The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-15

the Boston National League regime and
got a good raise when he hurdled the fence
and landed in the Boston American camp.
His request for a further raise at the
beginning Of the 1902 season was duly hon.
ored. 'Cy" Young. one of the mainstays
Of the Boston Americans pitching depart
ment. got a good raise on the figure he
had received from the ST. Louis team. and
subsequently got another advance. Boston,
therefore. had one of the highest salary
lists in the country. Pittsburg went even
further than Boston in the salary matter.
Barney Drey fuss was contenting himself
with the idea that the players of his team
when an inroad was attempted in good
earnest, with the result that Tannehill,
Chesbro, O'Connor, Lefty Davis and Con-
roy were weaned from him. Dreyfuss in
Guced Leach and Bransfield TO remain true
to him. and succeeded in keeping Wagner in
line. Hearing that the American League
was DESTROYS TO secure a ground in Pitts
burg. he got the options on two grounds,
all that were available.
The attempt Of Philadelphia to hold La
joie. BernhaIdt and others is still fresh in
the memory of the baseball fan. Wolverton
and Fraser decided to go back, while Dele
hanty and Ortiz were compelled to do "A lot
of lodging last year to steer clear of Phila-
delphia and Pennsylvania. Delehanty
wavered when he needed the money, and
the peace agreement knocked his plans in
the head, as it did those of George Davis,
and these were two players VINO did not OBJ
tain what they were after. Ned Hanlon is
credited with the receipt of the best stipend
of any manager, and he receives $4,000 per
annum. Next TO him is Donovan, of st.
Louis. and then comes Collins. Frank Selee
received more money the past season than
ever before in his career. 1t took extrava-
CANT figures to secure Tannehill and Chesbro
Of the Pittsburgs for the New York Ameri-
can League team. Another player who re-
fe1yed F at least recei sS;oSO fy wfs , Ws,6ie last kes sea:
son, although he was available but one
third of the time. 1t has been stated as a
matter of reproach to the American League
president that the pennant has landed In a
different city in each of the three years In
which his organization has comprised
Eastern i.c cities ties; and It Is predicted that alta an .
programme for 1894. Doubtless Mr.. John
son would like to see New York land first
next season. for any leader of a baseball
happen which is best for it. Certainly a
race should be made as hot as possible. The
outlook is for a Club in New York in 1904
that will make all of the others hustle for
| the supremacy.
Jimmy Ryan recently gave an opinion to
a Chicago baseball writer ON the down.
/ fall of the drop curve ball in which he says
that Toad Ramsay, years ago an Indian
apolis star. and who now lives here, was
the greatest Of all drop-curve pitchers.
Ryan says: Il don't remember seeing
many drop balls pitched last season. Such
a drop as Ramsay and Burlington used to
throw has apparently gone out Of use. Too
wearing on the arm, perhaps, but the
passing Of the drop ball, 1 think. is mainly
due to the appearance OF so many gtraffes
in the pitching line. A man like Willis or
Joss doesn't need to even attempt a drop
curve. Using all OF his height and swing
ing the arm way above his head, he can
send the ball like an arrow on a down
slant like the hypothenuse OF a triangle. 1t
Is as hard to hit as a drop, goes far faster,
and saves the arm. Toad Ramsay, 1 sup
pose, will live in history as the greatest saG t
whirling drop that was true to the mark
and almost impossible to hit. Drops were a
weakness with Ramsay, for he was always
taking a drop too much, and his career
was a short one. He came and went like
the fight Of a rocket, but the name he
made will never pass out OF baseball his
tory"
Ban johnson may experience considerable
difficulty in carrying out his fond hope Of
having the foul strike rule abolished. A
majority of the American League club own
ers are not in favor of the rule, but the
National League seems as much in favor Of
it as ever. Johnson gave out a report in
Cleveland last week that he would have the
rule abolished and quoted James A. Hart,
president of the Chicago National League
club, as being in favor of discarding the
rule. Johnson also stated that Hart said the
| National League would vote to eliminate the
rule and here is where he caused the Chi
cage magnate to deny that the National
League was on record to abrogate the foul
strike rule. The question will be threshed
out at the coming meeting OF the American
League, and 1t is quite possible that 1t will
receive another severe handling at the meet
ing of the American and National leagues
and National Association representatives,
but the National Association of Minor