The Washington times., 1902-04-14
Next Thursday Four UNI
pres Will Simultaneous
ly Cry "Play Ball.
CLUBS HAVE BEEN HARD HIT
Opening Games at New York, Brooklyn,
St. Louis, and Cincinnati - Pittsburg
Claimed to Be Winner-Teams Com
pared to Those of Last Year.

SldiIned 10 De q WlnneI-1 cams Non-
pared to Those of Last Year.
On next Thursday. April II. the Ma
tional League. rather battered but sun
in the ring. will open its pennant race for
the season OF 1902. After months of de-
lay and pickering schedule has been
adopted; 1t has passed through the throes
of political warfare; it has had the
cream of its players captured by the
, American League; it has almost gone I'M
der. but staggered once more TO its feet
and is prepared to present a more or
less solid front.
AS long as the fight was purely an ex-
ternal affair the National League was by
no means slated to occupy the position
of second best in its little argument with
| the younger organization. 1t had the ad-
vantage of age, the star performers or
the country were carried upon its salary
lists, and in fact. there were many who
doubted the wisdom OF the American
League magnates in bucking against its
dictates.
AT the close of the last season the
American League occupied strong posi-
ton, but one that was by no means unas-
saiiable. A number of the best known
balItossers had deserted to its ranks. but
still the majority of the really great play
ers were loyal to the elder League, and
the American people did not have every
thing their own way, by a great deal.
Fatal Procrastination.
Instead. however, of sinking personal
feeling and petty likes and dislikes far be-
low the surface for the general good OF
the organization as whole. the National
magnates Immediately began most beau
tiful squabbe among themselves. They
messed everything that they possibly
could, and nearly destroyed the standing
Of their league as factor in the base
ball world
The American League was composed of
different stuff. and. with firm hand at
it's helm. was steered safely through the
fall. winter. and spring. II had estab-
lished its credit and the players. instead
of demanding as at first. that their en-
tire salaries be deposited in a bank sub
ject to their checks at stated intervals.
we're content to simply affix their John
Henry's to a contract. taking it for grant
ed that tho iucre would be forthcoming
upon demand.
On the other hand. by its policy of pro-
crastination the National League had ere
ated feeling of uncertainty among the
players. and they were by no means sure
that even though they signed contract
the season would find the National
League playing ball. This enabled the
American people to secure the stars of
the baseball armament at comparatively
favorable terms.
Pittsburg Nearly Intact.
nj course. big money is being paid out
by both leagues. but still the respective
payrols of the American League clubs
are much smaller today than though they
had been forced to bid against the Ma
tional magnates in open market. Handl
capped by the old feeling OF confidence
that the players entertained for the older
combination OF clubs. It would have been
costly undertaking to have separated
them from their premier artists.
However this matter has all been
thrashed over and public interest is now
centered not in what the National League
has done. but what it is going to do IN
the future. The comparative strength of
the clubs. last year and this. makes an in
teresting study. On paper they appear to
good advantage, but il must be remem-
bered that the records of many of the
players were made in minor leagues while
those of the stars that have departed to
other fields were tried by the scathlDg
fire of season after season in the fastest
kind OF company.
Practically the only club that will pre-
sent anything like a solid front is Bar
ney Dreyfuss Pittsburg bunch. This ag-
gregation is about the same as it was
last year, there not having been any in
roads upon its staff by the American peo-
pie An explanation of this may be found
in the fact that 1t was thought for some
time that possibly the Pirates would be
incorporated in the American circuit this
year. and that it would not be good policy
to interfere with its playing strength.
Others Much Depleted.
Be that as it may it was certainly a
case of hands or and consequently ii
is cxpected that the league race this year
will be rather more than one-sided. The
baseball dope books predict that Pitts
burg will win the pennant by large ma
jority and the fans of the country are at
present engaged in trying to figure out
inst how. large the percentage will be.
The Brooklyn and Philadelphia clubs in
the East and the st. Louis club in the
West have suffered the most since last
season. All three aggregations are prac
tically nothing but wrecks of their former
greatness. and it is not thought that any
of them will figure extensively in the pen
nant scramble. Boston and Cincinnati
also suffered to a certain degree. but they
were so completely Outclassed last year
by Pittsburg and Philadelphia that even
had they escaped entirely 1t would have
mattered little.
or course the several managers are
making ante-season claims for the much
coveted rag but these occur annually. and
no one takes much stock in these biased
predictions Buckenberger. of Boston. is
the most persistent in this respect. He is
continually figuring out that everything is
going to break his way. but that is largely
Il matter of hot air.
The Opening Games.
Greater New York is particularly ia
yored this year by the National League
schedule 1t is accorded two opening
games, and it is expected that while the
clubs representing the two most prominent
boroughs are nothing remarkable for
strength large crowds will turn out
and that the season will be inaugurated
under the most favorable circumstances
New York will have as its opponent the
Philadelphia National League Club while
Brooklyn will entertain the Boston Ma