The Indianapolis journal., 1902-03-30
BASEBALL THIS WEEK
Preliminary Season Opens Next satur-
day. with Cincinnati Here.

v.
The preliminary baseball season VIII open
in indianapolis Saturday of this week. and
three weeks from next Wednesday the first
game of the championship race OF the
American Association will be played. Man
ager Watkins and Secretary Ruschaupt
have been as busy as bees during the last
few days preparing for the great event.
There has been a general cleaning up at
the ball park, and the grounds have been
rolled and put in first-class condition. Seats
have been repaired and the cobwebs dust
ed from the money racks in the box office
TO prepare for the sheckles that will soon
roll in.
This season in baseball for Indianapo-
lis is a little more important than the
casual observer might suppose. Year be-
fore last Indianapolis was dropped by the
American League and in 1901 Watkins and
Ruschaupt tried their fortunes with the
Western Association. an organization that
did not please the Indianapolis public, and
the Indianapolis club owners withdrew
from il in July. After that they laid prep
arations TO be represented in an organlza-
tion that would present irst-class ball, with
the result that Indianapolis secured d
franchise in the new American Assocla-
ton. Ante-season gossip and reports In
dcate the new organization will do all IL
an article of ball that will not be seen
outside the National or American leagues.
Thousands of dollars have been spent by
the club owners on new parks and equip
ping their teams with hrst-class material,
and they are nearly all ready lor the De-
ginning of the championship race
About eighteen men will report for duty
| with the indianapolis club, and they Will
/ nearly all be here by Tuesday evening.
| OF course. Manager Watkins Will not carry
| that number of players throughout the
season. but before he begins the weeding
| process he will give all the candidates a
/ thorough trial IN order to secure a nrSt-
| class aggregation to represent Indianapolis
/ in the tight for the 1902 nag. Manager
/ Watkins appreciates the fact that several
/ other clubs In the American Assoclatlo1
/ have serious intention of noVering around
/ the top rung of the ladder, and he VIII
/ make special efforts TO keep the HoosleIs
| in very close proximity TO frst place.
Great interest is manifested by local en-
thusiasts on the probability of Arthur Coul-
ter reporting to the Indianapolis manager
for duty in the outfeld this year. Coulter
is the star fielder who made such a great
record with Rome. y. Y, last season, and
was transferred 10 the Syracuse team. He
| was highly recommended IL Manager Wat
/ kius by Captain Fox and others VINO nave
followed MS work IL also appears ma i.s
/ Cincinnati desired the services OF coulter,
| and il is claimed some kind or an agree
/ nnent was made whereby Coulter was 10 so
| RadfOWQ. But Coulter NtSlItS 10 CoiAlS
| 70 Tndianapolis believing IL would be bet
| ter for him TO have another season tram
| ing ia an organization such as the Amer
| iran Association before making the leap
| To fhe National League He says ne would
| rstber go into the National when he knows
| he will make good than 10 make the step
| and nrobably meet with failure. II Coul-
| tarSs own wishes are respected in the mat
I tsr he will wear an Indianapolis uniform
/ the coming season. He would make a great
| sddftion to the Hoosier staff. He is a rapid
| worker in the 1eld and on the bases, and
| is said TO be "a regular Inaudi In solving
| the mysterious ones handed 10 him by the
| twirlerS.
The financial agent" of the Eastern
reague must be burdened with so much
coin that he wants a place to lose 1t.
tuaging from the reported salaries some of
the clubs In that organization will pay the
oorotne season II is more than likely,
| tou-eZ-er the handsome offers made VIII be
noid in stage money. IL is now said that
SSaorge Stallings of the Buffalo club. and
Ss1hthand man of President Powers, mas
af9sred four OF Mike Kelly's St Paul play
ors handsome salaries 10 Jump their con-
t-scfs and become members OF the Bunalo
taaro pitcher Chech was offered s4oo a
month by Stallin=s- but 80 Tar Cnecn mas