The Washington times., 1902-06-17

each fall. 1t should be remembered
however. that the game has never been
helped by these legal fights. Some day
it will dawn on the magnates of the two
leagues that baseball prospers cnly in
times of peace, and then peace will be
established.
Tim Murnane, of Boston, considers the
American League race the greatest in
the history of baseball. In Speaking of
it he says:
Il have already witnessed the playing
of six of the American clubs, and have
only Detroit and Cleveland to see. From
what l have observed | should pick Chi
cago as the winner, with Boston second,
St. Louis third, Baltimore fourth Ath-
letics fifth. and Washington sixth. The
champion Chicago team is made up OF 4
lot of men who will play ball to a finish.
and they are likely TO hold their own on
the road. Griffith makes fine leader,
and, with such brainy fellows as Gala
han. Jones, Daily, Davis. and then with
Comiskey for consultation. this will be
a tough crowd to beat. Jimmie Collins
has a strong straight-away team, but
not the inside" players essential to
winning a great race.
THE Chicago team is a good deal
like Pittsburg, and, l am inclined to
think, a bit stronger than the league
leaders. | say this judging from what
saw last season, and doubt If the bur
gers are stronger this season than last.
That must have been a pipe dream
that was sent out the other day from st.
Louis to the effect that Hans Wagner and
Jack O'Connor had accepted the terms
OF the st. Louis American League Club
and would jump the Pittsburg team on
the 20th of this month.
There is not much danger OF any of
Drayfuss' players leaving him. Every
man on the Pittsburg team filled out his
own contract last fell. He put in the
figures he thought he was entitled to.
and should therefore be well satisfied
with his berth. Besides. Dreyfuss ana
his players understand each other very
well, and while there have been reports
of friction between some of the players
and Manager Clarke, these cannot be be-
lieved, for Clarke has also catered to
his players to the limit.
1t is not likely that Pittsburg will lose
any of its stars, but it is not unlikely
that most OF the National League mag
mates would be tickled to death if some
OF the champions star players would
Jump before the present season is over,
for the National League race, which has
been farce all season. would then be
much more interesting.
A baseball manager can't always tell
what he is letting go OF when he re-
leases a young player who doesn't look
just right to him.
Horace Fogel let Thielman go, though
the critics were united in their belief
that the ex- Manhattan college star was
coed enough for fast company. Backed
only by the decrepit Cincinnati outfit,
Thielman has won three Of his four
games since quitting New York. The one
he lost was taken by Pittsburg, on its
own grounds. and was well enough
pitched to have been 4 victory.
A few weeks ago Patsy Donovan
handed Catcher O'Neil, OF his st. Louis
team. his release. and was also about
to let the catcher's brother. Joyce
O'Nen. the twirler, go. While the
catcher was waiting for his ten days of
grace 10 expire Donovan ran shy of
catchers. through sickness CT accident,
and put the discarded ONeil behind the
bat. Joyce was also given another trial.
Now the O'Nell brothers are the star
battery for st. Louis. and are playing
more baseball than any two other men
on the team.
The mere suggestion Of the release of
either would bring an awful howl from
st. Louis fans.