Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1887 — BASE-BALL. [ARTICLE]

BASE-BALL.

The Fight for the League Pennant Drawing to a Close—Detroit’s Big Lead. The Alleged Trouble in the Chicago Team—President Spalding Interviewed. [CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.] Chicago has been somewhat torn up in a base-ball way during the past week ortwo, the team’s defeat in two of three games at Detroit, ccming as it did upon the bad luck that had attended the team from the time it left here upon its Eastern trip last month, tending to discourage those who had backed the White Stockings as pennant winners. On top of their defeats at Detroit they were compelled to knuckle down to Indianapolis in the first game played upon the home grounds for four weeks, and notwithstanding that the champions whipped the Hoosiers until they fell upon their knees and begged for mercy in the two following gtmes, the Chicago morning papers, or those of them which for a month past have been unfavorably inclined toward the Whites, launched forth into a tirade of abuse against Captain Anson and the club which was uncalled for as it was unjust. Arson was accused of being a “hoodoo,” snd was advised to resign the captaincy. Clarkson, it was asserted, would quit the team and play ball with Boston next year. Pfeffer and Williamson were also disgusted with Anson, and would not be with the Chicago Club next season. Now, it is a fact that the players which these papers charge with being dissatisfied and hot against Anson are, so far as can be learned, more indignant against the treatment accorded to Anson, both by the public and the press, than is the big fellow himself. Pfeffer does not say so, but it is dollars to doughnuts that he now very much regrets having ever said anything to newspaper men concerning his little trouble with Anson down East. Big Ed Williamson is honestly hot and thoroughly worked up over the attacks upon his Captain and the statement that he will play ball with some other team than Chicago next season.

When asked what truth there was in the statement that he would leave the Chicago Club this year, Williamson said: “It is a lie. If the Chicago Club wants my services next year I shall be in the held for them, and can say frankly that I never had any other intention.” “You are not at swords’ points with Anson then as the balance of the team are?” “Who says the balance of the team are hot at Anson? I tell you that these dirty attacks on the ‘old man’ are enough to make any man, who has any sense of fairness in him, hot under the collar. Ido not believe there is a man who if asked if he had any thing against Anson would say yes. Pfeffer was pretty hot at one time, but I think he feels differently now. As for myself I would rather play under Anson than any other team captain in the business. What makes me think that there is none of the feeling against him among the men, as certain papers have stated, is that when the crowd gave him the guying they did during the Indiauapogames because of an error or two he made, there was not a man of us, so far as I could judge from their faces, who would not gladly have stood in the old man’s shoes and took part of the guying for him. As for myself I felt so hot over it that I could not see the ball for a minute. It is a shame to treat a man as a certain element in the public is treating him, and if it were not for the slurs of the newspapers the public would not do it. As for the hired men on the papers who are writing all this stuff, I suppose they are doing as they are told. There is certainly no foundation for their statements. You can say for me that the tone of the newspapers is no reflection of the spirit which exists among the boys. On the contrary, the majority of us are thoroughly indignant over it all,” Just inside the office stood Anson himself in conversation with Ed Hengle. “I see the newspapers have got everything fixed for you next year, Anson,” ventured your correspondent. “Yes,” said the big fellow, with a smile. ’‘Williamson and Pfeffer are going to leave us, and Clarkson is going to Boston next year.” “I presume that is a fact?” “O, yes. Just about as much a fact, so far as I can judge, as the balance of the rot these fellows telegraphed to their papers while we were down East. But let me tell you that if they do go, the Chicago team will play ball right along just the same.” “How do you feel about the rough criticism they are subjecting you to?” “Well, I will tell you. In the first place lam not working for the public, but for the Chicago Ball Club, and so long as the club is satisfied I don’t care what the newspapers say. On the contrary, I like it and hope they will continue to be as windy as they are at present. I have an idea that it may all result beneficially to A. C. Anson some day. Meantime I shall handle my team as I think best, and shall play ball as well as I know how.” President Spalding, as may be imagined, is none too kindly disposed toward the men who have started these malicious reports, but as is always the case with him under such circumstances he has kept his temper admirably through it all. “If there was a single particle of truth in it, ” said he, “I should have nothing to say; but for newspapers to deliberately state what they know is not true when they know that such statements are calculated to belittle the team is rough. The team is not demoralized. Anson has not been brutal toward the men. There are no hard feelings existing between him and his players, and the men whom it has been stated will leave the club this fall, will, so far as I now know, wear the uniform of the Chicago Club next year as they have done this. Clarkson has never had any cause to complain of the treatment accorded him since he has played ball with the White Stockings, and if he has any wish to go to Boston it is because he lives there and would prefer to be near his home—not because he has not been well treated here. However, these statements made by the papers are

so utterly false and groundless that 7 scarcely think they need denial. Chicago will play ball just the same right through this season, and other seasons to come. We shall occupy second place in the race this year at the finish, and that will suit me very well under the circumstances.” DETROIT LIKELY TO WIN. Detroit is certainly playing great ball, and seems now to be in a- fair way to win the pennant this year. The return of Baldwin to the ranks strengthens the pitcher’s box just that much, so that the club cannot possibly be weak in that way, and that has been the spot that has been looked upon with the greatest of fear. With Bennett and Baldwin in the greatest of iorm Battery “B” promises to again become one of the stand-bys of the Detroit Club. THE BOSTON CLUB. The Boston Club management seems to be in a peck of trouble with its players. The other day nine of the men were fined $25 each for alleged loose habits, and now pitcher Radbourn has been suspended. The official notification from the directors informed Radbourn that he was indefinitely suspended because his work had not been satisfactory. “That don’t give me a very good idea of what I am to expect,” said Rad, in commenting upon his suspension the other day. “This afternoon I asked them if I am suspended for the rest of the season, but they were not ready to tell me. I should like to know if lam going West with the team. If lam suspended for the rest of the season I should like to know it, so that I can go home. There is no use of my loafing around here.” “Was anything said to you after the game about not trying to do your best?” “Not a word. The only reason given for my suspension is that my work has not been satisfactory, but I’ll tell you what it looks like. It looks very much like a scheme to save part of my salary. I have done my Lest every time I stepped into that box. That is what I signed a contract to do. It was not to win every game I played. They agreed to give me "so much money for pitching whenever and as often as I was needed. I have always been perfectly willing to pitch when in condition. They made the contract without a kick, and if they feel that they have not got their money’s worth it is not my fault. I have lived up to my part of it. which was to play ball as well as I knew how for the Boston Club. It has been impossible for me to pitch as well under the new rules as under the old ones.” “Then you think the change hurt you?” “It certainly did, just as it did many of the pitchers. There was Mickey Welsh. He has been off and on all summer. Many of the games that have been lost with me in the box were not due to poor pitching, but you can’t convince the public of that. They have got down on me and have influenced the directors, as was natural.” During further conversation liadbourn said: “One thing is very sure. If I am not treated squarely in money matters there will be trouble. Oh, no; I shall do nothing personally. That will be unnecessary. Wa have a brotherhood now.” NOTES AND COMMENT. Ryan, of the Chicagos, is falling off in his fielding. Dell Darling has sprouted a moustache. Williamson is a great favorite at home and in the East. Jim Whitney has made four put-outs this season. Over 250,000 people have attended the Boston game this season. McCormick, of Pittsburg, is laid up with rheumatism and boils. The Detroit cranks have presented Getzein with a S2OO gold watch and chain. A. G. Spalding & Bros., the base-ball supply house, sold 1,000,000 base-balls last year, or enough of them to reach from Philadelphia to New York if strung upon a wire side by side. They also made and sold twenty-two miles of bats. Manager Watkins, of the Detroits, is trying to get up a team to tak* to California this winter. It includes Getzein and Conway pitchers, Bennett catcher, Brouthers, Dunlap, Ricbardson, Hanlon, and Thompson. A number of those mentioned are disinclined to go, as they think they would rather rest during the winter. President Soden, of the Boston Club, says that Detroit L as an average attendance at home games of about twelve or fifteen hundred persons. “They want to keep up their big club, with all’ its high-priced players, and let New York, Chicago, Boston, and Philadelphia pay for them.” Soden bitterly opposes the percentage plan. “I have umpired for both organizations, and let me tell you the League is away ahead of the Association/' said Umpire Daniels. “To begin with, the League has better batters, and its players see and play much finer points. The St. Louis Browns? Yes, they are a wonderful team, but the Detroits can win from them by virtue of superior batting.” This talk about grand-stand players, so often used to disparage a good play by a member of a team, ought to be shelved. A player who puts forth his best effort to effect a difficult catch, or makes a grand slide to reach a base, or, in fact, does anything else to advance the interests of his side, deserves applause. He may work for the benefit of the grand stand, but the spectators like him just as long as he helps his side.— Cincinnati Enquirer.