The hatchet. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1883-19??, 1900-06-10
THE ASPECT OF BASEBALL.
Off Season Chat of League
and Other News.
EIGHT CLUB SCHEDULE.
National League Players Signing
Their Contracts sIowly-A Remark
able Dream-A Little Story About
MoGraw--Mlnor News and Notes.


MoGraw--Minor News and Notes.
1t is too bad, but the condition of
base ball in this country to-day can
best be described by the single word
"Ichabod" There are several reasons
for this, but the most potent Is the fact
that the game carried on by the Nat
ional League savors too much of the
syndicate or trust spirit. Does the pub
lie care for that kind of sport? Or.
rather, is not at least 20 per cent. Of
that number is opposed to it? And II
that number opposed to 1t? And IL
prefer the old method which favored
individuality and provoked rivalry,
1t would be well to turn back and re-
sumo the practice that prevailed before
a few individuals owned 1t all. For
that 20 per cent. of attendance Is the
difference between profitable and los
ing base ball.
Minor leagues seem to be active, yet
| 1t Is a question whether the modern
game of golf, has not drawn away
| good many former base ball enthusl-
asts.
"These base ball magnates don't do
their business with the expedition that
they expect us to play games" re-
marked a veteran ball player, while
discussing the unsettled conditions of
base ball. "If we have a wrangle In the
excitement of the contest and delay
| play for few minutes, they raise a
row and indulge in roasts on us. Well,
we divide the year with them. Our sea-
son lasts six months, and theirs begins
| when ours closes Compare the results
of the playing and the business end,
and / guess you'll find that the players
are entitled to as much, If not more,
credit than their employers.
LET me tell you a singular dream
had recently. We had famed for sew
eral hours that night and my head was
| full of base ball when L sank into
! troubled sleep. 1t seemed to me that
was dead and was on my way to re.
port to the Great Umpire to get my as
signment for eternity. AS l entered the
portals l was surprised to receive a
cordial greeting from st. Peter. you'll
have TO go before the judgment seat
pretty soon, jack he said, and If you
will take my tip you'll refresh your
mind so that when you go to give an
account of your life you'll not overlook
anything l thanked him and began
to reflect. Don't trust to your memory
|
piece of chalk. Follow that aisle until
the first turn and just around the cor
ner you'll come to blackboard. Write
ON it all the lies you have told, big and
small. I'll be around in few minutes
with other instructions for you" The
piece of chalk he handed me was big
ger than bat and | was inclined TO
protest, but he moved me away. | fol-
lowed the directions, and as | hurried
around the corner ran into a National
League magnate, whose name often
appears in the papers but never in con-
nectlon with the championship club.
IS that you, JackY you here" re-
| piled, "where are you goingp Back
for more chalk" he said. Such
truthful answer from that man so sur
| prised me that l woke up. Some Of
these fellows would need two or three
boxes of chalk to jOt down the many
times they have ducked the truth"
"Connie" Mack, who is managing the
| Milwaukee club, of the Western
League, announces that Jimmy Burke,
the St Louis boy, will play third base
for his team next season. Mack, 1t ap-
pears, loaned Burke to the Rochester
club last spring, and recently yanked
him back TO Milwaukee.
George Decker, who played with
Muckenfuss' Browns for awhile in
1898, has gone to Los Angeles, Cal,
where he will remain until March. His
health was poor during the greater
part of last season, and, although he
says he feels well enough now, he Is
sure the trip to the coast will do him
lot of good. Decker has not yet signed
for this year. He looks doomed to drop
- l..
likely the American.
Pitcher Elmer Cunningham has not
vet signed with Pittsburg, and it looks
assured that he will be intrusted with
the management of the Louisville club
in the event of that club remaining in
the National League. Otherwise he will
become Pirate.
Taylor, of Toronto led the Eastern
League batsmen during the past sea-
son with percentage of 1885. Frisbee,
who played with Boston for awhile,
was third, Jimmy Bannon seventh,
"Tuck" Turner tenth, and BILLY"
Shindle twenty-fourth. Smink led the
catchers, Lew Whistler the first base
men, Taylor the second basemen,
Shindle the third basemen, Cooney the
shortstops. and McHale the outfielders.
Says Arthur Irwin in the Washing
ton Post: "McGraw had more conti-
dence in himself when he came into
the league as a kid, six or seven years
ago, than any yOungster that l ever
heard tell of. Wally Taylor, the Gov
ington boy who played for me at Tor
onto, played in the minor leagues with
McGraw. He was with him the day he
left to join Baltimore, and he is respon-
sibe for the story l am going to tell
which shows the amount of confidence
Mac had when he first came into the
league. Wally went to the depot to see
Mac off, it seems, and he gave him
the usual good wishes. McGraw re-
piled: Don't worry about me, Wally,
I'll get along; and, Furthermore, | ex-
pect to be che of the greatest ball
players that ever lived in few years,
because | intend to work hard Nc
Graw has made that good. He Is I'M
doubtedly one of the greatest ball play
ers that ever lived. l admire his gall
at times. In a game in Washington we
had the Orioles beaten to a standstill
In the eighth inning McGraw came to
the bat. He had one ball, when Mercer
shot one right over the plate. Mac let
il go by, and then turned around to
Hank O'Day who was umpiring, ana
gave him one of his characteristic