Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 May 1888 — BASE-BALL. [ARTICLE]

BASE-BALL.

Nearly All the Clubs Suffer from the Inclement Weather. Boston’s $20,000 Battery Honored in Chicago—What the Detroit and Other Teams Are Doing. [CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.J Unfavorable weather has of late interfered with ball games in all sections of the country, and clubs of nearly every professional organization have suffered in consequence. The past week has developed some changes in the relative positions of the clubs in the League race. The Chicago Club is now fairly in the lead for the championship. A week ago it was on even terms with Boston, but now it has drawn clear of the Bean-Eaters. It has only a slight advantage, but it is enough for the present and gives good promise of something better in the future. The New Yorhs are going along at a steady pace. Of course they will be important factors in (he struggle for the pennant, yet that they will secure it is improbable. They are doing nothing brilliant. The Detroits are trying to bat themselves out of a bad position, with some prospect of success. Last season they batted out the championship, but got a splendid start, while this year they got off poorly. The Pittsburg team appears to be able to play pretty well at home and to make a poor showing elsewhere. It has been something of an obstruction in the way of the Chicagos, Detroits, and Bostons when tney visited the Smoky City, but the only series away from home resulted in four straight defeats at the hands of Detroit. The Indianapolis and Washington clubs are still doing wretchedly, they being hardly able to beat each other. Tuesday was red-letter day in the annals of base-ball in Chicago. The Boston team, with its $20,000 battery—Clarkson and Kelly—arrived in the city on that day and were serenaded by a full military band accompanying the Chicago players at the Leland hotel. A procession formed of the two teams then proceeded to the grounds, Clarkson and Kelly occupying the first carriage behind the band and a platoon of police, the remaining players bringing up the tear. A feature of the occasion was the uniforms worn by Anson and his men. Thiff consisted of tight-fitting shirts and pants of white jersey with black trimmings, and full-dress (swallow-tail) coats with button-hole bouquets in the lapels. The coats were, of course, laid off when the players reachedthe players’ bench upon the field.

In almost every instance wherein Clarkson and Kelly have publicly expressed their opinion of the Chicago team, they have declared their admiration for Anson and his black-stockinged players. When the news of Ferguson's death was recsived, the members ot the Chicago team held a little meeting. Mrs. Anson’s former home was Philadelphia, and sne had heard that Mrs. Ferguson, while not in absolute want, had comparatively little with which to meet future, necessities. The situation was stated to the boys by the Captain, and all subscribed according to their means. That night $l5O was wired to the widow. Martin Sullivan says he is glad that he did not resent the blows which he received from the Indianapolis first baseman. His remark is: "When I play base-ball for a living Ido not expect to use my fists. If I was a pugilist it would of course be different. If Esterbrook were to strike me again on the field. I would not strike back. I should wait until the close of the season and then have a reckoning with him which he would probably never forget.” The record of the League, American, Western and Interstate teams up to this writing is as follows: League. Won. Lost. American. Won. Lost Chicagol4 3 Cincinnatil6 5 Bostonl4 5 Brooklynl4 6 New Yorkll 7 St. Louisl3 6 Detroitlo 8 Baltimorelo 9 Philadelphia.. 8 10 Athletic 8 12 Pittsburg 7 12 Louisvilleß 14 Indianapolis .. 6 14 Cleveland 7 13 Washington... 3 14 Kansas City... 4 16 Western., Won. Lost.'lnterstate. Won. Lost. Des Moines.... 8 1 Davenport..... 6 3 Omaha 6 2 Peoria 6 3 Kansas City... 7 3 Crawfordsville. 6 3 Milwaukee 4 4 Dubuques 3 St. Louis 5 Oißloomington... 2 3 St. Paul 3 s|Danville 3 5 Chicago 2 6 Rockford . 3 5 Minneapolis... 2 9|Decaturl 7 DIAMOND GOSSIP. It is peculiarly noteworthy, yet absolutely correct fact, that no club has ever had any luck that employed the Cleveland deserters of 1884—Briody, Glascock, and McCormick. A good many clubs are casting longing eyes at young Daily, of the Jersey City Club, but as John. B. Day owns that club, the New Yorks have a cinch on the rising pitcher, and will get him vhen the time comes. Goldsmith, the once great pitcher of the Chicagos, has returned to Detroit. He went to Hot Springs to try and develop his old-time cunning with the ball, but concluded it was an impossibility. The attendance in the three New York games was about 22,000, and Boston took over $2,500 as its share. With fair weather the attendance would have been 30,000. The Philadelphia cheap Johnnies should ponder over this. Tieman is the greatest find the New York management ever made. Ball players cannot understand just where Tiernan is such a hitter. He seldom hits hard at the ball. He can swing as heavy a bat as any man playing ball. Bostonese are sore at Keefe because he crippled Madden with a pitched ball, and hint that the act was intentional. They quote his record, which shows that he has hit and injured more players than any other pitcher in the league. Boston is holding up her end well, and even should the history of last season repeat itself, which now seems not so probable, tbe club has much greater leeway than last season. Then tbe club led in the race for but one day—May 3. This season the club has held the lead almost continuously. Galvin is very successful this year in catching men napping off first base. Hanlon and Anson have already fallen victims to his trick, which consists of bringing hit, arm to the rear as if about to pitch and bending bis head as though ready to deliver the ball; then, instead of giving the ball an inshoot over the plate, he fires it to first, apparently without looking.