The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-20
WINTER GOSSIP
OF BASEBALL,
Session OF the American League
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of Players
Of Olden Days.

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPt BI.lC.
The session Of the American League,
which adjourned at Chicago last Friday
night. developed nsthIHs new On the sur
face.
Only one change worth mspiisning, The
return to the old si=teen-playeT limit, was
made,
This reduction IL conceded to he a rise
move Oh the part OF The masnates. ana
one that will not In the least injsfe Hrst-
class ball players.
Under the system last year a club cnuii
carry thirty players If 1t Was so disposed.
AT the end Of the season nearl! every
club had more than eighteen players.
This was q burden to the treasury OF the
clubs carrying the players and an injury
10 the man. Sixteen players should be
enough for any team after June l.
Up to that date the team Will have
right to carry as many players as 1t
likes From April Ii to the FIRST Of June
should give all the managers sufficient
time TO Judge Of the relative merits OF
their players.
there Is too much loafing. -Four pitchers
and three catchcrs should be sufficient
battsrsmen. This lea s, room ,1 Ter o I'VE
stitutes tho ideal team.
The foolishncss of carrying string OF
pitchers was aptly Illustrated by the st:
Louis Nationals last ysar nns al
times during the season. and they foehsn-
ly went to the post with fourteen twirieTs
on the payroll.
Had the Robisons acted wisely they
would have secured four good men for the
money expended ON the superfluous twirl-
ers they had.
who can do their work and do II well.
Four first-c.ass pitchers are enough for
any team. With seven and eight pitchers
on team, the best men are apt TO de-
velop a core arm at any time.
They know they do not have to work.
and consequently shirk. Were there but
four pitchers on team, the twirieTs
would realize the use.essness Of sham
ming and would get down to work.
1t might also be q good scheme to have
system Of premiums for the twirers.
For instance. the pitcher working the
greatest number Of games could be given
pitcher working in the greatest percent
age of wins should also be rewarded. The
other two could fight 1t out for a prize
for the best general all-round work:
This would have tendency to make the
twirlers hustle. something very few OF
them did last season.
THE MAGNANIMOUS BAN JOHNSON.
Ban JohnsOns refusal to accept a Christ
mas present of 5000 from the league of
which he is the head stands out strongly
as an example of unseltishness OF course.
that $500 may have had a string attached
to it, but In these days of high prices few
men would have had the hardihood to re-
sist an attempt to get the coin"
Ban. however, good raturedly consented
to have his salary increased $3.50 a year
for term Of SIX years. No one but john
son could have been so generous as to
refuse Christmas present of 5000, and
then turn around and accept an increase
in salary which in six years would amount
been eQualed. If the baseball public Is
not careful it may wake up some morn
Ing and find that johnson has refused to
accept a load of radium-or coal. which
ever happens to be the dearer at Christ
mastide.
WADDELL OF THE EIGHTIES.
Among the many characters with
whom came in contact as a ball player"
said George Meyers. che oId-time star
catcher of the National League, there
was probably none so unique as Shreve,
the pitcher He Joined our team while l
was catching for st. Louis. coming to US
from some college. My. but he was a
fresh youth. For all that he could pitch:
perfect control of the ball. His confidence
and esotism were astounding. I remember
one day we were to play Detroit. 1t was
when the big four Rowe. White. Richard
son and Broutl,ers. were on the team. Mr.
Shreve. who had been assigned TO pitch.
strutted 10 the box with the swagger that
would have made John l.. Sullivan look
all in the f1stic business. Just watch me.
fellows. and see what | do to those swell
headed guys from Michigan said the
smiling shreve. I am going to make 'em
look like a lot OF suckers
Hardy Richardson was the first batter
up and you know what kind of hitter
he was.
oh. no. SO you are the great irwin
Shreve. Well. Hardy, old chap. I'm going
to show you that you are easy for u good
pitcher; regular mince pie. I am going
George. where did you get this fresh
mug?' asked Hardy of me. He's kid
we picked up down the road replied.
around Hardy's neck IKE a shot. He
struck at 1t after l had it in my, hands;
Bang goes the second. also a strike. and
the third, a wide, slow. outshoot, fooled
said mockingly: Back to the bench,
Big Dan Brouthers. who was always
had Blood to m SF next be ad Sc
this is the terrible Mr.. Dan .Brouthers;..
grinned the fresh pitcher. Il hate 10 tell
you, Dan. how soft mark you are.
hope you don't think that you are going
ed If YOU think So You might hit some
pitchers, but you are just my meat Dan
to his chin. and the next he hit like shot
at the pitcher. Shreve caught 1t in easy
style. and gave Brouthers the ha. ha. In
the most tantalizing manner. as Dan
ambled to the bench.
DEACON WHITE NEXT
Deacon White came next and Shreve
kidded him numerically. Deacon. who
e0II 1. &c M
was the greeting White was given. The
Deacon scowled and muttered Ominously.
Duck soup is what you are for me- sang
Shreve as White missed the first. ball
by several inches. oh. how easy was
the next retoinder,. and Deacon smashed
blindly at an outshOOt. L moment later
striking out on one OF those speedy ones
such as had sent Richardson to the bench.
ing with Shreves delivery. and the other
members of their team were just as help
less. We won the game. to !. This fell
low Shreve was one Of the best pitchers !
dreadfully hard to handle.
Il recall another occasion when the Chi
cago club, which then led the league.
came to play series our home
grounds Shreve. who had been missing
for two or three days. came onto the
grounds in uniform Just "a the teams
him Immediately assigned him to pitch.
Shreve then came over to me and asked:
Say. George, what team is this We are
up against to-day
81 Immediately began to read him a
lecture. telling him that young man just
starting in on his career as a professional
ball player should not deport himself in
such a manner. The idea of you coming
onto these grounds when the champion
Chicsgos are here. and you not knowing
1t. why,
81 THE champion Chicagos.' interrupted
Shravc Never mind George. just watch
me. oh. just wait and see what l will. do
10 that bunch And sure enough that
crazy monkey went In and shut out that
heavy-hitting Chicago team. He was sim