Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-15
BASE BALL GOSSIP OF WEEK
st. Joseph Furnishes Sensation with Its
Wonderful Squirt.
OMAHA TEAM is BATTING BETTER
Several OF the Regulars Improve In
Their work and Prospects
for Hitting Are Very
Much Bette-.
Cell. did you ever;

Cell, did you ever
st. Joe Is coming up the second turn
like a dog with a can on its tail. Eight
out Of nine games played was its record
up to Friday night. McKibben came to
Omaha with his train robbers Thursday a
week ago rested owing to the rain. On
Friday with a little valuable assistance
from Mr.. w. Arlington Latham they
took the fret game by a single run. Man
ager McKibben smiled a little when he got
back to the hotel, and that was all.
Then on Saturday they went out to the
park again and simply w~alloped the
Rourkes for fair. On Sunday the double
header went the same way, a little luck for
st. Joe and a little wooden-headed ball
playing by the Rourkes giving the Mis-
sourians the entire series. This result
made Manager Mac feel pretty good, and he
went home with the biggest wad OF money
he has taken yet this year. for the games
all drew we'll, and didn't do a thing but
take three out Of four from Kansas City,
getting one Of them away from Kid Nichols,
his first defeat this season. From st. Joe
the team went to Peoria and rolled the
Distillers in their own mud. This is GER
tainly going pretty fast, and il the Saints
can keep the clip they will soon be bid
ding for the top place. II is not at all
likely, though, that they can maintain any
thing like the gait they have struck. 1t is
too fast. especially for the team, which Is
far from being a strong one. even on paper.
Rus Hall. who Is playing a wonderful game
at second. is really the only reliable player
on the team. All the others are young
: sters and uncertain even at the best. Even
In face Of the wonderful squirt there is
nothing at present in the appearance of the
St. Joe, team to cause either Kansas City,
Omaha or Denver any particular appre-
hension. Another week or two may tell a
much different story.
Incidentally, Omaha established a record
for the season, losing six straight games.
This doesn't happen very often to any
team, but in the Omaha instance 1t was
doubly unfortunate, because 1t gives the
Denver wiseacres excuse to say. II told YOU
So" and insist that Omaha had struck the
slide. In support Of their assertions they
point TO the record OF the Omaha team OF
1900 and 1901 One thing they have over.
looked is the fact that not a man of the
1900 team is now wearing an Omaha uni
form, and that the disturbing element Of
the 1901 team is gone. too. In 1900 II
was not an sight to see Omaha
players on the streets at night long after
bedtime. frequently In an advanced stage
of fntoxication. 1t also happened thai
they went on the field while under the in,
iuence of liquor. That is why the team
executed Its famous slide that year. II
1901 the team at no time was strong, ant
was never looked on as Q .pennant posi-
bility. This season II is strong, in NAM
respects the strongest in the league. 1T
important positions are filled by veterans
who not only know the game, but ar
capable Of playing It as well. Its pitching
stan is strong and the recent improvement
in batting warrants the suggestion that 4
is no longer to be despised as a hittinI
team. No dissensien exists among tn
members and none Of them are playing FOL
records. All these facts, which have beel
overlooked by the dopemakers for the Den
yer papers, will impress themselves on tn
Denver public before the Omaha tear
leaves there on Tuesday, The Denver tear
may win all three of the games, but will
have to play better ball than 1t has don
lately.
Statistics for the teams. work during tn
week are really comforting. The figure
show that the fielding is still up to a hig
mark, while the batting has taken a grea
lift-up. Dolan. Stewart. Genins. Calhoun
Gonding and Hickey all show marked I'm
pFovement at the bat. Stone has fallen Jus
under the 400 mark, while Dolan and Stew
art have reached the 300 and Carter an
Genins are not far away. In the field tn
steady work OF all the team is still -appar