Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1887 — THE NATIONAL GAME. [ARTICLE]

THE NATIONAL GAME.

A Review of the League Base-Ball Season Just Brought to a Close. The World’s Championship Series Between the Detroit and St. Eouis Clubs. [CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.] The present week will close the League base-ball season of 1887, and looking back over the months that have passed since April 28, tbe season shows one of the most remarkable contests upon record in the history of base-ball. Although it has not won the pennant, Chicago has played ball this season which can only call forth the admiration and approbation of every lover of the national game in this country. Taking his new and comparatively untried material in hand when the season opened, Capt. Anson, in the face of predicted defeat upon the part of several of Chicago’s influential daily papers, which seemed greatly exercised over the release of Kelly, Dalrymple, McCormick, el al., marshaled his forces, ultimately led them on to what—until bad weather inaugurated the series of disasters which the club encountered upon its last Eastern trip—seemed certain victory in this yea?a pennant race. The first few weeks of the season were disastrous. The men had had but little training and were unacquainted with each other’s style of play. As a result there was a noticeable weakness in point of team work. Anson knew his material, however, and once he got it well in hand the result was magical. Washington, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York and Boston were each passed in turn, and when Detroit had begun to fancy itself secure in first position the crack of the White Stockings’ bats began to sound ominously in the ears of the Wolverines. Had not the bad weather which the team encountered at Boston and Pittsburgh broken the triumphal march of Anson’s men there is an even chance that Chicago, and not Detroit, would have led the teams when the Western players returned from their last tour of the Eastern cities in the circuit.

FOR THE WORLD’S CHAMPIONSHIP. Interest now centers to a great extent in the world’s championship games which have been arranged between the Detroit and St. Louis clubs, as the winners of the pennants in their respective organizations. As originally intended, the series was to consist of fifteen games, to be played as follows: At St. Louis. Monday, Oct. 10; Chicago, Tuesday, Oct 11; Detroit, Wednesday, Oct. 12; Pittsburg. Thursday, Oct. 13 ; Philadelphia, Friday, Oct. 14 (League grounds); Brooklyn, Saturday, Out. 15; Philadelphia, Munday, Oct. 17 (Association grounds!; Boston, Tuesday, Oct. 18; Staten Island, Wednesday, Oct. 19 ; Baltimore, Thursday, Oct. 20; Washington, Friday, Oct. 21; Brooklyn, Saturday, Oct. 22; Cincinnati, Monday, Oct. 24; Louisville, Tuesday, Oct 25; St. Louis, Wednesday, Oct. 26 (should there bo tie).

Owing to recent occurrences, however, it is very likely that the games scheduled for one or two of the principal cities named will not be played as scheduled. The winning of the League championship seems to have turned the heads of the Detroit Club management, and that there has been some woefully poor judgment exercised by some one connected with the committee of arrangements is very evident from the muddle which Messrs. Von der Ahe and Stearns, the Presidents of the two clubs, have gotten themselves into. President Day, of the New York Club, holds a contract by which the clubs agree to play on the Polo Grounds Oct. 15. President Byrne of the Brooklyn Club has contracts for Washington Park for Oct. 15 and 22, and the Staten Island Amusement Company has contracts for two games at St. George on dates not named. As the series permits only three games to be played in the vicinity in question, and five are contracted for, there will be trouble on that score, and the fact that Presidents Day and Byrne hold agreements for the opening game on Oct. 15, will also cause a disagreement. Von der Ahe by wire last Tuesday asked Mr. Byrne to change the date of the Saturday, Oct. 15, game at Brooklyn to Wednesday, 19th, but Mr. Byrne, surmising that the object was to give the date to New York, refused to take a back seat and let New York have the first game in the metropolitan district. Mr. Stearns, of Detroit, then asked Mr. Day to change his date to Friday, Oct. 14, but Day refused, and he will hold the clubs to the contract. If they atrree to play in Brooklyn on Oct. 15 Mr. Day will probably restrain them by injunction, ana Mr. Byrne will do the same if the dubs determine to play on the Polo grounds on that day. So here, it will be seen, is ground enough for a very pretty mess. Not only do those in charge of the jmt%s seem absolutely incompetent to handle the enterprise so far as the arrangement of dates is concerned, but they seem to think that the desire tbroughtout the country to see their teams is so great that the public will cheerfully give up any price of admission—however exorbitant—the management may ask. In this connection they have run against another stump—at least, so far as Chicago is concerned. The game scheduled for Chicago, as may be seen, was set for Oct. 11. A few days ago President Spalding received a letter from President Stearns asking the former’s opinion of a $1 and $1.50 tariff to the game. Mr. Spalding was not slow to make reply that he thought such a charge outrageously exorbitant and refusing to have such an imposition practiced cm his patrons. Perseverance is the main thing in life. If the race could be won by a sport, thousands would wear th* blue ribbon.