Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1889 — THE NATIONAL GAME. [ARTICLE]

THE NATIONAL GAME.

TUB TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE PENNANT RACE. Boston Falling Down—Philadelphia, Pittsburg, and Washington Playing Poor Ball —New York Playing a Strong Game, and Chicago aud Indianapolis Biacing Up. [SPECIAL COBRIB PONDEXCE.] The pennant race between the teams of the National League becomes more interesting as the half-mile post in the run is neared. Boston has met with a sore set-back upon the present Western trip, while New York and Chicag o have begun to pick up ana play the ball of which they are capable. New York is in hard luck with Kee # e absent, Crane and Ward disabled, and Welch sick; but it con|ttoues to win just the same. The Clevelands are still playing excellent ball, and seem to be in as strong form as at any time. • Philadelphia for some reason is slowing down in speed, aud unless it braces: up pretty quickly will be well down in the list of competitors. The Philliea started fn this year confident of winning the flag, and in looking back over their record it will be seen that they had good grounds upon which to base strong hopesof success. In 1887 the Phillies landed a good second, and had the season lasted two months longer they would undoubtedly have finished ahead of Detroit. Last, year they l ad calculated on winning, but the death of Ferguson, and the accidentsto Fogarty, Mulvey and Bastian again interfeed with their plans. Despite these drawbacks, however, they finished a. food third. This year the management ad a right to look" for the pennant. They strengthened center field by putting Fogarty there in place of Andrews, and added great batting strength to the team by placing Thompson in right field. They strengthened second base and added a good batter to the team when they got Delehanty,- who is not-'only better.than Bastian but as good a base runner as: there is in the league. Thus it will be seen that the field was rigged up for a pennant-winning team. Then came the batteries. Buffinton, Sanders and Casey were regarded asthree of the best pitchers in the league,, and to this department was added Gleason and Pete Wood, two fine youngsters. In Clements, Schriver, Hallman and Decker everybody thought the club had a quartette of catchers that could not be equaled, by any other club in the league. The advance of the season, however, has seen not a few changes. Irwin was released on account of a “misunderstanding” with President Beach, Delehanty was injured, and laid up for six weeks, and Buffinton turns out to be about the only pitcher the club has got. How or where the Quakerites may finish is a question. Pittsburgh and Washington are playing poor ball, but Indianapolis, the past fortnight, has braced up wonderfully, taking four straight from Washington, and three out of lour from Boston, all within ten days’ time. The League staff of umpires is going to get a shaking up at an early day, and two •of the present staff'will walk the plank. It is not a difficult matter to guess who they are, forßarnnm and Fessenden have hardly given satisfaction in any of the League cities. They no doubt mean well, but they do not appear to be gifted with the qualities that go to make up successful umpires. Barnum is gentlemanly and goes about his work with great care and tries to do what is right, but he is of a nervous temperament, and lacks judgment at critical points. Fessenden has weaknesses which are apparent to every one who has watched his work; hence be will have to go. President Young would ha e been pleased to have kept his staff or umpires intact throughout the season, but there was a general complaint against Barnum and Fessenden that could not be ignored. Wesley Curry will be promoted to be a regular, and Phil Powers, of the International Association, formerly an old league player and afterward an umpire, will be appointed to fill the vacancy. Mr. Young has over fifty applications for the position of substitute, but has not deciced whom he will select. New York lovers of (he game are just now in good spirits over the club’s arrangements for new grounds. The grounds across the bay at Staten Island where the team has been playing since it was compelled to leave the polo grounds have been given up, and a piece of property secured on Manhattan Island, which it is hoped will be ready for the team when thev return to New York, July 8, for their next home season. The new park will extend 410 feet on One Hundred and Fifty-fifth street and will have a front line of 310* feet on Eighth avenue. Its shape will bea segment of a circle with straight sides; not unlike a horseshoe, but broader. The average depth will be fifty feet on. the main floor and thirty-one feet on the balcony. It will seat 5,500 people, which, with the bleacheries, will afford accommodations for 15,000 people. It will be built in framed trusses, so that it can betaken apart and put -up elsewhere if necessary. President Day thinks that ..when finished the new polo grounds will be the best ball park in the country. It is 'easier of access than the old grounds, the entrance being within a few yards of thesteps of the elevated railroad. Of course it is further up town, but the difference in time was used up by the ten-minute walk necessary to reach the old polo grounds, which is now avoided. SMALL TALK. Pitcher George was released by New York last week and will no doubt sign with the Columbus. He is .in good trim and would make a good man for them. There is a general disposition on the part of all clubs to insist that umpires shall not do their work behind tbe pitchers. They miss sharp hits near thefoul lines and batsmen declare that they interfere with their sight of the ball. The betting "here against the‘Giants taking the -pennant has been 25 1o 1. Now the odds are 5 to 1, and not many takers at that. George Shoph has accepted the terms of the Milwaukee Club and has gone'ty'est . to join the team at Omaha': He states that he. had several offers from Eastern clubs, but he preferred to join the Western Le&gue. He will probably be heard from somewhere near the top of the West- - ern League general players.

EARRY PALMER.