Waterbury Democrat., 1902-04-14
BASE BALL BEGINS.
First Game To-Morrow With
 Boston Americans.

Interview With Jimmy Collins the l Master Mind of the Bostons--Praise
 for Lachance, Prentiss and Others
 of the Old State Waterbury
 Players Are .-oout All Here-Other
 Baseball News.
 That star third baseman of the base ball world, Jimmy ConiAs, caYtain O. the boston Amer can league team, and his players, arrived in this city fast night direct from Augusta, Ga, where the team has indulged in early spring practice. They are stopping at the Hotel Waterbury. With Manager and Captain Collins are several players who are well known to local base ball "oot- CTS, namely, George Lachance, the big first baseman. whose home is in this city: Hobe Ferris, second baseman; Fred Parent shortstop; Pat Dougherty and George Prentiss, pitchers, all Of whom have been successful players in 1 the Connecticut State leauge. The other players are Chick Stahl, center fielder; Buck Freeman, right fielder; Charles Hickman, left fielder; Louis Criger, Jack Warner, catchers; Cy Young, Bill Dinneen, George Winter, Fred Mitchell, Otto Deninger, Dave Williams, Hip Husting, pitchers. Kid i Gleason is also with the team.
 Many local base ball enthusiasts called at the Hotel Waterbury last night and extended the glad hand to ] the players. Prentiss and Lachance were besfeged with friends throughout the evening. The players, who are n fine condition, were around early this morning and reported for practice at the West End grounds at 10 o'clock. Their work in practice was of the snap py variety.
 A Democrat reporter had an inter- view with Manager Collins early this morning. Though he is very busy man just now, he was more than will ing to answer questions asked by the newspaper man. "What do you think of Ferris and Parent?" was the first question. 'They are two cracking good ball players. They are fine and are two of the best infelders in the country. This is their second season with us." In regard to Prentiss, the pitcher, who has caused so much trouble to Man ager George Harrington, Manager Col Il has shown up well in practice and all he needs is a little more experience. T cannot as yet state whether he will be kept with the team. I would hate to lose him, as he is a fine pitcher. but on the other hand, we have eight or nine other pitchers"
 In the eyes of Manager Collins < George Lachance is showing a vast :m- t nrOUQOlnnf in is ,11a He is hitting well and fits in nicely on the team. He will make a good man and his playing will be much better than it was last year with the Cleve- land team. He likes the Boston team very much. When a home crowd is against you, as it was in the case of Lachance in Cleveland last year, it is hard to play good ball. Pat Dougher- ty. pitcher and outfielder, who was q member of the Bridgeport team last year, will be a permanent fixture on the Boston team, unless the Cincinnati team, which claims him, gets him. "He is one of the best players in the coun- try, was Manager Collins's remark. and 1 hope we can keep him., Incl dentally the following item will be of interest in connection with this player: The Cincinnati club intends to bring legal action to compel P. F. Dougherty. the former Bridgeport pitcher and champion batsman of the Connections league. to play there Manager O,Rourke has received a letter from John T. Brush in which Brush said he should take legal steps to bet the ser vices of the player. Dougherty is now With the Boston American league .luh Ill the south, and has signed a contract 10 play with 1t this season, so that Brush's move will be to enjoin the Bos- ton club. The Cincinnati teams cla,m 70 Dougherty's services is based upon written agreement signed by the player last summer, when Ted Sullivan went to Bridgeport. They say their agreement ante-dates that of the Bos. ton American club by three or four days"
 Manager Collins is loud in praise of the players which he has under him this season. He thinks that they will nnlsh one, two, three. He says that nye or six of the teams in the American league are very evenly matched and that there will be hard race between them. The Boston, Chicago and Phila- uelphia teams will surely be heard from. Base ball will be more popnIar thls season than ever and he expects 10 see large attendances at the game throughout the country. The National league is in bad fix, but he does not know much about it. as he has naid little attention to it's affairs. The sen tlment of the players is with the Amer 1can league. The schedule of games of the Bostons for this week is as fol- lows: Tuesday. Waterbury; Wednes- day and Thursday, Hartford: Friday Worcester; Saturday they will play their first league game of the season with the Baltimore team in Boston The American league, however. does not open for about two weeks vet. but the game next Saturday is one trans ferred from later in the season. ssTell the sports that we are in fine condition and intend to win tomorrow was Captain Collins's parting remark.
 YESTERDAYS BASEBALL GAMES.
 At St Louis.
 R.H.E. St Louis ....O O1O33O .-7 ' I Indianapolis 70 0 1 o 1 0 1 O-3 s 6 I0-L