Evening star., 1900-10-20
JOYCE'S HANDICAP
An Interesting Story Anent the Sen
ators' One Good Season.
An EXCITING GAME RECALLED
"Bad Willie" Averse to Letting
Crooks and Rogers Go.
A MOST DISASTROUS TRADE
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
The story published in The Star last
Tuesday afternoon, to which credit was
given the st. Louis Globe Democrat and in
which "Scrappy Bill Joyce and "King
Jack" Crooks figured as the dramatis per-
sonae, was entertaining though incorrect.
1t is queer that such misstatements should
have birth in St. Louis, where Joyce and
Crooks live and where it would be easy
for the newsgatherer to get facts without
resorting to fancy when using the names
Of the above veterans to embellish story.
The facts are these: When Joyce was
manager-captain Of the Washington Base
Ball Club in 1896 he never traded Crooks.
"Scrappy' had had no look in on the deal
that transferred Crooks and Rodgers to
Louisville In exchange for Johnny O'Brien
and the $1,000 the Wagners paid to boot.
1t will be remembered that at the begin
ming Of the season Of 1896 Joyce, much
to the satisfaction of the Washington pub
lie, was installed as manager-captafn Of the
Senators. Gus SchmelZ was relegated to
the background. though under pay from
the Wagners Schmelz's salary at the time
was $500. and for six months he drew
the money and lived on easy street. This
was the spring following Gus iridescent
management of Tim Murphy In "a Texas
Steer" Of which venture the Wagners were
hackers and in which they lost many dol
lars. Joyce had success in handling the
Senators, though he had one awful road
trip; also one good one. The good one was
when Mercer pitched eleven consecutive
winning games and fandom was wrought
up to whitehead in Washington. 1t was
the best year professional base ball ever
knew at the capital.
When the Break Came.
But in the latter part of June Of that sea-
son cloud shadowed the horizon. Schmels
showed up, and though Earl Wagner stout
ly averred that Gus would have nothing to
do with the running of the club, all the
fans began to break heavy and see spooks
Gus good fellow personally, was considered
Jonah. 1t was an unhappy day for Joyce
when the Brush appeared. "Scrappy"
and Gus mixed like oil and water. For the
time being they kept apart Joyce handled
the team and SchmelZ looked after the
business end. SchmelZ wanted the reins
and the whip. and he had Wagner's ear.
The first time he showed his hand. also his
influence. was in Philadelphia, July 4, Of
the season now being discussed. AS usual
two games were played on the national
holiday. and Philadelphia, the best Of all
holiday cities. was quite financial plum
for the Wagners.
The morning game was played before
over 10000 spectators, and the Senators
lost by one run. In the afternoon the big
grounds at Huntington and Broad streets
were packed, fully 10000 people occupying
the seats and standing ROOM The Sena-
tors made runaway OF the game at the
start, and in the sixth inning were at least
eight runs to the good-perhaps more. They
batted every Quaker pitcher out Of the
box, and finally Billy Hallman, then play
ing second base, came In to end the farce.
Strange to say, Hallman proved mascot
and the tide turned The Senators COM
menced falling over themselves in making
errors and misp!ays, and soon the home
club cut down the big lead to narrow
margin. and in the ninth. with the bases
full, Catcher Jack Clements drove the bail
over the centerfield wall and Washington
lost a game that was gift. Bloody mur-
der was the talk in the bus back to the
hotel. Every fellow blamed 1t on the other
fellow. and a blue streak curled out of the
wagon as 1t bowled over the stony streets.
Joyce Wrongly Blamed.
Wagner and Schmelz blamed the whole
business on Joyce because he put in Nc
Cauley to catch instead Of Mcclure. The
truth of the matter was, Mcguire asked
Joyce to rest him, as he had awful hands,
but "Scrappy'' was game enough to say
he put McCauley in because he wanted to.
Really McCauley did lose the game by a
stupid play when he let Lush's throw In
from right field get by and roll under the
stand and three runs score before the ball
could be found.
Now as to the Globe Democrats state
ment about the trading of Crooks by Joyce
That evening a1tef the game all the players
were sore-dead sore They sat alone at
the tables In the dining room and looked
cheese knives at one another. A word
rightly placed would have brought on q
free fight. Joyce scowled until he froze
the vinegar in the cruets and made the
mustard look like baked mud.
The writer manufactured his story Of the
melancholy game and filed it in the tele-
graph office Of the hotel for transmission
to Washington. 1t was indeed ''sad
story" At the dinner table Impressario
Schmelz was vis-a-vis, and he Impaired
the information that he. accent on the he,
had traded Jack Crooks and Jimmy Rodgers
to Louisville for Johnny OBrien, and that
he had agreed to give Louisville 81 600 to
boot. The food on the table, though good,
did not taste good, and the writer sought
fresh air. Walking into the rotunda, where
the late Joe Campbell was debating his
leaning over the rail OF the stenographer's