The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-21

IOl6QO at milwaukee,.
If weather conditions permit, the
Saints will play two games with the
Indianapolis team at Lexington park
this afternoon. AS the a prevented
the double-header announced for yes
terday, two games may be played Mon
day and this second bargain day will
end the first season of the American
association.
- The pennant nov looks the property
of the Indianapolis club. Louisville
has yet to play four games with the
Millers while the Indians are playing
the Saints, but it is hardly probable
the results of these games will change
the positions.
Tebeau made a hard fight to land the
championship for Louisville, though at
this writing he looks the loser. The
story of the attempt to get in two
games with Kansas City before the
finish may not be true, but if true, it is
simply another evidence that George
Tebeau is the shrewd man of the
American association.
Saints Finish Third.
The st. Paul fans must get all the
comfort they can out of the knowledge
that the Saints finished up next to the
leaders. This comfort has been enjoy
ed by them for several years.
1t is hardly probable that the local
management is to close the seasons
books on a loss, but the attendance
through the series at Lexington was
a disappointment. The Saints played
along in third place, but the crowds
refused to turn out.
The failure to support the team,
though it played up near the top Of
the row, means just one thing. 1t
means that the st. Paul baseball pub
lie insists upon having a team able to
land the %pennant. The absence of a
downtown park has been offered as an
explanation of the small crowds. A
downtown park is needed in st. Paul,
but a team that gives strong promise
of landing the flag for st. Paul will
receive support at Lexington, and sup
port, too, that will satisfy the local
management and the visiting clubs.
Not a Criticism.
This truth is not a criticism of the
management of the 1902 Saints. A big
league manager with a countrywide
reputation cannot play a birthplace
team at Lexington through a season
n draw ever the crowds that turn
Gu OUT u ste lIG lGdIl SulQGQ ny MdIl-
ager Mike Kelley.
Kelley did all that was possible with
the material at hand. At the start-off
he promised to be the man who was
to be hailed as the manager able to
present a team of champions, but he
failed, Kelley's failure can be excused,
for the man worked through it all IN
der a heavy handicap, but excuses do
not bring the Saints nearer to the
championship.
The 1902 season is practically clos
ed, and the time for the preparation
for the 1903 season is at hand. There
Is but one thing for the local manage
ment to do If st. Paul is to continue
In the list of live baseball towns, and
that thing Is to secure a pennant-
winning team Year after year the
bunting has been so neal and yet so
far, and the fans are discouraged.
Want the Goods.
The local management worked hard
during the season In an attempt to
strengthen the weak points of the
team, and made an earnest effort to
secure capable players, but the fans
have reached the stage where they
care nothing for earnest efforts-they
want the goods.
President Thomas J. Hickey, having
guided his league through Its first
season, is now in line to hear what the
club owners think of him as q leader.
Hickey will probably receive a vote of
thanks and instructions to go ahead
with the good work, but the leader
has made his mistakes.
Through the entire season the Amer
lean association, following the orders
of it's president, was compelled to re-
spect contracts signed by players in
other leagues who were willing to
come to the American association. The
magnates Of the other leagues offer
ed their prices and got men from the
association who had signed their
names to contracts as binding as the
agreements Mr.. Hickey compelled the
American club owners to respect.
The league president may nave some
concealed reason for this highly moral
stand, but up to date the reason has
not been made public.
Exhibition Games.
Another criticism of the league lead
er is compelled by a study of the
standing of the clubs. INDIANAPOLIS
came to st. Paul for it's games yester-
day one game ahead of its schedule.
III the rain had not arrived and the
set Of fve with the Saints had been