Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1887 — THE BASE-BALL RECORD. [ARTICLE]

THE BASE-BALL RECORD.

The Fight Between Detroit, Chicago, and Boston Growing Sharper. Changes in the Detroit Team—Other Base-Ball News and Gossip. [CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.} Fourtcnn weeks of the League championship season have passed, and tue teams in the race, from the leaders to the tail-end-ers are playing better ball, upon the average, than has been known before in the history of the games professionally. In the opinion of nine out of ten Chicagoans nothing short of the collapse of the team can prevent the White Stockings from winning the pennant again this season. This is a most gratifying change in the drift of public opinion and sentiment, for not more than six weeks ago an indignant public in this city was freely expressing itg disgust at the policy of President Spalding and Capt. Anson in releasing what was looked upon as the most valuable men in the team, and thus ruining the chances of the city for even a decent standing in this year’s race. Messrs. Anson and Spalding, however, budded wiser than the public knew, with the result that Chicago has probably the most capable ball team today that it ever had. The race thus far has been a desperate struggle from the start. With such strong clubs as Pittsburg, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and Detroit ahead of him, Anson’s task to pilot his own nine to the top was thought to be too great for the famous captain to accomplish. But he has done it, thanks to his own matchless guidance and the wonderful playing of his men, and to-day he stands the same excellent chance of winning the flag as he did at this time last year. The spurt made by the Chicagos is without a parallel in the history of the league. It is a record such as will probably not be made again in years. Letters of a congratulatory nature have been pouring in upon Anson from all sections of the country for more than a month past, and there seems not to be a sign remaining of the condemnatory and critical spirit that existed everywhere against Anson and the club at the outset of the season. HOME AGAIN. The champions returned last week from their second Eastern trip, and are now upon she Chicago grounds for a series of games with all the Eastern clubs and three games with Detroit. The boys are playing pennant ball in every game. The three batteries are in splendid form, and every man in the team has got his eyes on the ball. Sullivan, Pfeffer, Clarkson and Baldwin have picked up in their batting the past week, while Burns, Van Haltren and Williamson have dropped off a little. The most pronounced feature of the team’s play is the field-work of Pfeffer, Bums and Williamson. The latter is without doubt the finest short stop in the League. His play, which was always good, has become phenomenal, and is attracting attention all over the country. Glasscock’s tijle of “King of Short Stops” is rapidly waning in the light of Williamson’s work. Pfeffer is also playing remarkable ball, and the same may be said of Bums. The out-field appears to be pretty near impregnable. Sullivan is covering more ground than a summer squash-vine, and liyan, in center, is attending to nearly everything that comes his way. boston’s work. As for Boston, the team next to Chicago in the race, there seems to be something between its players and winning ball which even the influence of the great and only Kelly can not dispel. It seems to be peculiarly unfortunate away from home. When the boys from the Hub came West early in the summer Kelly got so badly crippled that he could not play. Several other members of the team were suffering from injuries. The boys had not been away from home two days on the present trip when Homung was taken ill and had to be left in New York. Kelly is now doubled up with cramps, and is scarcely able to play. With Kelly and Homung out of condition, there isn’t much left in the Boston team to whip. The club will be in great luck if it regains the grounded has lost duriDg the past week. THE OTHER CLUBS. It would be well for everybody to keep an eye on Philadelphia and New York. These clubs are not so very far behind, and, what is more interesting, they are playing stronger ball as the season advances. One or both of these clubs will cause some trouble. Of the tail-enders Pittsburgh has been playing the better ball during the East week. The fielding of this team Las een very fine all season, but they are still lamentably weak witn the stick. If this club had had a half-dozen good batters at the beginning of the season it would have a hand in the fight to-day. Indianapolis and Washington are showing a marked improvement in playing strength, the Eastern club in particular playing some of the greatest ball recorded this’year. A great many people seem to have made up their minds that Detroit is going to take a very big tumble in the race. One Chicago paper in p irticular expresses the opinion that it will be beaten out by Chicago, Boston, and New York, and that even Philadelphia will give it a tough tussle before the season ends. In the opinion of jour correspondent this is a mistaken idea. In the face of all this sort of predictions that have been made for a month past, Detroit has goue right aiouu playing good ball, defeating the League’s best teams, and staying at the top of the string in the race, and the probabilities would, to an unprejudiced mind, seem to point to its cqntiuuing as it is unless Chicago alone among all the oth r clubs can overtake it. During tfie past week the management .of the Wolverines has spent no less than $3,000 in securing new players, a fact which proves more conclusively than anything else that the dub intends staying in the League for not only the present season but so many more as it chooses. The three men secured in the latest deals are good ones. Gruber, the successful pitcher of tbe Hartford (Conn.) Club, was the first one signed, and he has been tried and has given satisfaction. The others are Beatin and Kinalow, tbe crack battery of the Allentown (Pa.) Club, and if records count for anything they will prove valuable additions ta the niue. With the

new material thus secured the club has • great deal more material than is needed, and it is bnt natural to suppose that some of those who are considered the least useful will be allowed to go. The probabilities are that Briody and Weidm&n will be among those which the club will let go.

CON CREGAN.