Omaha daily bee., 1901-03-10

understood to be knocking at the door Of
the Western league. II Watkins and
Pulliam, respectively the representatives Of
base ball in those cities, are sincere In
their professions then there can be no
doubt Of the solution Of the matter. They
cannot reasonably expect to obtain fran
chises in such an organization as the West
ern without paying for them aud the ones
70 settle with are Packard and Hulen.
Packard Is said to be not overly pleased
with the outlook for money, making with
his franchise located in Denver. and would
not be averse to consideration Of a propo-
sitlon from the eastern magnates.
Manager Rourke Of the Omaha club has
always been an ardent supporter of the
expansion idea. He favored the admission
OF Minneapolis, st. Paul and Kansas City
when certain OF his counsellors predicted
dire disaster In such a step. No one doubts
the wisdom Of the course pursued by the
league officials thus far, and none questions
the success Of the coming season in the
face of the more than nattering outlook.
Now Mr.. Rourke goes on record in favor
Of Louisville and Indianapolis 81 think the
prospects for the admission OF these two
cities into the league are very bright" he
says. "There is no doubt but that the
league would be strengthened thereby and
the circuit would certainly be better one
than with lop-sided circuit, such as will
be necessary with Denver as the only west
ern member
The influence. of the league would be
added TO by the admission OF these cities
and the strength Of the organization from
an executive standpoint would be greatly
increased with Watkins and Pullam in
managerial positions. The circuit would be
an admirable one, and there wouldn't be q
weak team nor weak city I'm the entire
league. St. Joe and Des Molnes are both
good base ball towns and will give a good
showing even in comparison with the more
pretentious cities in the league. In both
these cities there is an abundance of money
behind the clubs and they will be in the
running at all stages"
In view Of this latest development the
meeting Of the league at st. Paul this
week will be watched with a great deal
Of interest by base ball enthusiasts the
country over The circuit problem has Ger,
tainly assumed an Importance that was
little anticipated Instead of being merely
the question OF settling the eighth fran
chise in Sioux City, Pueblo or Colorado
Springs, 1t Is one of far greater import
This matter overshadows all others. Sched-
ule. players reserve lists, claim lists and
everything else have been relegated to the
rear to await their turn after the all-ab-
sorbng question is disposed of.
The formation of schedule has been
simplifed by the enlargement Of the circuit
from six to eight clubs. Each team will
play 1875 games, sxty-three at home and
sixty-three abroad. Omaha, for instance.
tvf1 pla at Wilb nth hor
club in the league nine OF them on the
home grounds and nine away from home
The playing season will begin May l ant
continue four months and half.
THE batter who gets anywhere near 400
with these new rules effective must be a
crackerjack." said an old-time fan yester-
day. with the pitcher slamming the ball
over the plate as fast as he can keep going
Mr. Batter isn't going to have much OF a
snap. Take these old stagers, for instance
who have to square themselves around get
certain poise and then lay for the proper
ball-they'll be so surprised at receiving
the ball over the plate once n minute that
they'll go clear up in the air.
But / do not consider that the new
rules will work hardship upon any par
ticular player. The batter receives the ad-
vantage of having the catcher right back
Of the plate all the time and the pitcher
will have the best of Ii when the fouiing
off OF balls registers up a strike for each
offense. unless there are two strikes. Out
west here we don't see much of this fouling
of. but in each of the big league teams
there is a certain man who comes near
driving pitcher crazy because of his
ability to foul off ball after ball. Take, for
instance Thomas of the 'Phillies Muggsy'
McGraw, Koehler of Brooklyn and Nc
Carthy OF Chicago. They are able to make
a pitchers life miserable for him whenever
they get up to bat.
THE new rules are splendid in every
particular They will ginger up the game
and shorten it, No danger of base ball
games becoming monotonous or of spec
tators getting tired out and leaving tho
grounds along about the seventh inning.
They'll stay TO the finish now and won't
have TO miss their dinners, either"
There won't be a boozer on the Omaha
team next year" says Manager Rourke.
Absolute sobrety is one of the things that
will demand of my players. A ball player
cannot accomplish his best work when he
spends his nights in carousal and comes on
the field tired out and perhaps under the
influence OF liquor SO far as | know
haven't signed n man who is addicted to
the habit and II ! find out that any OF
I them are flirting with the grape off goes
| his head"
! The Omaha players will report for duty
! April l and a month of good hard practice
will be engaged in before the opening OF the
season. Manager Rourke will have a regu-
lar routine mapped out for his players and
before the month of April Is finished he
expects to have every man-jack of them
in prime condition
| Contracts have been let for improvements
at the Vin;on street park which will add
materially to the field. The right field will