The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-05
Base Ball.

York's genuine base ball Won
der, became a professional base
ball player In order to earn
money that he may graduate
from Buckncll College. If "Christy"
doesn't lose his stride he will be able
60 go to Yale and join a college fra
ternity.' That's the latest choice bit
Of information which has appeared
about the wonder arousing pitcher or
the New York team, and 1t Is the
Sunday Record-Herald man Of chi
cago who comments on the Factory
vile boy. Matthewson certainly has
achieved laurels for himself this sea-
son. but 1t Is no more than what was
predicted by all who used to watch
his work when he twirled for the
Young Mems Christian Association
The statement made In these COL
umns last week to the effect that his
team appears to be knocking the
Bucknell student has been confirmed
by the showing made in the games
Matthewson has pitched since. In
only few of the games which he has
twirled this season has his team
scored over three runs. and in almost
every instance the victory has been
There are several excellent stickers
on that New York team and they GER
tainly ought to be able to amass more
than the one or two runs per game
which is all they make every time
Matthewson is in the box
George Davis, Selbach. Van Haltren.
Hickman and Strang are all over
800 batsmen and hit like evil spirits.
when the other pitchers take their
turn on the rubber. The team fields
we'll behind Matthewson. but inevita-
bly, is helpless with the stick.
big Jack" Katoll one of the Chicago
American league teams pitchers, has
made but one hit this season and that
was home-run.
In an article on "rhe Ear Marks Of
Ball Player" written by "Muggsy" Nc
Graw for the Chicago Record-Herald.
the great little third baseman says: Il
am not stickler for some points or
discipline. I never drink in playing
season and never even took drink
until was twenty-three years old. and
have never used tobacco, which l
think affects the nerves and Injuries a
mans batting eyes. but / nave never
laid down any rules for the men on
those points. Rut do want early
hours. A ball player needs plenty of
sleep, and | ask my men to he in bed
by IL o'clock and earlier If they feel
like it, which they usually do. There
is no use to lay down irOnclad rules.
A player who wants to break rules Will
find some opportunity for doing so. ana
Il man who persist. in doing so is not
valuabla to any team. But you VIII
find the players. as rule. Just as anN-
ious to win as the manager or captain.
and are consequently in need Of little
discipline"
Joseph Weir. of this city. has been
elected captain of the Villa Nova base
ball team for next season. Weir plays
second base and shortstor on the team,
which is a very fast one. He is also
quarter on the foot ball team. He for
merly played with the st. Thomas col
lege base hall and foot ball teams, and
was one of Scranton's best all-around
athletes.
The Philadelphia Athletics have at
last struck their gait. and Detroit, Chi
Cago ana the other American league
], l,aders had now better look out for
big LA .ioin and his cohorts.
Base ball is not nearly as popular in
Baltimore this year as of yore, and
people there sigh for the days of Keller
and Jennings again. They declare that
they are only getting minor league ball
this season, and that the Americans
aggregation of teams is not nearly as
fast as those constituting the Nation
ais circuit Jack Dunn, of this city. is
one of the teams pitchers. and Keister,
who formerly played third for us in the
Eastern league, is guarding short field.
Danny Green leads the Chicago Ma
tional leacuers at the bat with the fine
average of 36S. He is the fleet footed
outtielder who formerly played left field
for Springfield.
Recent developments in base ball at
fairs have placed the hired men in a
position that they occupied before the
Brotherhood strike. Everything seems
to be coming the way of the ball play
ers. Salaries took leap upward with
out the players asking for it, and now
the courts have decided that the player
is no longer the so-called "under dog"
Indeed. the decision in the Lajoie case
shows that a players con-
tract is not worth the paper it is drawn
upon. and now, that the men are aware
shd' 'h's 'dh t-stIt d cluD without
becoming involved in legal complica-
tions, there may be some trouble 1t Is
the high salaries that the player is now
enjoying. however, that will act as a
salve for some of those who may have
a grievance. Not since 1890 have play
ers received so much remuneration for
their services as now. The salary limit
of the league is $4,000. This has never
been adhered to. Up to this year. how
ever. a club rarely went above the $3,-
DOO mark. At the present time there are
players in the National league and in
the rival organization who are receiv-
Ing as much as $4,000. In Boston, for
Instance. Dineen, who last year re-
reived $2,40O, compelled the club to
make out a contract calling for $4,000.
This is the amount he was offered by
the rival league club. and to hold him
A. II. Soden and his partners had to
raise his salary TO that limit. Colonel
Rogers, who was so badly shocked by
I decision of the court in his suit
against Lajoie, is now justified in saw
ing that there no longer Is any money
in base ball for the promoter He had
4 hard opposition to overcome to hold
his team from deserving to the rival
tague. Three Of his men are receiving
nearly 50, 500 for their services.