Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-10
Get ready for the gama.

lnoHneed intention = 0fy' retiring, WILT leayeEa big gap in the Philadelphia team. He isSthe peer of any back stop in the National league.
 The catehers in the State league will have to. do a little work this season under the new rule. It will be just as easy to let the balls go by them to the back stop as it was when they stood back the full distance. Where is the advantage in the rule, can any one explain?
 Manager Selee is the object of many unjust attacks on account of his turn ing down the Yale team. This refusal, however, was no mere whin, but was in accordance with a rule recently passed by the National league. The to-day mixes matters, and would seem to leave Boston open to criticism.
 Hartford secured another good play CT yesterday in Charles Kuhns. who will take the place of Gatins at short. Announcement was made last night that he had signed. Kuhns played with Worcester and Syracuse last sea- sen and is a very lively man. He is a quick fielder and opportune hitter and can run the bases.-Hartford Courant.
 The resolution passed at the recent meeting of the Eastern league direc- tors. to the effect that home teams shall make hotel arrangements for vis- itoFs. was particularly aimed at Buffa- To, where. because of the exposition. hotel prices have been soaring. A S10 rate has been sealed to S2 there. Providence will probably play some games at the exposition grounds.
 The Young Slashers of Scovill street would like to arrange q game of base ball with any team in the city under b years Of age.- Lfne-Ip-as follows: N. Martone, C: r. Murphy. D; ". Hig- gins, 1b: J. Higgins. 2b; T. Cusftep, 3b; A. Woods, ss; J. Claffey, If; o. Clafey, .ef; C.. Bergen, If. All ar engagements for games can be made with George Gorcoran, 3S Scoyill street.
 An interesting yarn Is told of how Jay Hughes came to return to the game: Mrs Hughes recently presented to her husband bouncing pair of twins. Hanlon was heard to remark that Hughes would probably find it money. Then came the raid of the American league. which resulted in ''Iron Man" McGinnity jumping the Brooklyn club. Hanlon needed a star box man. and Hughes and his twins needed the money. Therefore when the Brooklyn manager made the pitch CT big offer for the season he accept ed. at once.
 The fourth of Hartford's list of new base ball players was signed. Monday rafo Io TTo man is pitcher George Hodson. He cannot really be called new, as he was a member of the local team in 1899 and opened the season of 1900 here He did good work in '99, but in 1900 did not show up well. He pitched only three games and was then released, going to the New Haven team and re maining throughout the season. He pitched winning ball in the State league and finished well up toward the top. He pitched in thirty-four games and had a fielding average of .936. Hodson has been in this city nearly all winter. He has taken the best of care of himself and looks to be in the pink of condition. Manager Shindle is going to give him a fair try out, with the hope that he will mako good.
 Broadway" Smith has reported to the New York club and says that Me Graw had no right to send out the statement that he had signed with the Baltimore club. Smith will strength en the New Yorks behind the bat pro- viding he gets regular work. Hawley may turn up here soon, as he has had disagreement with the Milwaukee club. with which he said he had agreed to sign two weeks ago But there may be in waiting for Hawley the same kind of reception accorded to. Carrfck and Mercer when they went to New York last week with their de- mands for big salaries. Catcher Me Farland of the Philadelphia National has notified Manager Shettsline that he will not return to that club until his salary demands are complied with. All of the American league teams have reported and former National league players are with them: Collins, Stahl. Freeman, Ginger, Schreckengost, Young, Dowd, Lajoie, Cross. FultZ, Geier. Piatt. Bernhard. AIeGinnity, Howell, Robinson. McGraw, Williams. Donlin. Keister, Griffith. Taylor. Brad AGSs oANSdLlns. JOhcSSf StAlAdAhli. DdA- rett, Casey. Yeager, Gleason, Miller, Grady, Duffy, Connor, Garyin. Sparks, Clarke, Cafricl, Mercer and Grady.
 The new rule i'll the National league which prohibits clubs from gathering their players together for southern trips before April has been pro- nounced q failure. The late spring has played havoc with q number of the teams that have tried to get into condition at home. The Philadelphias have played a couple of games in that city, but soggy grounds and damp air have made it impossible to indulge in hard work. So far the New Works have had exactly three days of out door practice since they reported to Manager Davis. They had a game scheduled with the Columbia varsity nine yesterday, but it was cancelled because the grounds were not fit and the weather was too cold. The Bos- tons and Brooklyns. both in the south, have had fair weather, but not enough of it. Managers Hanlon and Selee de- clare. to make the teams as fast as usual at the beginning of the league championship race. The Pittsburgs. at Hot Springs, have not been favored by the elements, while the Cincinnatis at home have been similarly handicapped.