The St. Louis Republic., 1904-01-03

The national game of baseball o.ospered
more in 1853 than during AIRY previous
year in the history of the game. iCre
persons paid admissions to the parks of
the major league teams during 1893 than
during any single Year since baseball was
introduced to the American public.
The players enjoyed prosperous sea-
son, and, according to the statements of
the club owners. not one of them lost
money on their investments last year.
With these conditions prevailing baseball
can be said to have left fewer regrets
lingering in the dead past of 1888 than al
most any of the popular sports.
In point of playing the game established
the highest standard yet reached by the
knights of the green diamond
Remarkable plays were common through
out the season. Nor We're the remarkable
plays confined to any particular city or
either one of the major leagues.
In the American League the race for the
peEnant WAS hard-fought all the way, and
up until TIE last lap was reached Boston,
the final winners mad cUnteEders.
The seasons race III the National League
was not 50 well contested. Pittsburs had
matters their OWN way from the drop of
the flag.
Without question the greatest batter in
The American League was Napoleon La
Joie / .iS mighty swaIter, atIer Setuns
bad start. struck his sIride about the
middle OF the season and nnlsneu III front
oI all the SiugserS in the American League.
Wagner Hus ~ me uaIteIS OF the Ma
tional League OF 1876 what LaJoie was to
me American League disciples of ''Slugol-
ogy." Hans was the King beyond Cis-
pute.
Which of these players was the bright
est star of 1896 is question that is gen
orally settled according to the viewpoint
of the GiSputant.
a National League rooter will uphold
Wagner's claim for the honor of being the
greatest player of 1898, while American
League admIrer gives the palm to LaJoie.
FRAZER PITCHES NO HIT" GAME.
What was one of the greatest pitching
feats of 1868 was performed by Charles
Cooper Fraser of the Philadelphia Ma
tionals in Chicago last september., In
game against the Cubs. Crtck let
Selee'S men down without hit
This was perhaps the most remarkable
pitching accomplishment of a season OF
triumphs for the pitcher.
SOME LOCAL PITCHING FEATS.
The season was less than half a month
old when the pitchers began 70 do re-
narkable things. The first pitcher to at
tract general attention to himself was
Mullen OF Detroit On April 80 he Der
of the Browns. The game WAS fiereely
fought and exciting throughout In the
eighth inning Umpire L.aCghi:n was
compelled to send Heidrick and Anderson
to the clubhouse for obstreperous conduct.
Billy Sudhoff gets the honor CT the
first shut-out pitched at Sportsman l'ark
during 1903 On May IL Wee Wiine sen.
the senators to the clubhouse without a
rum after allowing them but four hits.
on May % Clarke Griffith of the New
York Invaders let the Rrowns down with
but two hits after pltcning Il re'naikapiy
Jack Powell. who pitched some very re-
markable games last season lie. IRE Cnl-
cago white SoX'' down with three mis-
on August 4.
.PoWELI'S BEST FEAT OF 1903.
"Red john was in great condition about
this time, and on August 9 figured in what
was, perhaps. the bitterest pitching duel
ever fought in the American League.
On that date Powell. pitching for the
Browns. opposed Wyatt Lee In fifteen
inning game. After 1t was all over the
est possible margin. the hnal score oeing
[. to 0 in favor of Washington.
Up until the fifteenth inning the game
was in doubt. when double by koonson. s,.
to center by Ryan gave the Senators the
winning run after the Browns had
chance to retire the side.
This fifteen-inning game was the longest
mai league game of the season.
In one of the pOst-seaSon series games
between the Cardinals and Browns Powell
performed another remarkable feat. he
struck out fifteen of the Cardinals. and, al.
though it was the greatest number OF
ma jor league players struck out oy a
pitcher during the year lyO3, 1t did not
stand as record, as 1t was an exhioitioh
game.
Twice during the season Powell famed
twelve of the Clevelands. but his stunt
was overshadowed by that Of Waddell.
a fnt,r nf
championship came last season.
In double-header at League Park: be-
fore the largest crowd of the season. Den
ton Young and Tom Hughes. pitching for
Boston. administered a double shutout to
the Browns.
CARDINALS RECORD TWIRLER.
For the year Brown had the greatest
number of strike-outs of any of the local
National League pitchers. THE Miner"
famed eleven of the "Phillies" in game
at League Park.
Christy Mathewson held the seasons
strike-out record for the National League
for the 1903 season, the big colegian fan
ming twelve players in single game, but
Joe McGinnity's feat OF winning three
double-headers was probably the best
pitching performance IN the National
League during 1903.
The fielding performances OF 1903 were
hardly less brilliant than the work of the
pitchers.
Three triple plays were made during the
season Two of the three were made at
Sportsman's Park. The other one was
made in New York against the Cardinals.
SENSATIONAL FIELDING PLAYS.
On August IS, Wright, pitching for the
Browns against the Athletics at Sport
mans Park. thrilled the fans by making
a wonderful one,hand stop and starting
a triple play The trick was done in the
first inning, but did not save the Browns
from defeat, the Athletics finally winning
by a score of to 2
Ferris started another triple play against
the Boston Americans at Sportsman's
park. The little second baseman, after
a sensation stab, completed double play
unasssted and tossed the third man out
to La Chance.
one of the most remarkable fielding |
plays of the season was made by Homer |
Smoot at League Park June Il. On that |
date, with man on second and the score |
a tie in the ninth inning, Keister sent the |
sphere sailing toward the Cardinals. club |
house. Smoot got off with the crack of |
the bat and caught the sphere as it was |
in the act of making connections with |
the clubhouse fence. The catch saved |
the day for the Cardinals. as it prolonged |
the game another inning, when the Car |
dinals scored run and won the game.
TRAGEDIES OF THE YEAR
1t is seldom that two tragedies stir the |
deaths of Win Mercer and Ed Dele
hlnty, DOtn WEOm enOeQ tnelr careers
this year while apparently at the height |
of popularity. Mercer committed suicide /
in a San Francisco hotel while there with
the Ail-American team last winter. and
no adequate reason was ever discovered.
He was to have been manager Of the De-
troit club last season. Delenanty'S death,
while not voluntary. was due largely to
his own acts. He left the Washington
club in Detroit in midseason, and on the
way East, was put off the train before
reaching Buffalo: He attempted 60 cross
The bridge over Niagara River. and s-ster