The sun., 1903-02-22
BASEBALL HOPES ARB HIGH.
THIS rs THE TINE or THE YEAR
TO WORK Up THE CRANkS.
A the Campaign Progresses Magnates.
Managers and Pia,crs Have Their
Troublcs-tritic's Pen Travels From
lnstintcsl Praise TO Condemnation.

Unstintc<i Praise TO Condemnation.
This is the time OF the year when the base
ball boomers in all the cities and towns OF
America that are represented by profess
sional teams are busy telling the cranks
that championships and pennants are TO
he won TO a moral certainty; that wonders
have been uncarthed and that such and
such players are about to play the game
OF their lives Baseball is filed with gigan-
tic hopes and confident predictions in the
spring. More games can Ire won on paper
beside red-hot stove than on the diamond
and more impossible plays can be invented
when there are two feet Of snow on the
ground than during an entire cam
paign But II was ever thus. These who
dish up criticisms OF ball teams from one
end Of the year to the other sometimes
forget what has fallen from their pens.
But the public usually forgets with them
and when the snow begins to fly in the fall
The season Just ended is dead forever, while
the one to follow is the only thing in the
baseball mind. As striking example OF
how the baseball pen often wakes enthusi-
astic only to find its way to the old rusty
route Of disappointment, The Sun is enabled
after much research, to reproduce the COM
ments OF baseball critic who has presided
for years over the destinies OF one OF the
best-known minor league teams in the
country. Here they are:
March i0-Manager John Smith. who
will handle the Blues for the coming season.
arrived in town yesterday from the East
He IL the picture of health and says that he
never fel, better in his life. Smith is the
best manager in the United States. barring
Hanlou, Selee, Comiskey and Fred Clarke,
and IL the Blues had not signed him, he
would have been snapped up by one OF
the National League tlubs. He knows the
game from Alpha to Omega and is the most
expert Judge OF young blood that ever sat
on the bench. Smith says tina; the Blues
will have the finest players that money
can buy and that il money counts for any
thing, the pennant will come here. He
does not care to make known the players
under contract just yet, but when he does.
there will be n glorious celebration by the
cranks. Smith is here to stay and is
stopping at the Palace Hotel, where he
will be glad to receive suggestions from the
cranks and to get acquainted.
Last night President Jones and the
,ioard Of ,irectors Of the Blues gave a
banquet to Manager Smith at the Tavern.
The table was beautifully decorated with
roses and smilax and the feast was en-
joyed by two dozen enthusiasts. After
the cigars had been lighted, President
Jones arose and said
Gentlemen. we have gathered here
tonight to greet our new manager John
Smith. He is the prince Of good fellows
apI baa alraaAv laarf /
sure that the Blues will win the pennant
and that we will all take our hats OF TO Mr..
Smith who will oblige us with few re-
marks
Mr. Smith then took the floor and made
a neat speech in which he said that he had
every reason TO believe that the Blues would
win the championship OF the Oil Tank
League and that the cranks would be COM
PEELED to pass vote of thanks to Presi-
dent Jones for his extreme liberality.
Many toasts were responded to and the
party broke up at a late hour with cheers
for President Jones and Manager Smith.
March 2OMansger Smith made a ten
strike yesterday when he signed the famous
Cannon Ball Battery, Pitchem and ketchem.
Smith has been after these stars for two
years and had to pay big money to get
them Pitchem will get $4,000 for the
season and Keichem will receive $3 900
Pitchem is a wonder He is fast on his
feet. a 800 hitter and has speed to burn. |
He can send one Of his fast shoots clean |
through two-inch flank. while his curves |
are 80 sharp that he IL afraid 10 let them |
ali out. He has phenomenal control. being !
able TO knock a glass bottle of the top OF |
a fence with pitched ball at a point 100 |
feet away Ketchem. in his long career, |
has never had n passed ball and il tn, |,
greatest thrower TO bases that the public |
has ever seen on the diamond. When |
Pitchem and Ketchem get to work the !
Blues will simply walk in.
Ii is the finest combination Of pitching |
and catching talent in the world and Man |
ager Smith il to be- congratulated He also |
has signed the famous first bascman. Big |
jim Grabbr from the Granville team |
Here il a corking ball player. He is 0 feet |
. inches tall. weighs POS pounds in trim |
and can bat like fiend. His average in |
the Gashouse League last year was $50 |
and he led all others with the stick. The |
Chicagos. Bostons. Phiadelphias and New |
Yorks were after him. but Manager Smith |
was too quick for them. Grabber is easily |
the best fielding first baseman in the country |
and a crack baserunner. He is one Of the |
few intelligent players in the profession. be- |
ing college bred, and is studying TO be |,
lawyer. Courteous, clean and manly. First |
Bascman Grabber is q credit To the game |
and to the City Of Slowtown.
When the cranks see the men Manager /
Smith has secured TO play the other in !
field positions they will throw up their caps !
in octasy, He has signed 81 op and Stop
En- to play second and third, respectively. I
Stoop as such miraculous fielder that few /
understand how he can cover the ground
he does He is light ing on double plays
and a tremendous batter. He has an eye
like hawk and il the quickest kind Of n
thinker. Stop En- is the best shorts,op
playing ball. barring George Davis, Bill
Dahlen and Herman Long He led the !
shortstops Of the Soap Suds League last
year in fielding and stood second in bat
ting with an average Of 400. He will have
the crowds by the ears. Manager Smith /
will put him on third base a. he has signed
Bill Boorem TO cover shortteld, Every
body knows Boot"m. He IL called Home !
Run Bootem'', because he always knocks |
the ball over the fence. He is marvel |
on double plays and the fcctest base |
runner in the profession. This will be the |,
tonewall infeld' of the league and there |
Is no better anywhere. VII Green in right |
field. Brown in centre field and White in !!
q. Il Al