The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-29

er. McGraw and others pulled of plays
that would be heralded as inside base
ball now. And they did it OF their
own volition.
baseball everything is left to a man
ageF. The players are as so many
wooden Indians, waiting for the word.
If the manager tells them to go they
must go. regardless of consequences.
If he tells them to stay they must stay,
even if they had chances galore to
pull off brilliant play.
That is the kind of baseball you see
on the diamond these days. It's the
same in New York, Chicago or St.
tied UP with ironelad contracts. telling
them what they can and can not do.
They dictate to them on the field and
Oft the field.
ers up with contracts they can not
break, If they We're so disposed. the
owners employ a manager to tell them
how to play the game. The result has
been mechanical baseball, and in SOM
instances the worst sort of mechanical
play.
Every club is built around one or two
men. These are the stars. The rest are
a bunch of second-raters, who would be
playing on the lots If it were not that
nine men are needed to make a team.
This fellow or that one plays baseball;
the rest do the best they can.
All this has resulted in the loss of in
dividuality. No more do you see the
spectacular plays that were so common
in bygone days. Once in a while you
will hear of some fellow breaking up
game or making brilliant stop, but he
does it because he can't help it.
Baseball is not the game that it once
was. 1t was different. fielding the live
ball. loaded with rubber. and the dead
one that is used in the modern game.
aT1aI n ted
with it that never go to see a game
now. That is one reason why I have
taken up billiards.
The objection of the official scorers
to the adjustment of the wild pitch
and the passed ball compelled the rule
makers of baseball to rescind the ac-
ton they took recently aboIishing the
two names and classifying the plays as
| errors.
The king of the hold outs. Johnny
| Killing, the former Cub catcher. is re-
ported to be on the point Of surrender
! ing. Hugh Fullerton, former baseball
player and at present a sporting writer
in Chicago, recently made a trip 10
sent back word to Chicago that Killing
would positively play ball with the
| Chicago team this season. There is
| every reason to believe what Fullerton
says II KING comes Dack ana is IN Ole
| time shape the Cubs will make an aw-
| full fight for the pennant this year.
| Hans Lobert. the former third saekeI
Of the Des Moines team. has been able
| to come to terms with Manager Griffith
| of the Cincinnati team and will play
| third base for the Reds this year in al
| probability.
| Another former Des Moines ball toss
| er, McChesney. says that he will not be
with ST. Joseph this year. McChesney
| was a member OF the Pueblo team al
| the close of the season last year. Nc
| Chesney states that he was promised q
| berth with some team outside of the
Western league and viii refuse to re-
port with the rest of the former Pueblo
| players in st. Joseph.
The Denver club has just secured q
good outfielder. McAleese, last year
with the st. Louis Browns, has been
purchased by Denver. He is reported
| to be a great fielder but somewhat
weak with the bat. He will probably
swing the willow all right in this
league.