The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-24

Yields 55-ounce bat Those in use by
most of the players weigh only "a or
Sc ounces.
Miss Grace Giselman, fiancee of Bill
LANCE, spent few days in Chicago re-
Gently. She was on her way home in
San Francisco to take passage for an
extended tour in Europe. She is not at
tending any of the ball games. and, in
fact, knows nothing about the game
in which her prospective husband is SO
proficient.
Frank Boyd has given up the task
of umpring. Asked how he liked the
job, Boyd replied: 1T was the hardest
work l ever put in in my life. To be-
gin with knowing every player in the
Eastern league made the task still more
severe, for where you would expect the
men you formerly played with to help
you out, they were the worst of the lot,
and had no more respect for ones feel
ings than dog would have. l would
rather play than umpire any time
Outfielder Fleming, who used to be
with Indianapolis, has signed with
Washington.
Cleveland did not win a game from
Brooklyn this season.
Team work won the Western league
championship and it will land Brook
Ign in first place at the close of the
National league race. Good manage
ment is meeting with its reward.
The drafting season begins on Oc-
tober l and lasts to January l. Dur
ing this period National league clubs
have the privilege of securing any
minor league player by paying $500 for
a Western or Eastern league man. 5000
for an Interstate league man and 5000
for a New York state league, New
England league or Connecticut league
man.
The raid of the minor leagues has
N,,+ vDl,,
will be subject to draft during the
major leauges period of selection.
Many thousands of dollars have been
invested in young players who have
shown ability, and many of them are
being tried out. The Cincinnati club
is the heaviest investor and it is con-
sentative estimate that President
Brush has made an outlay of SIS, 900 in
the hope of securing two or three first
class players.
President F. deHass Robson favors
a reduction of the National League cir
cult and is hopeful that there will be
only eight clubs in the next pennant
race. He frankly says that the condi-
tons of the game are not satisfactory
and regards the reduction of the major
circuit as the best and only remedy.
The result will be the equalization, as
far as possible, of the playing strength
of the clubs. which are retained and a
consequent improvement in the article
of ball played. Instead of spend
ing one-third of the championship sea-
son in playing with inferior teams at
home or abroad at loss the eight we'll
equipped clubs will divide their time in
the best ball cities in the country and
almost double their earnings. While all
the magnates favor the early dissolu-
ton of the 12-club circuit, there is 4
i i A.
it should be brought about. The own
ers of the New York, Boston, Philadei-
phia and Pittsburg clubs decline to con-
tribute dollar to the purchase of the
franchises of the retiring clubs. Presi-
dent Robson declares that he has lit
tie or no doubt that the owners of the
Cleveland, Washington, Louisville and
Baltimore clubs would resign from the
league, provided they We're paid rea-
sonable sum for their respective hold
ings. The st. Louis, Chicago, Cincin-
natl and Brooklyn clubs are willing to
subscribe a fund for this purpose. The
opponents Of this plan prefer to con-
tinue the present conditions to making
an outlay of money to accomplish it.
The reduction of the circuit seems 10
have made an issue between the fac
tons of the league. Messrs Soden,
Freedman, Rogers and Kerr do not
seem to realize that the increased prof |
its that will accrue to them in the |
event of the reduction, will In short |
time more than recompense them for |
the amount they may invest to bring |
it about
The public's belief in the honesty of /.
the game is so strong that syndicated |
baseball is tolerated, the transfer of |
players from club to club under the |
same ownership is allowed and jug |
mon. The games integrity is pre- |
served in spite of the Vaccinations |
of the men behind the clubs. But why |
should it be handicapped by such sus-
picious and unsportsmanlike environ
ments? Instead of surrounding the
game with such safeguards
as to warrant absolute integrity and
the magnates resort to queS-
tionable actions. They speak disparg-
ngly of each other, declare that this
and that umpire is a robber, charge
that the games are not decided on
their merits, and yet the popular faith
IN the integrity of the sport is not
shaken. They point the finger of sus-
oicion, but patrons refuse to believe.
Baseball is not dishonest, but the game
$ in bad hands. The men behind the
,lubs are too small and selfish to de-
'elop the national pastime of a great
people. The game has grown in spite
If them, but has not attained the pro-
portions commensurate with its pos
sibilitieS. Even the National league,
with all its powers and prestige, is
practically a failure. Three of it's clubs
Cleveland, Washington and New
York-are not worthy of patronage,
md are an imposition on the public.
This disparity in the playing strength ,
If the teams is such that the cham
race becomes farce. Before
he season is a month old more than
half of the teams are without pennant
The percentage of victories
If the tail-end clubs is conclusive proof
If the incompetency of the club owners
Who are banded together to protect
and promote the mutual interests of
base ball clubs" and Ito J
establish and regulate the professional
of the United States"
for the unsatisfactory
condition of baseball in the minor !
eagues rests also with the National
eague magnates who refuse to sur
'ender territory improbable to them,
nut desirable for less pretentious and
expensive organizations.