The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-05
RAIN AND WET GROUNDS PREVENT
ED SERIES WITH STARS.
National League Stars Come To-Mor-
row-watty Receives Applications
from Many Players.

The Indianapolis champions will hardly
clear expenses on their post-season games
unless they have a good crowd at Hamil-
ton, o., to-day, and there is large at
tendance at Washington Park tomorrow,
when the National League Stars play here.
Indianapolis enthusiasts would have pa
tronized the All-Americans had the wealth
er permitted. The Hoosiers will have less
money to spend this year as a result of
the rainy weather, for they would have
divided a neat sum on the two games with
the All-Americans had the weather been
suitable If there is a deficit at the end
of the series tomorrow the players will
have to stand it. The players realize what
few rainy days during season can do to
a club, and had any one been backing the
team for the post-season games and pay
ing salaries and expenses there would have
been a heavy loss. If the weather is suit
able tomorrow for a game the fans should
turn out and swell the attendance. so as to
pull the players out Of the hole.
The American League players also lost
on account of the rain. but as there were
no salaries to be paid the loss is merely for
transportation and hotel bills Many In
dianapolis enthusiasts called at the Grand
Hotel during the visit of the All-Americans.
''Topsy' Hartsell was greeted by his old
friends and the fans made the acquaintance
Of Lajoie and others who drew such fancy
salaries during the past year. and who
are so much in demand for next season.
The American League players must have
son trip to refrain from discussing contract
jumping, for all Of them declined to enter
into a discussion on the matter while in
Indianapolis.
Manager Watkins declared yesterday
that he has not conferred with members
Of the Indianapolis team regarding con-
tracts for next season. If he has not there
will surely be busy time about pennant
headquarters in the Majestic building dur
ing the next few days, for nearly all the
members of the winning team will
no doubt be invited to pay a visit to wat
ty'' before leaving town. Hogriever, Fox
and Grim will probably winter in Indianap-
oils, and there will be special hurry to
see them, but other members of the team
their autographs to Indianapolis contracts
for 1903 before they leave the city. Watty
is determined to give Indianapolis another
pennant winner next season. and he is
quietly laying his plans to secure the best
available talent. He has received letters
from many star players in other organiZa-
tons who are anxious to secure berths on
the indianapolis team for next season, and
some or them may be seen here. Manager
Watkins declined to give the names of the
players or other organizations who have
written TO him, as ne wants to secure their
signed contracts before their names are
made public, but he made the statement
that In the list of applicants are good
players who would give strength to the
Indianapolis team in 1903.
The New York Eyenipg Sim cop,maptin0
| on baseball in the National League and the
| sale of the New York club by Freedman
| to Brush, says:
Of the New York baseball club yesterday
| from Mr.. Andrew Freedman, who spoke
| feelingly of his long connection with the
club and was overcome with emotion. AS
| the New Yorks have played poor ball for
several years and are finishing the season
| in the National League at the very tail of
| the procession, lovers of the game in New
York will take Mr.. Freedman's retirement
philosophically and hope for better things
under the management Of Mr.. Brush. Mr..
Freedman said last night that 1t had been
| quitting the scene of his authority but
luck was against him. II New York was
ever represented by a less heroic team than
wears the uniform to-day we have forgot
| ten the year. At the close of play yester-
day the champion Pittsburgs had won 10l
games and the hapless New Yorks but for
| plight OF the local nine must move to tears
| the faithful ones who haunt the Polo
| grounds. We observe that the attendance
| yesterday, when Brooklyn administered a
drubbing to New York, was only LOO a
| pitiful percentage of the lovers of the game
| In this great city. The question Is do peo-
| pie. go to the Polo ground in the hope Of
| seeing the Giants win game, or to witness
| the skill of the visiting Liliputians? The
| race for the National League pennant this
year. it should be noted, has been a good
deal of farce. 1t is a case of Eclipse
| first and the rest nowhere The Brook
| lyns, who are second on the list, are almost
| thirty games behind the indomitable Pitts
burgs. One is inclined to think sometimes
| that the champions lose game from
WEAKNESS of the surfeit Of success 1t is
| impossible to work up an interest in such
| a one-sided struggle. Mr.. Brush might use
| his influence to effect a balance of playing
ability among the clubs Suppose the man
ayers were to resolve themselves into a
committee to distribute the players among
| the clubs with a view to eQualizing their
capacity as far as possible. There would
then be contest for the pennant bearing
| some resemblance to race between horses
| in handicap. II one club is to have the
| best battery, the smartest infield and the
| heaviest hitters year after year baseball
ceases to be a sport. We are aware of the
| difficulties in the way of working out the
| proposal made, but theoretically it is at
| tractive. The National League must do
| something, however. to stimulate interest
| In its fortunes, or the blight on baseball
VIII become a dry rot. AS TO the local club.
Mr.. Brush should get to work and pull ii
| out of the morass in which ii is founder
| ing"
While John T. Brush will not discuss the
| possibilities of New York having a strong
team next season outside of a casual re-
mark that money will not be spared to Sc
| cure winning team, it seems that Man.
ager McGraw has secured many strong
| players for the Giants. The reason for not
| making their names public at this time is
! obvious, as Brush desires to keep away
| from as much friction as possible, but
| Christy Mathewson, the great pitcher, has
| seen the list, and has consented to remain
with New York next season. He is re-
4 ported saying: 1T have decided to play
| next season with the New York team. fol
/ have been convinced that they will have
| winning aggregation. My only objection
| to remaining with the Giants was the fear
that / would be with loser again. and
| that had become tiresome. When Manager
| McCiraw told me the names of the PLAYERS
| he had signed that was enough for me.
| jumped at the chance to stay. The terms
! / made with the club eminently salts.
| factory. / feel confident that shall, with
the team that shall have behind me mex
| season, do as good work / did in 1901
1 hope so, anyway, and shall surely try
| The last Western trip of the Indianapolis
/