The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-04

. The grand army of baseball "vets'
is fast thinning out. There was time
when a dozen or less players made up
the leading teams and the players
would remain in one place for several
years. In this way they became well
known to the patrons Of the game, both
at home and abroad.
All has changed. Each club now
signs up twice as many players as they
intend to carry, and in the general mix
up the players change about until the
stars alone are known to the general
baseball public.
Contracts for three and five years
were common in the early history of
the game, when the National league
clubs felt lucky to get hold Of a good
man. The famous New York giants
were as we'll known about New York
fifteen years ago as the leading mem
bers of the world heaters Of the present
time. The chances are that out of the
thirty-six regular players that will hus-
tie for the Boston teams the coming
season, less than ten Of the number
would be recognized if they walked
the full length Of Washington street,
and Fred Tenney alone of the National
league tdam would be recognized.
There was a time when the different
members Of the Boston champions were
as well known as the mayor of the city
and the fans never tired of singing
their praises. =.
| A Show Business.
| The game is gradually becoming a
show business, with room for the press
| agent and a lot Of unnecessary stuff
about the players is often given out
killing all chances for their success
for nothing will do more harm to :
fine lot Of players than being forced
to read in the local papers both in win
ter and summer about the great stunt
they are able to perform. -.
Sentiment is being squeezed out o
the sport, and the games are not as at
tractive as they were ten or fifteel
years ago, or before the brotherhoo
, move in 1890. It was the great trea
to visit the old south end grounds i
IL 1888 and 1889 and see from 1000
, to $4,000 people there every time tina
: New York and Boston met. For the
: were great rivals, and with the sta
!. batteries in harness the scores wer
usually close and small.
:. Think of Mike Kelley and job
2 Clarkson, "Buck" Ewing and Til
). Keefe matched for an important gan
: and the great pleasure the fans got 0,
e Of the "kidding'' matches betwee
t the two great captain catchers:.. Bot
were inside players, who coached the
q teams every second of the way ar
= never overlooked a white chip.
: While Keefe and Clarkson we
q grand performers in the box, the
: worked best with Kelley and Ewi1
. for backstops. They paid no attentie
: to men on the bases, for the good re
. son that both Kelley and Ewing we
: remarkable line throwers and loved
see base runner leg out for anoth
base. =
Had to Keep Awake.
The men on bases were forced
a keep ever on the alert, for the ball w
apt to shoot for some base just VIII
least expected and always true to t
!, dot. Talk about your Crigers, 70
=. Kings and your Sullivans They we
le clever, but when compared to Kell
! or Ewing as throwing catchers, tn
u are several points shy of the mark.
V Even while in the heat of gre
game the two catchers would laugh
p each other g remarks, and after t
= game, win or lose, were the same G
= friends. No one ever heard Of one
- this. great quartet turning me
= trick to injure a fellow player.
u played clean ball and did much
build up the sport.
The Boston men were known to
r. man when they walked out on the Pr
~ grounds and the teams weres cheer
or to the echo when they appeared on
4ald hath M home and AWAY For 4