Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1886 — BASE-BALL [ARTICLE]

BASE-BALL

The Race for the Championship in the League and the American Associations. Detroit and St. Louis Still in the Lead—- ‘ Notes and Gossip of the Game. [Chicago correspondence. I , The play of last week has made no material change in the positions of the League clubs, Detroit still maintaining the lead by two games over Chicago, the latter seven games ahead of New York, with Philadelphia, Boston, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Washington in the order named. The season is half over, and it seems to be definitely settled that the contest for the League championship lies between Detroit and Chicago. The New York club claim that they have a show for the pennant, but the chances are that if they play the best kind of ball they may make a fairly close finish with the leaders, and if they don’t they will not be as close up when the end is reached as they are now. They are great ball players, but Detroit and Chicago are greater. Mapy of the friends of Philadelphia claim that club has a chance for lhe pennant, but we consider it a falling down one at the best, although it would not surprise ns to see them take third place. Look out for them next year. ■ The air is stilb filled with rumors that Von der Ahe has bought the franchise of the St. Louis League Club, and will put his American Association champions in the place of the Maroons next season. It is difficult, at this time, to predict what may happen next year, but we doubt the making of any great change in the material of the League. In the American Association St. Louis is in the lead, Brooklyn following, nine games behind. The pennant, barring some great accident, will go to Von der Abe’s aggregation of talent, but who will occupy second place is not so easily foretold, Brooklyn having won 40, Cincinnati and Louisville 39 each, and Pittsburgh 38 games. What exciting times a race like that for the pennant would make. The following tables show the relative positions of the clubs: NATIONAL LEAGUE. Games Games PostClubs— won. lost, poned. Detr0it......14 4 Chicag0....1...49 IS 5 New York 42 21 5 Philadelphia. 36 23 8 Boston2s 37 & St. Louis2o 46 3 Kansas Cityl4 45 10 Washington.......ll 47 10 THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION. •. Clubs— Won. Lost AthleticV3l 36 8a1tim0re....... ....24 44 Brooklyn4o 31 Cincinnati....... 39 39 Louisville 39 37 Metropolitan 27 40 Pittsburg3B 33 St. Louis 49 27 HOME GROUND GAMES.

The following record shows the games played on the home grounds of each club: Games Games Clubs— won. lost. Detroit 33 5 Chicago3l 8 New Y0rk....22 5 Philadelphial7 6 805t0n...................10 ; 12 St. Louisl3 25 Washington 8 26 Kansas City 7 18 The Southern League, or at least one or more of its is charged with “fattening” the record of players when desirous of disposing of them to some Northern club. This is equivalent to “salting” a mine before inspection. Tony Souke, late of the Augusta Club of the Southern League, has been signed as change catcher by Chicago. He is originally from Chicago, played two years ago with the Chicago Unions, and is a good, reliable player. Ewing’s leg is reported to be about well again, and he will be ready to catch for the New York “giants” when the Western clubs arrive on Eastern grounds. It is a foregone conclusion that sleepy old St. Louis cannot support both a National League and an American Association nine; one or the other must quit. Which shall it be? Any club wishing to celebrate with tin roosters, new brooms, dupk calls, kazoos, etc., can buy a job lot of such articles cheap from the Detroit management. Before the season of 1886 is over, lefthanded pitchers will have lost their terror for many of the boys. ~ GHutaonfpFthe Chicagos, seems to have got his second wind, commencing with the Detroit series in Chicago, and is pitching better ball than ever. His great fault seems to be in getting a little careless when the club has obtained an apparently safe lead. John F. Driscoll, formerly a well-known pitcher, connected with the Athletic, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and other clubs, died of consumption at his home in Lowell, Mass., July 18. Since Larry Corcoran joined the Washingtons, his arm is reported to have again given out, so that be is useless as a pitcher. Larry’ is a valuable man in a nine, however, as he is a good fielder, either out or in, and a fair batter. The question is now: Will Von der Ahe swallow Lffcas, or will Lucas swallow Von der Ahe? The defeat of Detroit by Kansas City, July 21, was a surprise party all round. The_ game was tied at two runs each, until the eleventh innings, when the “cowboys” got on to Getzein, and “punched” Out ten runs, seven oftiiem earned. It is hoped that another year will see the . umpire question in some different shape. The clubs must be made to respect the opinions of the umpire, at least in public. If “kicking” during the game is allowed to the players, the spectators will also take a hapd, and such disgraceful scenes as recently occurred in Cincinnati will become the rule and not the exception. When this stage is reached, good-by national game, because ladies and gentlemen will no longer tolerate a pastime which caters to the hoodlum element. Sunday playing and beer-selling, which is permitted on the Cincinnati grounds, may have had something to do with their recent riot there. The league clubs show great wisdom in not playing Sunday games nor permitting beer to be sold on their grounds. It is reported of Mike Scanlon, manager of the Washingtons, that when in St. Louis recently, one of his players got his back up and “sassed” him, whereupon Mike took the offender into an anteroom, and chastised him, paternal fashion, until he yelled “murder, police,” etc.

That game in Detroit the other day astonished the people of Kansas City, and they thought they were being played fer “suckers” by the ball players when the report of the Cowboys’ victory was received. The Kansas City Times says: “ Whenthe. eleventh inning was posted, showing Kansas City with ten runs, it was greeted with howls of derision and cries of ’What are you giving us?’ ‘Rats!’ and kindred remarks.” A Boston contemporary asserts the be-, lief that Boston would now be good for a cool one hundred thousand dollars with a nine like the Chicagos.