The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-30
LAST WEEK WAS ONE OF
SURPRISES IN BASEBALL.
ST. Louis Enthusiasts Greatly Shocked by the News That Manager
Donovan Might Be Out of the Game Indefinitely = Some Wish
That Southpaw Jones Had Remained With the Cardinals.

WRITTEN FOR H SUNDAY
st. Louis fans received several shocks last
week. First, Bert Jones was released Just
as the hidebound enthusiasts thought he
was rounding to and ready to win his share
of games for the Donovanites. tn re-
lease of Jones had not grown cold. as q
subject of conversation. before the wires
from Boston flashed the news that Chaun-
cey Fisher had been signed by Manager
Donovan. The next morning every ST.
Louisan who has witnessed a ball game
this season was saddened by a report from
the Hub that Patsy Donovan was very iii.
and might be forced to undergo an opera
ton for appendicitis. Donovan grew better
on Friday. but II was q long twenty-four
hours of suspense In this city. The team
had been doing fine work on the trip. q
the thought of having that great outneld
broken up for some time seemed to ruin
the pennant hopes Of st. Louis.
Now that DonOvan's recovery has been
assured. and he will play In the game: on
the Fourth at League Park the OUTLOOK
becomes brighter than ever.
Bert Jones left. and 1t cannot be denied
that he would nave been valuable this
month. as he was In condition. He was TOO
lazy to work hard-that IL why he left the
Donovanites-and perhaps he would rave
thrown away games from sheer ennui. Al
any rate. he is not with the ciun. ana ~
will finish Just about as well rs 1t would
have done with him. There Is q report
among the ball players who are not en-
gagged, and who hold forth at League Park.
that Jones's arm has become SO crippled
that he will never be able to twirl good ball
again. Jones did have a kink In his lett
elbow this spring. but 1t always appeared
that an injection Of the Harper or Sudhon
brand OF ambition would cure 1t perma-
nently.
Just what Chauncey Fisher will do re-
mains to be seen. Donovan has his -FOUR
twirlers working well at present, and II
Fisher can do his share in July 1t should
be hard for any team to lead the Donovan
ties on August /. Tn Pirates will be on
their own diamond for nearly three weeks.
but they will have to make the three other
Western towns while the st. Louis club
will be at home. IL the Pirates are hauled
any closer to the second and third teams
In the next two games 1t should be a nip
and-tuck contest between st. Louis and
Pittsburg in early August. OF course. that
will not get the pennant for either of them
st. Louis has the advantage. The weather
here l. always depressing to visiting pitch
ers. None of them ever feel right here on a
hot day for more than five innings. In the
remaining four the Donovanites can usually
pile UP enough runs to win five ordinary
games. Hot weather Is not pleasant, by any
means. but the anxious fans are praying for
II 10 inst tnEOu9n tue Cunning mOntn- ne
st. Louis twtrlers are accustomed to the
heat. as experienced here. and they do not
have to travel in it-another great sdvant-
age.
1t does seem hard to stall on the Dc-a-
vanites I'm the next month. Hard luck will
stop any Of them, and II seemed to be COM
ing this way when Donovan was forced out
at Boston. IL Ill fortune does not cast its
lot with st. Louis baseball in July, there
will be exciting times At League Park.
Philadelphia will open the long series of
home games on Independence Day with
two games. one in the morning and the
other at the usual time in the afternoon.
The Quakers, like all the Eastern clubs,
have shown a marked Improvement on
their own diamond. The trip will not be
30 old AZ to affect them While here, and
1t will be another battle between ehetts-
line and Donovan. They broke even in
Philadelphia performance which should
give st. Louis three out of four on the
home grounds.
League will visit the tribe Of Donovan In
July. The peanant race should be an easy
one to guess at when the series 10 over.
Boston has been playing improved bali at
home. The pitchers Selee has are mighty
good men, and with any kind Of . team
back Of them they would form q DANCER.
Gus outfit. Selee seems to have broken In
. college man or two at last. and his ''ex-
periments' have an been returned to the
backwoods Of Pennsylvania.
"xbs feet that . player VIA has coma