Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-07
BASE BALL DRE[IES.
One of the Hottest Fights in the
 History of the Game.

History of the Game.
 The National Has Lots of Money and
 Other Advantages-The American
 Has a Good Bunch of the "Long
 Green" and Plenty of Pluck - Ma
 tional League Players Dropping
 From the Ranks-Eyerything Points
 to Great Contest.
 Manager Roger Connor has begun signing his players for next season and he already has several of the contracts returned with the signatures of the players. Several have asked for an increase in salary, but it is doubtful if they will receive it at the opening of the season. at least. If the attend ance warrants it later in the season. salaries can be advanced. Some of the players have not even deigned to answer the letters sent to them and have ignored the manager altogether. To these he says that he will proceed to fill their places and perhaps they will find themselves not playing base ball the coming season. He has aDpli- cations by the score for all positions, and he does not propose to daily With any of his players. especially when they have not the courtesy 70 answer his letters. One player he expects to make an example of before the season has far advanced. and unless ha signs with the American league which Is very doubtful he will keep him out of base ball for some seasons. This player has been well treated and was paid good salary. but he has been guilty of something that the best na- tured manager would not stand for and he will now find himself outside the breastworks.
 Denny Reardon sends down word from Holyoke that h" is in great con- dition and that he wants to get back into the game once more. His arm | and shoulder are ell ri~ht and he be- lieves that he can pitch as good base ball as he ever did. He may be given another trial.
 | Joe Herndon asked for his release and he said that he could sipn with an- other league and with bigger salary. Manager Connor told him that he could have his release if the club wanting l Pete Kiernan. the popular third baseman, is holding off for raise in salary so it Is said. and so is Frank Fitzpatrick. There is no doubt but that Manager Connor would give both of these players raise in salary if he could afford to do so. but they are gO- ing about getting that raise in a very strange manner. ,- -. | There will be many new faces on the local team this year. and some of them will make the fans open their eyes. Tile old man has not been idle this winter, and he has prepared him. self for just such emergencies as are beginning to take place now. He can sign fourteen new men at the present l writing, but will give some of last seasons tea m the first chance. That chance will end within few days.
 The Brooklyn base bail club is mak- ing better progress in signing players for the coming season than any other club in the National leag que. Since the meeting of the magnates last week Ebbets and Hanlon have signed Billy Keeler. Joe Kelley Bill Kennedy and last. but not least, Jay Hughes, who led the pitchers of the league the year before last. 1t will be remembered that Hughes declined to come east last spring because of q profitable chance 10 play independent ball in California It was chiefly Hughes's fine pitching that won the pennant for the Brooklyns in i 1899 and when he backed out of tho team it was generally believed that Hanlon would miss him. But the champions manager had McGinnity l to supplant Hughes and the former s phenomenal box work is still fresh in the memory of the cranks- McGinni- ty has jumped Brooklyn. however, and will play with the Baltimore American league team this year. James Sheck- ard the best base runner in the league. has also sent word to the Brooklyn officials that he will be with them again this season, iE spite of some tempting offers from the American league. Centerfielder Jones, Pitcher Howell, Third Baseman Cross and Outfielder Fultz are believed to have deserted the champions for the new league. but Hanlon says he is not wor- rying. He expects to have Hugh Jen- nings back in June. unless the latter is traded to some other club. It would not be at all surprising to see Jennings on the Philadelphia National league team, as Reach and Rogers will have to secure some stars to fill the places of Lajoie. Mcfarland. Flick, Piatt Slagle and others who have jumped tC Connie Mack's club. Manager Collins of the Boston American league club says that his team has been practically completed and will be as follows:
 Catchers. Criger and Shreckengost pitchers, Dineen and two others; in fielders, Freeman, Parent Ferris an( Collins; outfelders, Dolan, Stahl ant HemDhill.
 Sullivan, the Boston catcher, has jumped to the Chicago American league club. The St Lnnis Nationa league club has signed Pat Donovan as captain and manager. and Outfleld
 CT Rurkett. Donovan will have flart