The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-15
IDEAS Of the
ARBITRATOR
By TIM nURNANE

baseball season, and when New York
has the baseball fever it helps all along
the line. The regular season is on and
the winter champions must now make
among. the well-posted baseball men.
Very few young pls -ers will come to
the front to force the old, reliable
workmen to take back seat.
The New York giants look about as
strong as last season, while the local
Americans have the material and only
need to get the work out of the men
to make the pace very warm. Great
ball town, this New York, and yet few
really New York people are interested
in the game as producers. OF the
thirty or more great ballplayers con-
nected with the two major league clubs
here Billy Keller alone halls from
Greater New York. Clark Griffths IS
from the far west and Johnny McGraw
is from far up New York state.
John Z. Brush, the president of the
giants, is clothing merchant from In
dianapolis, while Frank Farrell, the
proprietor Of the Americans, is real
live New Yorker, about the only man
connected with the game in the city
hailing from Manhattan island. Far
rell was follower of the game back
in the old days of the Union grounds at
Brooklyn and a close follower of the
old polo ground games when Jim Muir
trie led the real giants to victory.
Farrell Saves Johnsonites.
It was Frank Farrell's admiration
for men Of the Mike Kelley stamp that
finally led him to put big money into
the game and save the American league
bad defeat in this city, for no other
man could have succeeded where Far
rell took long chance and won out.
Many times during the players league
war of 1890 King Kelley found his
purse empty, while the league men were
offering him big money to Jump, but
ever listening to the good, solid advice
of Frank Farrell the "king' refused
to quit the cause when many good fell
lows had tied to it.
For three years the American league
club here has contended against great
odds to at least see the accommoda-
tions to it's ball park adequate and the
subway in full. running order to it's
gates. The American league park oc-
| cupies about the most elevated position
on Manhattan island, overlooking the
beautiful Hudson river, while the Ma
! tional league grounds are situated on
| the lowest level Of the island on the
banks of the Harlem river Both
are in every way ample and credit
Cunning Manager Connie Mack and
modest Benjamin Shibe were the first
to suffer penalty for covering ball
player, in the person of Phil Geier.
From what I heard in the south, the
quaker club was a wholesale violator
of the covering-up business, for both
the Southern association and American
association. This came about after
Connie Mack started in to push the
| d., 81 IL
at the expense Of the Athletics stand.
ing in baseball. Ban johnson gave his
clubs fair warning last winter, and the
quakers knew they were fooling with
sharp tools.
Minors Defeat Majors.
I picked up the morning paper this
week to note where the major league
pennant possibilities were defeated by
minor league teams. At Columbus Billy
Cleveland boys, holding them down t.
two safe hits. Indianapolis walloped
the life out of Detroit, while George
Stallings' Buffalo crowd had the i'm
pudence to shut out Ed Hanlon s Gin
cinnati boys to 0 on their OWL
grounds.
In Clymer, Watkins and stallings the
minors had nothing to lose in knowl
edge of the game, when stacked W
against Armour, Lajoie and Hanlon
Every one Of the minor managers haG
produced champions, while Hanlor
great pleasure Of being tied up to 8
winning proposition. There was 8
great lesson in the above defeats. II
made it plain to all that the, country
is full Of first class players, who sim
Iply need proper coaching and little
|. experience to fit them for the big
leagues. This condition is likely t.
make the average salary of the player
much less than at the present time
while the phenomenal performer viii
| be able to practically name his owl
, terms.
I doubt if the major league club.
will fight over dates at New Orleans
| after this season, as the business ha
J fallen off in that city at exhibition
, games Those teams booked to play
a series of intercity games early il
April, as they do at Philadelphia ant
, st. Louis, must have their men in con
, dition nearly two weeks before thos,
who roam around playing weak outside
clubs.
Fall Season Neglected.
Taking a small army of second-rat,
players far south for trying-out pur
poses is the biggest kind of mistake
| for the only time to try out. thes
youngsters is the fall, when you hav,
chance to compare their work to mel
who are in condition and playing a
top speed. The money thrown ava.
for expenses alone in taking poor work
q men south could be given to the regu
lar men to good advantage, with bet
\ ter results in sight.
Will President Ban johnson an
: President Harry Pulliam give their un
. p1res the same loyal support they CAV
\ them last season7 Nearly every owne
q of ball club thinks he Is forever ge'
ting the worst Of it from the indicate
! handlers, and often thru the advice Q
: the head Of the league. -.
I was speaking with Inn hurst I'M
q week and he said: "Umpirlng Is child
;, play now compared to what IL was
! few years ago, when Baltimore an
= Cleveland set the pace. Ban Johnso
. was the life-saver for the umpire:
: profession, and the game has improve
as a sport for the public, which ma
grown tired of wranghng on pail neio
for the purpose of winning games o
fonl means. The greatest satisfactio
the poor umpire can expect is tn
warm greeting one receives from a vi
# ting team as they come on the hel'
Soma umpires are the ruination of II
game, for the public. which enjoys tt
vi victory at home, ! enjoys the victor
Ie away from home much more and t.
n PLAYERS must face opposition enough
v the road to have the umpire as hand
It cap.
It Tim Hurst was one of the lead1r
If ,nn;ros. 4on voorc 400 whan the gam,