The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-29

able TO move around. He denies the re-
port that he will play with Milwaukee or
Indianapolis.
This Kuhns. signed by Watkins for his
indianapolis club. acted as utility man on
the Hartford team last season. He is a fair
sticker and has a great throwing arm.-De-
troit Free Press.
Chicago sporting writer's are still talk
ing Of a twelve-club league, with Ban
Johnson and a. G.. Spalding as joint rulers
and Spalding, Johnson and Powers TO form
q board Of control.
Tim Flood. a graduate OF the Interstate
League, will succeed Tom DAILY at second
for Brooklyn. Fort Wayne has turned out
many good players that have found their
way into fast company.
If Detroit signs all the players that have
been announced there will be no doubt
Of where the championship will go next
season. Bill LANCE is now mentioned in
connection with Detriot-only mentioned"
however.
There is no ikihood that Keller will
play with any American League team next
year." says Ban Johnson. for / think
he IS obligated to Hanlon in some way
Comiskey tried TO get Keller early last
fall, but he would not sign with him, and
when Commy fails to get anyone he goes
after there is little show for anyone else
10 get him after he falls"
The Philadelphia Inquirer SAYS it looks
as if Spalding's vocal pyrotechnics were a
trifle premature in his determination to
GUST Freedman from the National League.
The Inquirer claims Freedman has the
best Of ii, ard by owning the leases Of
he controls the baseball situation in New
York. as ii would be suicidal for a club to
try TO secure other grounds.
President Quin. Of the Milwaukee Club,
is authority for the statement that he nay
erect a steel structure for a grandstand
on his grounds at Eighth and Chambers
streets, a letter received from his cousin,
the son of Senator Clark. of Nevada, indi-
eating a Willingness to make permanent
improvements on the grounds of a sub
stantial character, This step will not be
taken if the Milwaukee Association men
lease the old ball park in that city.
Walter Wilmot, who has the Minneapolis
American Association contract, is in Kan
sas City and has been quoted as follows
regarding peace: And If they do unite on
a peace footing" said Mr.. Wilmot, the
American Association will be i'm the COM
bine. They can't keep us out and this
talk of our being outlaws is all nonsense.
All we have done has been 10 invade a
few cities and that is no more than the
American League has been doing for some
years. If the American League is a party
to the combine they canno consistently
refuse us admission"
1.-The only thing that will bother us next
season." said Fred Clarke, will be cutting
down to the sixteen-rule. You see. with
a rule of that kind you can carry five
pitchers, three catchers, the regular in
and OutfelderS and one utility man. Well.
we have the sixteen we were carrying
last fall and have added Merritt, Smith
and ConrOy. Take out Yeager and we
still have eighteen men, all of champion
ship quality. for Smith and Conroy are
as good as they grow. Now then, how
are you going to arrange it?" While
Clarke would not say so. it is limited that
Burke will be turned loose and Doheny
or Poole or both handed over to st.
~Louis.-Chicago Inter Ocean.
Umpire Tom Brown is Of the opinion that
the most successful pitcher is the one that
succeeds in starting the batsman to guess
ing at the very start of the game. on
this point he said the other day: 1T has
often surprised me that a pitcher does
not start the first ball he pitches across
the plate with a curve. This is usually
considered a crazy thing for a pitcher to
do, but its very craZiness is what starts
the batsman on a road Of uncertainty. IL
this pitcher uses a curve ball for his first
effort, the batsman will argue, he is defy
ing all tradition in regard to pitching, and
is liable to keep on with his crazy PERFORM
ance. This thought worries the batsman,
he loses confidence, and thereafter the ad-
vantage is all with the pitcher. Usually the
first ball pitched is a curve or a straight
ball that goes wild. or a straight ball over
the plate. When this rule is broken by a
pitcher. which is but seldom, the batsman
CufTprS