Evening star., 1902-03-05

games, the forest city need gave no fears
Of losing it's place to Cincinnati, which is
essentially two-day town. 1T would not
be at all surprising to see Cleveland make
a start anyhow.
'Cy'' Young's most effective ball last
season was slow one with big drop on
it. and after he commenced using this. he
had all of the American League stickers
breaking their spinal cords trying to land
for safeties. They could not connect at all.
and he wound up the year with a brilliant
record Of victories behind him. His dis
covery Of this tantalizing ball was almost
an accident. Early In the season the Bal
timore club was playing in Boston. and
big 'Cy' had been selected to do the twirl
so fast they looked like birdshot But the
McGraw aggregation had good eyes that
day, and every time a bat swung it hit
something. Singles and doubles were be-
Ing made with a regularity that commenced
to take all the sap out of Cyrus. He
showed evidences of being weary of the
game. Finally he threw up a slow one.
delivered partially underhanded; it Just
lobbed up laZily, and then all Of sudden
1t dropped from the batter's shoulders
almost down to his knees He famed at
it. This surprised the pitcher as much as
1t did the sticker: Again the trick was
tried, and again it was successful. The
rest of that game Young worked The slow
wide-Out drop in connection with an occa-
sional fast straight ball, and he pulled
victory out Of what looked like sure de-
a great portion of his practice work after
that was devoted to perfecting IT. He
made a study Of the delivery and tefore
the season was old he had it down pat
Sporting Life.
Pitcher Frank Sparks, formerly Of the
Milwaukee club. was signed yesterday to
play this year with the New York team,
and Manager Fogel believes he has made
find" Sparks pitched for Milwaukee last
year in most Of their big games and fin
ished the season with remarkably fine
record. The young pitcher objected to
proposition to transfer him this year to
the st. Louis American League team. and
opened negotiations with Manager FOgel,
with the result stated.
The American League officials must be
laughing to themselves at the trouble the
National League is having in getting things
into shape for the coming season. Last
year the National League was doing the
laughing, but since then they have had
other things to occupy their minds, which
has put them in anything but laughing
mood. There is an old adage which says
something about the last who laughs and
it fits very well in here: That the National
League magnates deserve to be laughed a.
no one can deny. for they are worse than
a lot of old maids quarreling over a he"
brand of tea.
hand Jack Doyle a nice bunch of cola to
release him." remarked Mike Kahoe, the
Remnants star catcher. yesterday.
know that Doyle had an iron-clad two-year
contract and that the club could not re-
lease him II it wanted to. The club vir-
tually purchased the privilege of handing
him his walking papers. Doyle was not IN
condition to put forth his best efforts Inst
season, but all this talk about him being
a hard man to handle IS not true. so far as
my experience is concerned. He was very
popular with all the players last season.
and, so far as the stories about his being
hard on young players is concerned. that
is all Tommyrot Doyle. I know, was very
much interested in our young players last
season and went out of his way to teach
them. He is not SO bad as he is painted
He is a good fellow, to say the least. You
can bet on that His reputation is against
him. but he is a great player. and when
In condition to play ball there is not man
i'm the league more valuable to a team
Cincinnati Enquirer.