The Sunday Oregonian., June 24, 1900, PART THREE, Page 28, Image 28

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THE SUNDAY OEEGONIAN, . POE-TLAiTD, JUNE 24, 1900.
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The "Lobster."
His drive It was a marvel, and I'm sure the
gutty flew
At least a score of Inches, and some say 'twas
twenty-two.
His second stroke was 'most as good. It missed
the gutty clean
But hoisted tip six pounds of sod from off the
sunny green.
And then ho took his Jigger up, and with It he
did loft
A half a ton of pebhles and somo mud both
rich and soft.
Che pebbles struck his caddie, poor old chap
pie. In the eye;
Tho mud fell on some ladles who were haply
passing by.
In thirty moro ho reached tho green: In seven
ncared the cup;
In getting in ho used ten putts Incontinently
up.
And when ho footed, up his score near sixty
for the hole.
He cried, "I am Improving; yes, I am, upon
my bouI."
"Whereat the Green Committee cried, "No need
to piay again.
Tou've won the prize on that one hole, most
wonderful of men.
No other golfer bad and bold In all our golfing
Crew
Is In It for a minute, not a minute, sir, with
you."
And later on the prize was sent a mighty
pretty prize,
"Upon which all his rivals looked with green
and envious eyes.
It was a dazzling chafing dish, fit for a reg
nant King.
Because they thought for Lobsters It was quite
tho proper thing.
Moral.
Tho Woowoo Is a lovely bird, and bo's the
Dodo, too;
The Jobberwock's a ripper, elghteea-karat,
through and through;
But when It comes to Duffers, there Is not a
man who thinks
Who doesn't know the lobster is the biggest
on the Links.
John Kendrick Bangs In Golf.
PREPARING FOR REGATTA
Itovrlntf Club Working Hard to Make
a Success of Cvent Baseball
and Other Mntters.
The past week has been a very busy one
lth tho directors and officers of the
Portland Rowing Club, and, as a result,
everything Is In readiness for tho annual
regatta of the N. P. A. A. O.. which Is
causing a stir In aquatic circles, and bids
lair to prove the most Interesting and ex
citing event In connection with tho local
Fourth of July celebration.
Both Victoria and Vancouver are show
ing unmistakable Interest and will send a
good lot of oarsmen to battlo for honors
against tho well-selected and trained
crews of tho homo club. Tho competing
crews of tho Portland Rowing Club have
all been carefully selected and entered for
the contest, and. Judging from the enthu
siasm, speed and endurance shown by
them at dally practice, they will give a
good account of themselves on regatta
day.
Tho senior crew, whoso toco will be a
principal fcaturo of tho occasion, is In the
pink of condition. Tho past week's work
has been devoted to developing a fast,
snappy catch and finish, by having tho
men pull in short, half-mile stretches, with
a hard and fast stroke. This and careful
handling by Billy McLeod are accomplish
ing tho finishing touches. As tho two
Northern clubs will enter young and un
defeated crews, thero should bo a good
raco among the seniors.
The local club has entered two junior
crews which are pulling well together and
showing much Improvement since going
into their paper shells. The keenness with
which they light for first place In their
practice "try-outs" is developing their
speed and staying qualities In a note
worthy manner.
The local club entries In tho double and
single sculls are doing as well as can be
expected, and the fact that the club is
making two entries In each of these events
tends to show increased popularity in this
class of contests, which havo been lightly
patronized heretofore.
The Entries.
Tho entries of tho Portland Rowing Club
for tho regatta of July 3 and 4 closed last
week, as follows:
Senior four L: Stiles, stroke; A. M.
Scott (captain), No. 3; J. Rintoul, No. 2;
R. D. Ball. bow.
Junior four. No. 1 H. Bennett, stroke;
R. G. Durham, No. 3; H. W. Ormandy,
No. 2; P. W. Knight, bow.
Junior four, No. 2 L. Newman, stroke;
"V. Morton. No. 3; J. Munro, No. 2; A.
Haradon, bow.
Senior doublo scull A. M. Scott, stroke;
R. C. Hart, bow.
Junior double sculls, No. 1 I Stiles,
stroke; R. D. Ball. bow.
Junior double sculls, No. 2 P. Peterson
stroke; E. McCabe. bow.
Senior single .sculls W. J. Patton and
A. M. Scott.
Junior single sculls R. D. Ball and E.
Gloss.
Bnsebnll.
Interest In baseball among the Multno
mah players is not diminishing, even al
though the memories of recent dqfeats by
tho Callfornlans still remain. The ex
periences have had a salutary effect, and
as the Stanford aggregation expects to
stop over here on Its return from Spokane
and the Puget Sound cities about July 7,
the Multnomah nine will have a chance
to cross bats with their victorious antag
onists again Hlnt;i are thrown out of
possible changes In the make-up of the
Multromah team It has good timber that
shou'd, if properly placed, make a first
class nine, and s step like that suggested
might prove advisable.
The next game of the Multnomah? will
be played with the Chemawa Indians,
July 4. A cup will be awarded the win
ner of the contest by tho.e having charge
of tho Independence Day celebration, and
tho boys are practicing dally in the hope
that It may come their way. The Mult
nomah baseball nine will also participate
In tho scheduled athletic events at Glad
stone Park. The Chcmawas will compete,
and nines from Oregon City and Wasn
irgton are also expected to take a hand
In tho fun.
Senttle Games and Tennis.
Tho Mufitnomahs will send a strong
team to Seattle, to take part in the P. N.
3 F8 O RT5
BiBiHIMaHHlMHMHaailMHaMiiHHHBiBIH
A. games, on July 3. Among others who
will attend are Kerrigan. Trenkman, Blu
menthal. Heater, Kerron. Gammle,
Rasch, Hansen, Murphy. "Wood, Datn
masch, Anderson, Zan and McMillan.
Trainer Jack King will accompany them.
With such an aggregation of talent, Port
land should get some of tho honors. It
is tho intention to keep this same team
In practice for the Chautauqua contests.
The Multnomah round-robin tennis
tournament will be completed by July 3.
Following that, -beginning July 18, tho
principal evenit in the tennis year will be
the championship tournament. It will
continue for three or four days, and al
ready much Interest is being manifested
therein. Entries are expected from the
T. M. C. A., the Waverly Golf Club, the
clubs on Puget Sound and also from Spo
kane and Victoria. Inducements havo
been offered tho Hardy brothers, ihe sin
gle and doublo champions of California,
to participate. The principal trophy for
competition at the tournament is the
Flsko cup. won last year by Lieutenant
Bethel, who Is now In Alaska.
Following the Multnomah contests will
bo others, to be held at Tacoma and Seat
tle. These are also championship affairs.
Y. M. C. A.
The members of the Y. M. C. A. Ath
letic Club are putting In their spare mo
ments training for tho annual Chautau
qua meet, at Gladstone Park, July 4. "Wil
cox is preparing for tho hurdles, but ho
is undetermined as yet whether to at
tempt the pole-vault, although the
chances are that ho will not Mlnot and
Scott will compete in the 220 and the
440-yard dashes, and Earl Parker will
enter for the 100-yard sprint. For tho
shot-put. Viator Paquet Is practicing dai
ly, while Bacchus will have a try for the
high Jump.
Tho Association will contlnuo its tennis
tournaments all through the Summer,
thero 'being much Interest shown In them,
while, as to baseball, it will not put a
team In the field this season. This Is re
ported to q largely duo to the absence
of Physical Director Rlngler In the East,
whence he will return about July 1.
Yachting and Cycling.
Owing to the inclemency of the weath
er, the cruise of the Oregon Yacht Ciub
that was to havo taken place Saturday a
week, failed to materialize. It will be
held at somo future date. The club is
preparing for tho Fourth of July regatta,
and It is likely that the celebration com
mittee will award at least 5100 In prizes,
ito bo divided among the several classes
of yachts. The rain has prevented tho
members of the cluS from indulging as
much as they would like In their favorite
recreation of late.
Some time ago a meeting was held at
tho City Hall of leading local wheelmen,
at which J. G. Mack. County Commis
sioner, presided. Its object was to or
ganize all the tax-paylng cyclists of the
city in one body. The committee appoint,
ed to draft a constitution has since re
ported, and County Commissioner Mack
has called a meeting for tomorrow even
ing to act thereon. T. Brooke "White,
who Ir one of the oldest and most enthu
siastic wheelmen of Portland, is the pro
moter of the present movement.
Notes-
Tho new handball court of the Multno
mah Athletic Club Is rapidly being gotten
into shape for playing purposes.
Tho annual "low Jinks" of the Multno
mahs will occur today at Riverside, near
tho "White House. It is expected that
about 300 will attend.
AMOXG ENGLISH OARSMEN.
Thames for the Chnmplonnhlp Cre-v
May Come to America.
The latest foreign mall, says the New
York Sun, brings particulars of a decision
by tho trustees of tho Sportsman chal
lenge cup, which carries with it the scull
ing championship of England, that Is of
Interest to scullers all over the world, and
will probably result in a match for tho
possession of the historic trophy. Somo
time ago James "Wray, of Australia, chal
lenged George Towne, also of Australia,
to row for the cup. but stipulated that
tho race take place on the Tyne. Under
tho conditions then existing, this was not
unreasonable, as Towne won the cham
pionship on the Thames, and there was a
rule stating that the cup should be rowed
for alternately on the Thames and Tyne.
The rule has not been strictly adhered
to. Tho trustees have frequently changed
the venue at the request of competitors,
and the last five races for the champion
ship have been rowed on the Thames.
Towne objected to row on the Tyne, and
appealed to the trustees to order the race
to take place In the South, pointing out
that "Wray was not a Tynesider, and
urging that as the Thames Conservatory
had no power to regulate the traffic dur
ing the progress of a race, that river did
not afford a course suitable for the de
cision of such an Important event.
Thame Connie Favored.
After consideration tho trustees, W. M.
Chinnery and "W. H. Grenfell, decided to
alter the rules to make the Thames cham
pionship course the sole course on which
matches for the professional sculling
championship of England shall be rowed
In future. The late Earl of Londesbor
ough, who was the third trustee, wrote a
letter a day or two pr'or to his death,
las April, approving the exclusive use
of the Thames. The North Country oars
men were surprited and upset at the con
demnation of the Tyne. and quoted the
opinion of Ned Hanlon that the course
on that river WQ6 the best over which he
had ever sculled. Wray, however, ac
cepted tho edict philosophically and Im
mediately Iued a challenge to scull
Towne for the cup in eight or ten weeks
from signing articles.
A great array of amateur scullers are
practising on the Thames for Henley and
tho Metropolitan regattas. Fox. of Pem
broke College, who is considered a com
ing man, has decided not to row at Hen
ley, but will take part In several local
events. B. H. Howell. Thames R. C..
the American who holds the diamond
sculls. Is out every night at Putney wlh
his mentor. "W. G. East, and is doing good
work. His most formidable opponent, H.
J. Blackstaffe, of the Verta R. C, is also
out nightly, but practices alone.
Tho chances of England sending over
a representative crew to compete against
American oarsmen was the subject of
lengthy comments by "Old Blue," a reg
ular correspondent of the Sporting Life,
on May 23. Tho comments are made in
responso to a query from a supporter of
rowing In this country, and that the proj
ect may bo carried out is evident from
Jho following extracts:
Ovrea It to America.
"There !b no doubt that England owes
it to America to send) over such a crew.
It is now more than 30 years, I believe,
since we did so, and during the interim
the Yankees have visited our shores very
many times. It appears that, despite the
recent visit of Mr. Lehmann and the In
cisive advice he gave to the Harvard
men, American oarsmen generally still. be
lieve in tho efficacy of their own particu
lar stroke, as against that advocated by
the famous old Cantab.
"My friend says that Mr. Lehmann fa
vors the idea of such an International
race In the near future, which. If so, is
half the battle. The honorable secretary
of tho A. R. A. is the very man to engi
neer and render comparatively easy such
a competition. He himself will pick an
English eight which would be srure to do
tho Old Country Justice; but will he? Ev
ery detail seems to havo been considered.
As Mr. Iehmann Is of the opinion that
only a nontldal stream gives a true test
of Oarsmanship, the Yankees are willing
to row on Saratoga Lake, which comes
under that category. For my part, I see
no earthly reason why an English reprc
sentatlvo crew should not go over In 190L
GAVE HIM RIGHT TIP.
Was Unintentional and Caused Un
expected Results.
"Back In tho early '90s," remarked an
old-tlmo racegoer the other day to a
writer for the Now York Sun, "I had tho
queerest experience In the many years
that I have followed the horses. Among
my friends In those prosperous days was a
young chap whom I only know by tho
name of Frank, and how I really got
acquainted with him I can't recall. Ho
used to bob up at tho track everv dav
and his first question usually wa: 'Any
unng gooa touay7' or course I used to
glvo tho kid, as I called him, a tip now
and then to get rid of him, but ho finally"
became such a nuisance that I made up
my mind ono day to give him a dead one
the very next time he came to me. I
missed him for a day or two, and was
beginning to think that probably he had
quit the tracks for good when one day
at Morris Park he turned up as largo as
life with the usual 'Anything good?' Now
is my chance, I thought, to get nd of
him for onco and all.
"It was the day of tho Metropolitan
handicao. and about all T mnM hir nn.i
borrow I had put on the favorite, the
iamous om -jjenny. Among the other
horses In tho raco. If I remember right,
wore Clarendon, Riley. 'Sonorlta, Ambu
lance. Tournament and Tristan. The lat
ter was an outsider In the betting, and It
alinost went begging at 20 to 1. This was
my opportunity, I thought, and I told my
friend that Tristan was a sure winner;
In fact, I added that it was almost llko
stealing money to bet on him. and then
I watched him run Into the betting ring,
and. while I thought it was too bad to
havo to resort to such measures. I felt
sure that ho would never come to mo
again for a good thing. Well, tho raco
was started, and about every horee In It
appeared to havo a chance but Tristan,
and I could not help but smile as I
thought of my young friend who had
NEEDS A
"Tou remind mo of a page In a new book."
"Because I'm clever?"
"No; I have to turn you down so often to
played him. Coming Into tho stretch there
was the usual closing up, with my horse
Tenny right along with the leaders, while
Tristan was absolute.y last, but some
how or other he was running easier than
any of the others. StlH this didn't worry
me until bis Jockey shook him up and
he began to walk tfght through the whole
bunch. Including my horso Tenny. Even
then I felt that Tristan wouldn't be able
to stand the pace, but when Tenny's
Jockey lctout a wrap and stl the 20 to
1 shot hung on. I began to feel cold chills
up and down my back.
"Tristan had a world of speed that day,
and although Isaac Murphy, who rode
Tenny, used allhist skill, Tristan, in a
driving finish, won by half a 'length, and
so, Instead of getting rid of my friend, 1
fS. V S "4Fp!bbsssssssssssV bsssssssssbbI
I
only made matters worse for .myself and
lost a lot of money In the bargain.
"After cashing In, my young friend,
wild-eyed and happy, sought me out In the
crowd and showered such congratulations
on me that I was almost tempted to tell
him the truth. He stuck to me closer
than ever after that, and It was a couple,
of years afterward that he finally quit the
horses and I lost all track of him. There
was only ono consolation In that race for
me. and that was the faot that Tristan
had to establish a new record to beat
my horse Tenny, and tho record of 1:514
for a mllorand an eighth I guess stands
today."
BITS OF SPORT.
Echoes From Baseball, Boating:. Golf
aad Croquet Circles.
With tho two days meet of the North
west Tournament Association, which
opened at Victoria., B. C, Thursday, and
tho Land and Water Carnival, to be held
at Nelson, B. C, July 2 and 3, the people
over the lino are not, asaro ssemlngly
those Of Portland, losing 'their Interest In
sports.
Local sportsmen are looking eagerly
forward to the annual championship field
and track games of the Pacific Northwest
Association, .July 3, at Seattle.
Yachtsmen may be interested in a new
attachment for sailboats which allows the
mast to be moved to either side of the
boat, as tho wind lihltts, a horizontal arm
being pivoted at the forward end of the
hull. In the outer end of which the mast
Is set, wth a lever which allows the bar
to be shifted to adjust the mast.
The- police of Spokane have organized a
baseball nine and have challenged the
newspaper men to cross bats with them
on the diamond. No date has been set.
la thctr challenge, the cops say: '"The
ojily provision wo make Is that tho news
paper men do not practice for the game."
Instead of playing three games at Spo
kane, as originally scheduled, tho proba
bilities are that the Stanford baseball
team will play five games. Satisfactory
arrangements could not be made with two
towns on their list, and they may give
Spokane two extra games.
A week ago Saturday the competition in
the finals for the T. B. Wilcox cup were
played at tho Waverly Golf Links, in
which Captain Langfitt and A. L. Mills
made the highest net score. The Una's
for the Koelder cup were played last
Friday". Theso events close the active
golf season at the Waverly Links.
The croquet ground of the Waverly
Golf Ciub is 90x5 feet In area. New
stylo square wickets havo een added,
which, to many players, are an improve
ment over tho old-style arch.
SHARP THICKS OF CADDIES.
"Undeserved Defeat Sometimes Conies
to Unsuspecting: Golfer.
In regard to tho sharp practices that arc
sometimes resorted to in golf, this story,
from on exchange, is of interest. It Is
told by a reliable golfer, as a fact and
illustrates tho keen Interest In the success
of his employer, which many a caddie
evinces, often at tho cost of his employ
er's reputation, and always at the cost of
his own place if ho Is discovered.
On this occasion the player's ball was
found lying behind a big stone In a. bunker.
Tho crafty caddio gave the big stone a
kick, accompanying the act with the re
mark. "D'ye think that's wood?" The
act resulted m tlio stono being moved
sufficiently to permit tho golfer to find
his ball In a playabla position.
Horace Hutchinson is authority for a
story of even deeper craft on tho part of
a caddy. This one, Hutchinson says,
carried with him a supply of green-painted
wooden phis, With theso ho generally
waited until tho light began to got a
little uncertain, and then, when chance
afforded him an opportunity, he inserted
tho pins, heads up, in. tho green In the
lino of his opponent's put As might be
oxpected, this often caused tho gutty to
take a bad turn, thereby mteelng the hole.
While tho exasperated player would be
awearing at tho wirlness of tho grass, at
a favorable moment the caddy would put
his foot on tho pins and drive them into
tho sod, thus destroying all evidence of
his guilt. A certain Scottish player is
said to have trained his collie to push his
opponent's ball Into tho burn with his
nose.
SHORTENING PITCHING DISTANCE.
Fresldent Hart Opposes It, but Fa
vors Amendments on Fonllnfr.
As to the shortening of the distance be
tween the home plate and tho pitcher's
slab, proposed In Boston, James A. Hart,
of the National Baseball League's coromlt
teo on rules, is not In favor of tho Idea.
FIRM HAND.
' ,Jffl;
keep you In your place."
j He believes, however, that It will be a
good thine to make three fouls a rtriv
where they corns between strikes. He
imnKs tnis would stop fouling, quicken
the game and increase batting. President
Hart says, in Sporting Life:
"Now three bunt strikes aro out and a
bunt going foul is called a strike. It
would be little harder to keep track of
the fouls between strikes. I would reduce
the number of. balls allowed a pitcher
from four to three. Then he could not
waste so many, and would havo tn nitfh
for the plate. Now he wastes the first
one, ana mayoe two, working for the
man stealing. I would cut out allowing
a man to take first bas on being hit
and by making three- fouls a strike this
would even up."
TgyygTagpggsgffyM
DISCOVERED THE "CURVE"
MANN, OF "PRINCETON, FIRST
TOSSED A TWISTING BALL.
Snlistantlates Ills Claim to Having
Revolutionized Pitching; of
National Game.
Tho question as to who Invented the
curve In baseball, and whether the credit
la duo to Avery, the old-time pitcher of
Yale, or to Joseph McElroy Mann, of
Princeton, Is affording the theme for on
interesting discussion In the New York
Times. A. correspondent, who signs him
self "Yale," hints that It Is possib'o that
Cummlngs, of Harvard, taught both Avery
and Mann the curve. He says that
Avery used tho curve in 1S74. and believes
that he preceded Mann In its use A
letter from Mr. Mann himself, however,
seems to give that gentleman the unde
niable right to tho credit of having dis
covered the curve. In his communication
ho says:
"I was naturally very much Interested
In your review of Anson's book on base
ball. I was especially gratified to see
that Mr. Anson, who has been Identified
with baseball for fully 30 years, and who
knows It from A to Z, should give me
credit for practically Introducing curve
pitching, which revolutionized basebaa
and which made the battery more Import
ant than ever, and caused change after
change in the pitching rules. Mr. Anson
did not get my name right, but tho
reviewer of tho book evldent.y was an
RUStE, OF THE "GIANTS."
NEW YORK BASEBALL TEAM'S FAMOUS PITCHER.
This picture of Amos Rusle, tho crack pitcher of the New York baseball nine, and the
Idol ot the "fans" throughout tho Cast, In the act of delivering a ball to the batter. Is one
of the most successful things of the kind yet done by H. Pruett Share, the New York
newspaper artist who has been distinguishing- himself of lata In this class of work. It Is full
of life and spirit.
old ball tosser, from the maimer in which
he brought out, the introduction of curve
pitching, and he narrated the facts far
clearer than I havo seen them brought out
in many a day. It Is now nearly 2G years
alnce I accidentally learned how to curve
a ball, and In all that time I have never
written a line to establish my claim to
the honor of Its Introduction, although
t have been sorely tempted to do so by
many of the ridiculous statements I have
seen in the papers from time to time.
The Facts.
"Some of these accounts have stated
that certain well-known pitchers Invent
ed the curvo ball In 1S72 or 1S73 and ono
account made It 1SSS while the pitchers
aamed were not pitching as early as the
years mentioned. The facts of the mat
ter are these, and I do not believe any
one can successfully refute them: As
long as baseball has been played and
baseballs havo had seams with which to
catch the air curve balls have been
thrown, and tho curve was especially no
ticeable in tho case of a left-handed
thrower, whose curve was In the oppo
site direction from that of a right-hana-ed
thrower.
"Now I say that curve balls have al
ways been thrown, but no one thought of
using them In the pitching department
till 1S74. In that year Cummlngs came to
Princeton, and before the game and be
tween innings he would stand on the
home plate and pitch (ho did not throw
underhand) the ball down to second base,
starting It at an angle of about 45 .de
grees. I was greatly Interested, anu
wondered how he got the ball to curvo
as it did. It was paid by his catcher that
sometimes he pitched a ball that curved,
but I failed to notice any curve that day,
for out of five times at the bat I got
two base hits and three singles, much to
Mr. Cummlngs' dtegust. who said he
would fix 'that red-headed pitcher" the
next time he came to tho bat.
"About thl3 time the Philadelphlans
came to Princeton, and their left fielder
during their practicing would throw the
ball with force sufficient to carry it all
the way to right field, but after, going
part of the way the ball would suddenly
ohoot down and fall far short of rignv
field. These two curlou; freaks set mo
thinking, and I wondered and wondered
how It was done.
"Toward the close of tho season, as the
excitement of election increased, eacn
rear tho college divided Into two political
parties, and a grand game of baseball
(and also of football) was played between
Republicans and Democrats. As I haa
been pitching more than usual Just previ
ous to this game, and had a very sose
second finger from the effects of pitching,
l played third base till the game was
well advanced, when our opponents, siz
ing up our pitcher, were batting him all
over the field. I was urged to go Into
the box and see If we could save the day.
"Got the Curve."
Tn order to save my aore finger, I let
tho ball go out of my hand differently
from my usual manner. The first striker
up missed the first ball. The second ball
was of tho same sort as the first, and was
also missed, and so was the third. Tho
second ball I noticed looked peculiar, but
I could not say Just In what respect, but
I turned to our ehtrlrtop and said, 'Hero
goes for thr o strikes.' Then, after the
third strike, I said to him: 'Those balls
curved. I've got the curve.'
"I pitched the game out in the same
manner, and by watching the ball I saw
Just what wa6 happening, and afterwara
reasoned It out as follow:
v50FT.PEn.5tC0ttD .-" U
M-w -
50 FT. PR SECOND x
"B is the ball going toward home plato
I 1 D
i P. D
H -at tho rate of TO feet per second; at
the same rJmo revolving on its-axis at the
rate of SO feet per second. Hence 'th
portion of the ball at A as far as the
atmosphere is concerned will be going
100 feet per sccomL The 'portion or tne
ball at C will be going toward H, but
as It is also revolving in the opposite di
rection at the same rate, as far as the
atmosphere is concerned, there is no ad
vance. Hence we have an atmospheric
pressure on one side of 100 and 0 on tho
other. Therefore, the ball will be forced
out of Its course toward E. In order
to get the opposite curve the ball must
bo twisted so as to revolve in the opposite
direction,
"All this I worked out and practiced in
tho gymnasium during the Winter, and
In the Spring I had the pleasure of seeing
many surprised batters, who did not seem
to be able to comprehend the situation.
Unfortunately I was quite young at tho
time and did not know how, to conceal the
manner In which 1 produced the curve,
and It was only a short time before It
spread all over the country, which ac
counts for tho contusion as to who intro
duced it.
"I was on tho Princeton nine in 1S73,
IS74, 1S75 and 1STC, and batted against
all tho then famous pitchers, and I do
not recall a single one who could curve
a ball prior to 17J. when I. as I aiu
above, accidentally stumbled upon it.
arid then worked It out. Mr. Tyng, tho
famous Harvard ball player and now the
famous golfer. In an article written by
him a few. years ago and published In
Harper's Weekly, said:
Authoritative Statement.
" 'It has been said that Cummlngs, or
the old Mutuals, was In the habit of curv
ing the ball long before the adoption of
underhand1 throwing, but I never saw
any effective use made of tho curve tin
1S75, when Mann, tho Princeton College
pitcher, made a great stir In the baseball
world by his. wide and effective curve.
I was a member of the Harvard nine at
that time, and whan we played our first
game that year at Princeton we were
treated to an exhibition of the effective
ness of this new style of pitching. The
first man to the bat on our side promptly
struck out, the second followed suit, and
the third did the same. Out of the first
nine men at .the bat, eight, I think, were
unable to hit the ball. We had no Idea
what was the trouble, except that the
bat and ball seemed to have a repul
sion for each other, which we could not
overcome.
" 'About the fifth Inning one of our men.
who had been standing behind the catcher,
came back with the announcement that
tho balls were curving away from the
batsman. Thero was a general exodus
on our part to tho backstop to watch
this unheard-of phenomenon. Sure
enough, there were the balk coming In
for the middle of the plate and curving
off beyond the reach of tho bat.'
Revelation to Tyn;?.
"Mr. Tyng at that time had batted
against many of the then famous pitchers
and It was a revelation to him.. Some
have said that Mr. Avery, of Yale. Intro
duced It before I did, but I do not think
Mr. Avery will say that he pitched a
curve ball in 1S74. At any rate, I havo
before me,, as I write, a ball which x
prize very hlglily, for it was used In a
came in New' Haven, Conn., May 29. 1S75.
between Yale and Princeton, In which Mr.
Avery and I were the respective pitch
ers, and i which game Princeton made
eight base hits, securing three runs, while
Yale did not score a run or secure a
single safe hit. Of course, that does not
prove who introduced the curve, but l
think I have said enough to establish the
fact that I was the one who Initiated the
movement and revolutionized the pitch
ing department of baseball."
The "old ball toeser," to whom Mr.
Mann refers in his letter, Is W. J. Hen
derson, of Princeton, of the class of 1ST6.
He bears out Mann's claim to having In
vented the curve, and believes with him
that Avery took It up after seeing Mann
use It. He says "the matter was never
questioned In 1S75 and 1876. when Mann
pitched for the Princeton University nine,
as such professionals as Fulmer, Boyd,
Barnie, Radcllffe and Ferguson would
testify."
Acknowledge His Mistake.
"Now that wo are out of it," said Georgo
Wagner, late owner of the Washington
National League Club, recently, "I am
free to admit that what the Washington
people havo generally condemned us for
the policy of selling players was a mis
take. We were forced to sell men early
In, our connection with the club to save
ourselves from serious financial loss, and
we had good business reasons In every
caso since then. These rnattere, however,
never will be considered by any baseball
enthusiast.
"Suffice It to say, wo made a mistake.
If, by some turn in affairs, we should re
enter baseball, there will be a change.
Should our good players become dissatis
fied, as somo of our Senators did. they will
bo traded to the bet advantage. If this
cannot bo done, they will be released out
right. We will never again bo put on the
defensive as the result of selling players."
"Cyclone" nufrb.es, of the Ontnhas.
- A phenomenal pitcher has dawned on
tho baseball world. In the person of "Cy
clone" Hughes, with the Omaha team.
His work in the box Is said to be truly
wcnderfuL One authority says of him:
."No club has been able to get over
six hits off him. Such old-timers as Buck
Ebright, McKlbben, Ira Davis and Billy
Hulen say he is the best pitcher they
ever saw," and they all say he is equal.
to his California namesake.
LANKY BOB'S HARD .LUCK
FITZSIM3IONS OUT A LOT BY COL
LAPSE OF RUHLIN FIGHT. J
His Wife 111, Lion and Dos Dead
Peacock Dying, Pony Strayed,
and He Was Doped. ;
Boz Fitzslmmons has been experiencing
more than hte share of ill fortune of late.
Thero was genuine regret on all sides
among .sporting men when the arrange
ments for his fight with Gus Ruhlln fell
through. This event, which was to'have
occurred June 15. would undoubtedly havo
been a good contest, and that fact that
Ruhlln will meet Sharkey, in place of
McCoy, does not serve to do away with
the feeling of dissatisfaction. There 13
real sympathy extended to the big Aus
tralian, His training quarters, at Bergen
Beach, N. J., were converted Into a
hospital and a morgue during the last
week or two of bis preparation for tho
Ruhlln fight. FItz is overcome with mor
bid suspicions that some poisoner is at
the bottom of all his' troubles. In a
recent Itemized statement of his woes, he
said:
"My pet dog, Chicago Phil, the muder
er. Is dead.
"My pet pony. Junior, has dUappeared.
"My pet peacock Is under the house dy
ing. "My pet Hon, Nero II, has crawled un
der the house and Is dying." Later a
report was sent In that the Hon had
died.
"My Injured left hand will keep me idle
for at least two months, and that means
my fight with Ruhlln Is off, and a 'big
loss, training expenses and the forfeit.
"Worst of all, my wife is elck, and I
wa3 'doped' in my fight with Jeffries."
"Phil, the Murderer."
The dog Htz mourns was a champion
fighter himself. He never avoided a hot
scrap, but belonged to the trouble-hunting
bulldog family. His name shows what
an imposing record he made in Chicago.
It must have taken a good deal of polifoa
to remove him.
The pet lion cost Fitzslmmons 52000. Ho
bought the cub for a rough companion in
training. The cub fulfilled the contract
to the letter as to roughness. He wore
no gloves on his parws, and kept his claws '
well sharpened.
According to one story, this young Hon
put Fitz's hand out. The first report was
that the cub. during a romp, bit the prize
fighter's hand, and there is some mystery
here. Soon after another report said that
the hand was hurt while Fitzslmmons
was hammering Dunkhorst in a fight.
Then came another version Fitz's pony
had stepped on his hand In one of their
frolicsome wrestling matches, and tho
hand swelled and Fltz had lanced it with,
a dinner knife.
The peacock under the house has a tall
which, in moments of extreme ostenta
tion, is seven feet high and 12 across.
Recently the peacock, his tali closed Uk
a fan In the Winter and dragging mourn
fully after him, crawled under the train
ing quarters. There he remained, as Fltz- ,
Simmons believes, suffering from poison.
Besides being a source of delight .to
Fitzslmmons, Junior, the pony, was a reg
ular member of the pugilist's training
staff. Lanky Bob boxed and wrestled
with the pony every day, and the latter
would allow none but Fltzsimmoiis" to
approach him.
Pony's on a Vacation.
It 13 Fitzslmmons belief that his chlet
sparring partner lias run away from home
In a playful moment. Fltz recently gave
the pony a heavy uppercut on the withers
with his remaining good hand, and now
fears that the proud quadruped took this
so to heart that he decided to decamp for
other pastures. A general alarm has
been sent out. and Fitz Is hoping against
hope to hear of his latest playmate. Tho
pony disappeared from the meadows ad
joining the Fitzslmmons home 10 days or
more ago.
Fitz's hand Is giving him much pain,
and this Is naturally filling him with dark
cuspIc!on. His hand was operated on at
Bellcvue Hospital, and a large amount
of pus was removed. Bob has the fol
lowing to say on the outlook:
"I am very sorry about thte mlfhap. I
never felt better In my life, otherwise,
ihan I do today. But the doctor was im
perative in his ordr that I should not
fight Ruhlln or any one else on Juno 15,
and" I reluctantly yield to his superior
knowledge of how badly I am hurt. Ho
told me that I must rost the hand for at
least a month, and I suppose I shall have
to do that, too."
An expert on pugll'stic matters has esti
mated that Fitzslmmons' lame hand will
prove a heavy Item of expense. His esti
mate of Fitz's losses are as follows:
Training expenses s 5ro
Forfeit to Ruhlin MO
Forfeit to Westchester Club 500
Probable share of fight with Ruhlln 10,000
Betting, If he defeated Ruhlin .... 5 000
Estimated profits from moving pic
tures 15,000
Probable share of Intended match
with Sharkey 12.C00
Income from exhibitions after fight 5.0O3
Total J4S.50O
HINTS TO BALL-PLAYERS.
Earn Big: Salaries and Should Try to
Please the Pnlillc.
John B. Foster always says something
worth listening to, when he speaks on
baseball matters. Here Is an excerpt from
a recent article written by him to a sport
ing Journal:
"Ball-players fake their occupation too
seriously. That might seem to be a harsh
statement on Its face, but It Is not. It is
the truth. There Is no necessity for base
ball In this country. Professional base
ball la merely tho toleration of the public.
As a Nation we could get along without
It just as well as we could get along with
out horseracmg, and without sundry other
amusements. We' don't want to do so,
for the very good reason that harmless
amusement is a good safety-valve. But
that the public can speedily become dis
gusted and disappointed with the game
was""exempllfled when baseball was prac-1
tlcally boycotted In 1SS0.
"What the players should do is to pleaso
the public In every little way that Is pos
sible. Instead of sending thorn away
from the games disgusted at what they
have seen, spectators should at least be
sufficiently satisfied to want to com
again. If anything happens on the field
that savors of organization work, thero
is bound to come criticism, and plenty
ot it.
"The great trouble with the ball-player
is that he will not perceive that he Is
well paid for the service that he renders.
Men who are in the business for a long
time and take good care of themselves
draw many thousands of dollars. Their
work is not half so hard as that of tho
blacksmith, the carpenter, the tinsmith,
and the ironworker, any onejjf whom
would be glad to get as much, ana, get it
so easHy. Very few young prcfjsional
men get as much as the average ball
player. There is many a young lawyer
and young doctor who struggles along
for ten, or even mere, years, after his
graduation, glad to see J1C00 coming in
each year to keep the wolf away from
the door. Some can't get that much. Tho
average newspaper writer makes but lit
tle more, and sometimes much less, for a
hard year's work than the ball-player get
for his six months' contract."