Evening star., 1901-05-17
PASSING OF TWO STARS.

PASSING OF TWO STARS.
Breitenstefn and Rusie Have Drifted
to the "Has Been" Glass.
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
1t was a peculiar coincidence that Theo-
dore Breitenstein, the greatest left-hander
| base ball ever produced, and Amos Rusie,
the renowned right-hander should wind up
| their professional careers in the same week,
after each had performed for eight or more
seasons in the parent organization. 1t was
the Cardinals who put Rusie out of busi-
| ness-the Reds who drove Breitenstein from
fast company. Though neither Donovan
| nor McPhee has as yet announced the turn
| ing down of the two veteran twirlers, still
their releases are bound to come ere many
| more days have passed. The passing away
of Breitenstein and Rusie will be regretted
the circuit over. for besides being skilled
in the art of pitching both men were popu-
lar with the fans and numbered their ad-
mirers in four figures. Breitenstein was a
product of st. Louis having been born and
reared in famed Goose Hill" the early
stamping ground Of the Tebeau boys, Peitz
Flaherty and score of others who in after
years were prime favorites in National
League cities. Peitz was "Thes early re-
ceiVer. and for years they worked together
The pair. after graduating from the lots,
| had good success with Chris Won Der Ahe's
Browns. and. dubbed the 'pretzel battery"
were dS ldIIOuS dS SldfhSOH ana bennett
ever were Breitenstein went to Cincinnati
when Won Der Abe needed the money, and
shortly afterward Peitz, too, was corralled
by Brush. The two st. Louis lads expert
enced good success in the queen city, and
in the campaign Of 1900 Breitenstein won
more games than any of the other Reds
pitchers, winding up the race with 500
percentage of victories. He looked like a
splendid pickup for Donovan, but things
broke badly for him the three times he was
| on the firing line. and after his walloping
by Cincinnati last Thursday there appears
but little chance Of his continuing on the
pay roll Of the Messrs. Robinson. "Breit's"
career as winning twirier was longer
than than Of any other southpaw. Up to
bad campaign. He trained faithfully and
went to work with will for the local club.
but his mighty left, dreaded by the Dele
hantys, Lajoies, keelers, Kelleys and
Stahls In bygone days. seems to have lost
its cunning, and the Elys, Ritcheys, Irwins
and Corcorans found his slants easy to
| solve, where in previous seasons such weak
stickers wouldn't find him for a safety in
| a series.
Rusie halls from Indiana and his profess
slonal career dates back to 1888, when he
was a member Of the Indianapolis team
then with the National League. Though the
! Hoosiers trailed the field throughout the
| race Rusie won most of his games, and his
cannon BALI soon had him in great de-
mand. Rusie, like Breitenstein. was good
| old wagon" but he had to break down
some time. and that 14-19 the Cardinals
dealt him last Wednesday means his ban
ishment from fast company
Ihere has never been in all base ball his
| tory a pitcher more spectacular or more
widely famed than Rusie. He was a mat
| tress maker in Indianapolis back thirteen
years ago. getting $50 month. and pitch
ing on saturdays for amateur clubs. Jack
Glasscock gave him a trial. and he showed
elements of greatness at once. A slender
boy, wild as hawk, but possessing great
| speed and curves, he soon attracted much
III.
stopped the New York Giants. then playing
the ball that made them champions Of the
"orld. In 1880 Rusie went to New York
ana became at a bound the star pitcher of
the country. For several years after he
gained fame and flesh. and his mighty arm
did not begin to fail until 1897. Immensely
, rat, dlssipated and ill-tempered he quar-
relied with Andy Freedman and stayed out
Of the game in 1898. He came back in
1899 and pitched some few good games. but
quit again last season. Cincinnati got
MIN tn1s spring, and Amos worked hard to
get into shape. but all in vain. When in
his prime Rusie was the fastest pitcher
that ever lived, with speed almost incred-
tble. Men who were hit by Rusie went to
! the hospital and thanked Providence that
they lived The pitching distance was in
creased almost wholly account of
Husle awful speed, and even then he dis
abied dozen men or more per year Be-
sides his pitching. Rusie was a great bats
! man. and, despite his weight, tolerable
fielder.
Both Should Harmonfxe,
All that is required to make 1901 one OF
the most successful the game has ever
enjoyed Is harmony between the National
and American League clubs The mag
mates Of the old league blundered badly
when they refused to give the players
recognition at their December meeting
They regarded the declaration Of inde-
pendence by the American League as a
bluff and counted on Ban Johnson and
his associates suing for forgiveness and
returning to the national agreement fold
The American League ewould have been sat
lsfed with permtssfonito annex Baltimore
and Washington5 and equality in the gov
ernment OF the game with the National
Had these concessions been made the
American would not have been a rival of
the National. for the formers playing
strength would have been far below the
standard Of the latter When the Ma
tional put its players off without placar-
Ing them the American club owners took
advantage of the chance to add first-ciass
| talent to their teams and the result is that
there Is little difference in the brand Of
ball played in the two leagues Unfor-
tunately for the Fsece1ers it's Philadelphia
and Boston clubs are, apparently, out
elassed by the representatives Of cities of
the second class Another handicap is
that the gap between the first and last
clubs is far greater than ia the National
Notwithstanding the Athletics poor show
ing they have established a loyal follow-
ing of surprising proportions. The Phil
lies played better ball at home than Macks
men, but the National League park has
had but meager MISUNDERSTANDING
News.
Fraud Orders Issued.
fraud order was issued yesterday by the