend. He'll speak his mind, and it
makes no difference to him whether a
man has been in the business for 10
years or 10 days. Just keep your eyes
and ears open out at League park.
Every once in while you'll hear Jesse
tipping off a pitcher, or an infielder
oH an attempted bunt, or some other
play which he anticipates, and / must
say that he makes few mistakes. Some
times he'll play the field wrong for
batter, or let a ball get away from
him on a bad bound, and when he
comes to the bench he'll lace himself
more than he would any one else. His
whole heart is in a game, and he is
a credit to his profession in every
way"
SO far this season in the Western
League there have been 3S shutouts
as against 15 for the entire season last
year. Milwaukee has been the victim
of IL of this number and Buffalo comes
next with eight. Grand Rapids has
failed to score on five different occa-
sions and Minneapolis and st. Paul
could not get run over the rubber
four times this season. Kansas City,