Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-04-01
4 REVIEW OF Sports.
VARIOUS MATTERS OF INTEREST
TO LOVERS OF ATHLETIC
SPORTS.
EVE OF THE BASE BALL SEASON
Finds General Activity Throughout
the Interstate Circuit-oscar Gard
ner and His Coming Engagements.
Bowling and other Matters of In
terest.

There was nothing in the quality OF
the weather during the past week to
suggest the proximity Of the formal
Inauguration of the base ball season,
yet the latter part of the present
month will find the fans" enthused
over actual contests on the diamond.
For several months their interest has
been of the latent sort In little
more than fortnight the welcome cry
of play BALI will fall from the lips
OF the umpire, and then Will sedate
merchants and dignified professional
men so deport themselves as to convey
the impression to disinterested ones
that they have suddenly entered
queer land. Dyspeptic and sour
livered mortals may ridicule the game,
but the fact remains that base ball is
the cleanest, most wholesome and
healthful sport in the category of ath-
ietics, and it has the additional merit
of being a distinctively American IN
Btitution. 1t is one game In which pro-
fessionalism is not a synonym Tor dis
honesty. The instances are few IN Dase
ball history in which the game mas
been tainted with suspicion, and every
ease of fraudulent practice has been
30 severely punished as to make II
exemplary. There has been rowdyism,
but more often on the public thor
oughfares. There has been profanity,
but sins Of this sort are more frequent
in the Office or the counting room.
The National Board, which has JeaI-
ously guarded the integrity OF the
game, has wisely granted almost ao-
solute authority to the umpire, and
fines are more severe and more fire.
quently administered than for the same
offenses If committed elsewhere.
This will be a crucial year in
Wheelings base ball history. Every
hope of past seasons, every dream OF
prestige, has been rudely shattered
through incompetent or close-hsted
management. Lovers of the game are
no more exacting than they are else
where, yet their local pride precludes
the possibility of extending paying
patronage to a team which does not
sustain the dignity Of the city. Too
often there has been lacking an honest
effort to win, the very thing which
makes defeat bearable. There has
been such wide gulf between mana
gerial promise and performance, that
the limit Of forbearance has been
reached. Unless Wheeling is given a
good article of base ball this season,
the sport will be dead here for an in
definite period.
This is a fact which Messrs. Healy
and Lyle, to whom the future of the
game is entrusted, fully realize. They
have declared their purpose to meet
the situation as 1t has been stated, and
to do these gerSsmen full justice, it
must be said that they have SO far
proceeded in a way to justify the hope
on the part of the fans" that Wheel
ing will not be trailing along In the
rear in the Interstate race this season.
All the money secured from the sale Of
privileges and season books, has been
expended upon the team, and If it does
not possess the requisite strength to
stand one-two-t three, 1t will not be for
lack of honest and intelligent effort.
1t is very largely question of reve-
nue., and with Sunday games and ex-
ulDtIlOa SdlllCo VIII 4NdllOudl I1cdS ltO
clubs, the management should be in
position to provide winning team for
this city.
Jack Hamilton's friends claim that
he was robbed of the decision in his
bout with Jack MoClelland, and while
IN most cases these statement are
mere excuses for defeat, the past sins
Of the pfffch,ror cpa,tc tbrouy OF loo
a shadow of suspicion on the affair.
Hamilton's coming contest with Oscar
Gardner will be one of the most not
able ring contests ever pulled off here.
While Oscar may not be able to whip
Terry McGovern, he is still more than
a match for other fellows in his class.
Hamilton's hands are said to be in
poor shape, but he gave a good account
of himself in his fight with McClelland.
Oscars lip, which was cut open at the
first dash out of the box by Patsy
Healy, is healing up nicely, but will
require some guarding when the
"Kid" faces Hamilton in the ring on
the 9th inst.
The recent victories of Eddie Gard
ner have upset all the calculations of
the knowing ones who thought they
had line on his fighting ability. He
has been an agreeable surprise to his
friends, and while he deserves all the
kind things which are said of him, it
is folly to compare him with Oscar,
to the disadvantage of the latter.
Especially is this true in view of the
fact that his string of victories is
small one, and he has not vet been
given such thorough test as Oscar has
undergone during recent years. Eddie
appears to lack the ring generalship of
his brother. and has not yet shown that
he is such hardy fellow as Oscar. He
is equally clever, however, and as hard
puncher. With Oscar behind him he
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