Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-15
BASE BALL BIS.
Both the Big Leagues are Strengthening for the Battle.

DUH Iu0 DIE A0d6u uOo AA0 Strengthening for the Battle. The Connecticut League Magnates
 Will Meet Soon For Business-Hart-
 ford's Star in the Eastern League Is
 Not So Bright-Derby Objects to
 Being Put Out of the State League
 Notes on the Game.
 President Hurley is on the road hustling for ball players. It will not be his fault if Worcester does not land the Eastern league pennant.
 Danny Green has signed again with the Chicago National league club. The American league was after Green, but did not t~succeed in signing him.
 Edward NJ. Lewis, formerly pitcher on the Boston National league team, will join the staff Of pitchers on the Utica State league team iD June. According to Baltimore paper q league has been unearthed in pitch CT named McGurr, who did good work in the Southern league.
 "ltU Nau la1tICA, Seib.tCA anu Hickman in the outfield, New York ex- l poets to be very strong back of the | bases this year. Eickmans signed 1 contract has been received.
 Connie Mack has completed the I pitching staff of his Philadelphia ! American league team by signing Phil | lips of the Cincinnatis- The others are said to be Mercer, Platt and Will lis.
 There is scarcely any doubt at all that Fred Parent will sign an Ameri- l can league contract today in Boston. | He has expressed his willingness to sign q contract as soon as it is sent to l him.
 | Charles Hickman, probably as popu- | lar a man with the New York fans as plays OH the New York team. has sign ed with the Giants for another sea son. Hickman is one of the strongest batsmen in the league.
 The controversy that has arisen over the alleged signing by Sheckard of two | contracts, one with Brooklyn and the other with Baltimore. Mana ger Han lon believes should give no loyal sup porter of the champions cause for alarm. He is certain that Sheckard will play with Brooklyn, and that there is q chance of getting Howell. Jimmy Collins did not call on Di rector Billings during his recent vis1l to Boston, as he saw no necessity fol | such a move after he had signed ar American league contract. "There was nothing that MT Billings could say that would interest me- Collins said ''If he wanted to see me he knew where I was staying"
 Bad weather has delayed opera tions on the Huntington avenue grounds in Boston considerably. The contractors for the building will save no small sum owing to the fact tha, the foundations of the old Manufac turers and Mechanics institute, whicl was destroyed by fire, were found tC be in excellent condition.
 Ambrose F. Kane, who works in the shoe shops at Whitman, has beer signed for the Boston American league team. He is 22 years of age, and has played for five seasons on the Whit man team. Last season he pitched { game against a Harvard team at Barn stable and proved very effective. H. was recommended to the Boston people by Umpire Miah Murray.
 Manager Selee is kept busy these days running around looking for new talent. He says he rather likes tn, situation. He couldn't win with ole blood, and he may with new. and some stars are sure to be found. Jack Barr! and Pitcher George Brookes hay,
 signed with the Boston Nationa
 league club. Brookes was a membe
 of last years Meriden team. Says Ban Johnson: ''There can b.
 no trouble at all for the Ameriea1
 league resulting from the option claus
 or from the contract between tn
 leagues. Those matters were settled
 and dismissed from my mind som time ago. Rest assured, We hay
 taken no steps without having had tn best legal advice. We will have ou full quota of stars'' President John i, son says that Young will be with tn .. American league.
 The Eastern league is apparently il , danger of losing Hartford from th r circuit. The town has not been to , strong at any time, and since Spring , field has been dropped there is flea , that the lack of local rivalry will hur , the game much. The Springfield , Hartford battles were always well at n tended and the receipts from thes
 games were looked to to balance u :. the lesser takings that were recordc 1 when some of the weak teams of tn
 league struck the insurance village Providence Telegram.
 s'Piggy" Ward, the great secon :. i basenan, has signed With Norwich C r: the Connecticut State league for tll }. coming season. Captain Tiche has n,
 tified Manager Ii. B. Davenport tn:
 he has signed Ward. The captain SCI
 word that Ward would easily lead tt E. league in his position. He played wit H Worcester and Hartford last seaso l' and had previously beer iE the Natiol
 al and Pennsylvania leagues. He wa
 captain of the champion Lancaster :. for several seasons. Last season th r Hartfords did their best work whil 7. Ward was with the team.
 l. Manager Roger Connor of the W: y terbury base ball team has been vel t busy the past few days signing pla S CTS for his team the coming seaso l. Several of the old team of last ye: '- have not been signed nor have tho . consulted with the manager as