Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (March 5, 1905)
-23 Jimmy Brittfn Interested Spectator at Corbett Nelson Fight Yacht Club Plans a New Clubhouse. Nelson Has Improved Says Jimmie Britt Oregon Yacht Club Is Ambitious HARRY MURPHY PICTURES TWO PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE UMPIRES AND-GLANCES AT SEVERAL INTERESTING SPORTING EVENTS California!! Cloaelr Observed the Disc In the Fljght "Which Vir tually Retire louse Corbett. Club Hone to Cost 910,066 Is Planned llotorboatlac Is Be coming Popular. THE SUNDAY OKEGOXIAN, PORTLAND, MARCH 5, 1905. NEWS AND GOSSIP IN SPORTDQM JAMES EDWARD BRITT -was an In teresting: spectator at the ringelde when Battling Nelson for the second time decisively whipped Young- Corbett. Britt has given It out that he -would be -willing to fight the winner, and he Bays that his money is up in Harry Corbett's safe. Britt, it can be depended upon, -watched the sturdy Bane all the time he was in action, and at the end of the battle he elated that Nelson had improved greatly since his fight with the lad. from Hege wisch. In the same breath Jimmy said that he would have to make a better fight than he has ever done before In order to beat Nelson. Britt is not alone In this opinion. Nel son's showing against the ex-champion was a great exhibition. The Nugget was good for four rounds, and after that he began to fade away. There Is no question but that Corbett tried to get back Into condition and that he faced Nelson In the best trim that a fighter, one that has lived as he has, could get into. Yet critics say that only once or twice did the conqueror of Terry McGovern show flashes of hie old-time speed and accuracy. The wallop that Nelson planted on his Jaw in the ninth round might have been a lucky wild wing, but ringside accounts of the mill do not bear this out. The fact of the mat ter is that Nelson has the same old Indian eign on Young Corbett that Corbett has on McGovern, and no matter how many times they hook up. Nelson would return the winner. Young Corbett, like Jim, his namesake; John L. Sullivan and a host of other knights of the fistic game, has traveled the route that kills. He is now a second rater. Corbett put up a game fight. This has been his record throughout his ring tareer. In both of his fights with Nel son he has taken an awful beating. He was "broke" before the fight, and wagered his end of the purse on the outcome of the battle. This shows how sure he was of winning. "What he will do now Is not known. He has lost his power as a draw ing card, but be has not lost his personal following; but whether this following will stick to him as they did to Sullivan re mains to be seen. He is done as a boxer, and the best thing he can do' is to get into some sort of business. It will come hard for him to get down to work. Cor bett is fond of high living, and right now he is facing a crisis in his career. He has been a great money-maker, but he bas spent It like a Kin?, and about the only thing he has to show for his battles la the home which he bought for his par ents. Nelson is a sort of second Fitzsimmons. and should he win a thousand fights he will never be as popular a fighter as the man he defeated. In the hearts of the ring followers Young Corbett has the same hold that old John L. Sullivan has something which Nelson will never have. While Nelson is a great little fighter, per haps the best of his weight that the ring has ever seen, he is wanting in the sav ing clause modesty. As soon as he was sure that he had again beaten Corbett he oame out with his time-worn defl to Jimmy Britt, declaring that if he (Nel son) ever meets the California Britt .will be sent to the "has-been" class. Every ring follower who is familiar with the careers of Britt and Nelson is. ready to "believe that If it Is In -any of 'the HttleH fellows to. get Brltt's scalp. Nelson Is the one. The thing that has and will sour the fans against Nelson is just this sort of talk. Not that they have any great love for Britt, but because they fight shy of a boaster. One thing is sure If Britt consents to meet the Dane, Jimmy will not wade into this fighting cyclone like Corbett. In spite of the great speed and accuracy that Nelson displayed before Corbett when he got ready to cut loose. Nelson will find Britt just a wee bit faster. Jimmy does not win his battles by toeing the mark and slugging. He is shifty enough to keep a boxer at arm's length until' he Is ready to step In and exchange wallops. Jimmy does this about half a minute in each round, and when he docs let go he hurts. Like all fighters, however, Britt is bound to mect-his master. It may be that Nel son will turn the trick. He and Gans are the only two men In the lightweight di vision who stand a chance of doing so. If this match is made. It will be a great battle-. So would a fight between Joe Gans and Nelson. In his battle for Cor bett, Nelson had considerable trouble in making 130, and it Is doubtful If he will be able to make that weight In many more fights. A fight with Gans. weigh in at 153 pounds at 3 o'clock, or even at 6 o'clock, would furnish rare sport. This fight would not be the drawing card that the fight with Britt would be. because the fight fans would be suspicious of a frame-up. No matter how faithfully the pair would train for the mill, there would be talk that Al Herford had it fixed for the negro to win or lose. CHESBRO'S EARLY CAREER. Famous Pitcher Once Paid His Own Training Expenses. Clarke Griffiths announces that he regards "Happy Jack" Chesbro as the Greatest pitcher that the game has ever known. Chesbro was a raw pitcher when he first went to Pittsburg, and there were Enmo experts who declared that he would not do. This was during the season of IK)?, and late in the season he was taken slok and went to his home at Nortn Adams, Mass. During that "Winter the Pittsburg club changed hands and was purchased by its present owner. In mak ing up the team for the following season it was a toss-up as to whether Chesbro or Sparks would be kept The advice of "Popper Bill" Shrlver, who was a pirate catcher at the time, was sought, and he advised that Chesbro he .kept. It is a Tact, however, that not much faith was placed In Chesbro's pitching ability, and the following Spring-, when he was late In reporting for Spring practice at the team s training quarters at Thomasville. Ga.. he was notified to get there tho best way he could, and that It did not matter much If he got there at all or not. I COST OF GOLF BALLS. A Trust Should Fear Associated Jus tice Harlan. Should Attorney-General Moody decide to take up the case of the "golf ball trust," a very interesting question might arise when it reaches the United States Sunreme Court. Associate Justice Harlan is one of the jrrcatest wavers in the Chew Chnse nnh Objection might be made by the attorney lor me trust against his sitting In the case. In addition to Associate Justice Harlan there are seven or eight "United States Senators who play at the links of the Chevy Chase Club. The Columbia Club boasts the membership of a Cabinet of ficer or two. Circulars have been received 1oaU- hv golfplayers that certain kinds of golf balls are to be raised to $9 a dozen. It is estimated that there are CW.O30 goirpiayers in tne united States. The life of a RolT ball is about one. game. At the lowest possible, estimate. $1,500, 00" Is spent every year -for golf balls Amateurs Will Box and Wrestle Spirited Tournament Will Be Held nt Multnomah Club Between Seattle and Local Athlete. THE programme arranged for the boxing- and wrestling- tournament to be held at the Multnomah Club on Wednesday night between the local club and the Seattle Athletic Club pre sents, besides the main events, four preliminaries. Three of these are Riven to boxing-, with Douglas vs. Dranga, Teller vs. Coman and NIcken vs. Belt, as the contestants. The wrestling pre liminary will .be between Dr. Tuttle and Montague. Medais will be award ed to the winners, and in point of in terest these matches will be close sec onds to the principals. The bout be tween Douglas and Dranga will be eagerly watched, since a spirited feel ing exists between them. Dranga has been ' training with Frank, and his friends predict his victory. The main events consist of a boxing- match betwen Edgar Frank, M. A. A, C. and Ed Bennett. S. A. C. and a wrestling contest between Alex Do France. M. A. A. C, and Dave Miller. S. A. C. Under amateur rules, boxing is limited to three rounds of three minutes eachr although the referee may call for a fourth, should it be nec essary to decide the winner. In wrest ling: the bouts are limited to 15 min utes each, two falls out of three declaring- the winner. The preliminary wrestling bouts will be limited to six minutes each. Miller and Bennett come from Seat tle with crack reputations, and are said to be both fast .nd clever. The past work and the present condition of the Multnomah boys, however, lead their supporters to a confident belief in their ability to win. It has been decided to permit ladles to attend the tournament, and the gal lery will be reserved for them and their escorts. "SLATS" DAVIS AS UMPIRE. He Will Act for President Bert This Season. J. Ira ("Slats") Davis, who is to be one of President Bert's umpires this year Is going into the umpiring business, with a view of making a reputation for himself. Davis Is ambitious, and he feels that If he makes good in the -Pacific Coast League this season that he will receive a call from one, or perhaps both of the major leagues. Unlike most ball players who drift Into the game as umpires after they' have outplayed their usefulness as play ers. Davis is still capable of playing a corking good first base, and even though he has been in tho game since ISM, he is far from being a "has-been." Arlle. Latham Is the klng-pln of the diamond humorists, but Davis ranks as a close second. Wherever Davis played ball he was always a favorite with the fans, because he was always full of ginger, and because, no matter how hard the fans were roasting him, he had a witty answer for the roasters. Davis finds something funny In every game, and no matter how bad the game Is breaking for the team he Is playing on he never quits. When he began playing ball for the Amsterdam team, in the New York League In ISM. he was a slender kid. and the fans labeled him "Slats," a nick name which has clung to him ever since. He Is no longer slender, but "Slats" still goes, and he answers to that name as readily as he does to Davis. In 1S35 he played with Pottsville. Pa., but before the season was over he was wearing a New Orlean's uniform. The season of 1S96 found him with Norfolk, Va.. and In 1897 he was In New England earning a salary from New Bedford. By this time Davis was well known as a diamond character. He was playing great ball In those days, and in S?S he was made manager of the Danbury, Conn., team. This berth he threw up for a two weeks' engagement with the Washington, D. C, National League team. From Wash ington Davis drifted to tho New York Giants, and he played the season of 1SS9 as utility man. After this it was back to the minors, and 1900 and 1901 found him with St. Joseph. Mo. The season of 1902 he divided with Denver and Des Moines. Jack Grim wanted a first base man and captain In 1903 for his Portland team, so he signed Davis. Davis did the best he could with the material that Grim -had signed, but the baseball war was on. Day after day the team played to empty benches on the East Side, and President Lucas transferred Grira's team to Salt Lake. Even before Davis came to Port land he was well known on the CoasL In 1901 he finished the season with Sacra- f sko Pimm j :imk. - mento. and he still has a vivid recollection of that event. George Harper was one of the Coast League umpires, and one Sun day morning Sacramento was playing In Oakland. Davis began kicking and making fun of Harper, "flarper stood the "bait ing" until he got. tired, and. holding up his right hand, the one which held the In dicator, he signaled Davis that he was fined $2. Davis glanced at the indicator, saw that the umpire's fingers were wrap ped around the indicator, and without smiling walked up before the grand stand and said to the the crowd: "Harper has fined me $2. but If he had dropped the In dicator he would have made it $5. His fingers were busy." ATHLETE ROSE HAS RIVAL. 'Barry Con away, of Drake University, the Man. Ralph Rose, the "perfect man," has a rlvaL Barry Conaway, a Drake Univer sity freshman, canbbast of almost the same measurements as the big Califor nian. The difference between the two men Is In point of training. Rose has been work ing under one of the best trainers in the country for a year, and has previously had some high school work. Conaway has had but a third of a year's work un der Dr. Monilaw, and no previous train ing. He Is taller than Rose, his shoul ders are broader, he weighs more and his waist is smaller, and from all Indi cations he will be a better proportioned man than the much-talked -of Michigan athlete within a year. The measurements of the two men are given below for comparison: Rose. Conaway. ,, . , Michigan. Drake. Height 6.5 6.S4 Shoulders, width 1S.8 19.5 Chest, width 13.4 13.5 unest, depth 10.4 9.9 isecK. girth 15.9 17.1 Chest, muscular girth 46.6 45.7 Chest, natural girth 44.5 43.5 Chest, expanded girth 47.6 46.7 Chest, contracted jrirth 41.0 37.5 Waist, girth 29.0 38.0 Hips, girth 45.1 43.5 Right arm, down 14.0 13.5 Right arm, up 15.0 14.S Right forearm 12.0 12.5 Left arm, down 13.6 13.0 Left arm. up 14.5 14.0 Left forearm 12.1 12.2 Right thigh 25.9 23.4 Right calf 16.8 16.8 Left calf 17.0 16.5 Left thigh 25.6 26.1 Agf .19 23 Weight ""lV".y.y.V."..V.V.".V.246 lbs. 252 lbs. Classification In University Rose, soph omore: Conaway, freshman. Amount of training Rose, one year, some High School work; Conaway, one-third year. WHY TAYLOR WAS FINED. Connie Msck Assessed Pitcher for Striking Out Side. Jaclc Taylor once played under Connie Mack, and was fined one day by Mack for striking out the side. Taylor says: "Mack taught me the fine points of the game, and I was In big luck to have bad the benefit of his Instruction. He is the only manager for whom I have played who would call you when you got away with a bad play. Why, he fined me In Mil waukee one day for striking out the side. When I went to the bench he said to me in his quiet way: 'Jack, that'll cost you $10.' I asked: 'What more do you want? I struck out the side. 'I warned you several times." said he. 'against putting the ball over when you have strikes on the batsman and no ball, and you dis obeyed twice In that inning. You have got to work a batsman to become a suc cessful pitcher, and that fine goes.' And it did. Connie saw that I started right and was on the points of pitching before I went to Chicago, and this knowledge enabled me to make a good showing In fast company. Arranging Track Meets. CORVALLIS. Or.. March 5. (Special.) Indications point to a brilliant season for track athletics at O. A. C Manager Stlmpson has Just closed a contract "with the University of Washington for a meet here May 27. Arrangements have already been made for meets with University of Oregon and Pacific University, both to take place in Corvallls, and a deal ,1s ! practically concluded to bring the W. A. j C team here. The manager of the California Univer sity team is also seeking a dual meet with the O. A. C athletes, during the formers' visit to the big meet at the Lewis and Clark Fair. This Is the third season since trainer Tolne took full charge of athletics for O. & C, and he will turn out a bunch of men this year that will be hard to beat. The last two weeks of fine weather has given the track men plenty of outdoor exercise, and about 50 men turn out every afternoon for practice Terry McGovern Has New Play Whole McGovern Family Helps Foil the VUIalnesM "Terrible" One Strikes a Woman. TERRY McGOVERN came back to the temple of Thespls on the Bowery, and brought the whole McGovern family with him. The place was the Windsor Theater, the play, "For Fame and Fortune." by Hal Reed, the industrious- playwright who turns out a melodrama a minute. , "For Fame and Fortune" made three big dents In the American drama three world shaking Innovations. 1. Other champs have Introduced their wives on the stage. It was left tor Terry to introduce his mother to tho stage. 2. Since Sophocles trod the blooming boards the villain has always done the cigarette smoking for the entire cast. In "For Fame and Fortune" it is the vii lalness. 3. Terry McGovern is the first hero In the drama to make three separate and distinct rescues within the space of two seconds at the climax of one and the same . acL It was Just this way: Mrs. McGovern. Terry's mother, as played by Nellie Moskell, the only phony. McGovern in the cast, is waiting in the lumber yard to wax the wadding out of Terry for fighting. Mrs. McGovern Is wooed by a Dutch Irish knockabout sketch team with rubber stomachs. Grace Wilson, who's the real Mrs. McGovern later on, and Is played by Mrs. McGovern not Mrs. McGovern, Ter ry's mother, but Mrs. Terry McGovern and she's the real Mrs. McGovern now this Isn't expressed well, but it's late at night anyway, she's waiting, too, and onter the villain, who explains to the vil lalness that Grace Wilson has inherited a fortune in Ireland, and the viilalness is the only other heir, and If Grace Wilson is out of the way Ce-urse her! they'll win out, and the assistant villain Is In structed to seize Grace Wilson Ce-urse the Gyrill and carry her away. Then enters the India rubber stage child, who can tako a beating and come up in the second act like Joe Grim, and the or chestra plays "The Flower Song" and Terry says? "Mother and I have been hungry; never be It said that any one hungered while mother has a cent," and the che'Ild goes off to have a new frock on Terry, and night falls softly over the back drop. Tha villain: "It Is me che-lld! Ce-urse her, she-must-be-put-out-of-the-way! when she re-tcahns, drop her from the peaht Who win know?" The viilalness: "I'm on!" . Enter Grace and the che-lld. The assistant villain seizes Grace and the viilalness the che-lld. The villain pulls his gun and gloats. BIng. Enter Terry. Biff! The villain gets his on the Jaw. Bat! Tho assistant villain takes the count. Splash! Terry is In the East River after the che-lld. (Curtain.) Act IL-The cafe of the Hotel Metropole. All the Windsor supes drinking wine. Painted Police Gazette people on the back drop doing likewise Terry has married Grace in the meantime, and there's a lit tle Terry . at home. Terry senior is matched to fight Pedlar Palmer. The vii lalness Introduces the greatest dramatic Innovation of the century here by doing the villain's smoking. "Ten thousand dollars against Terry McGovern!" says the villain; and then to the viilalness: "Grace McGovern Is at home alone. Go to her, propose to drink a glass of wine to the baby, and put in her glass this poi son." "You're on!" said the viilalness. And when the lights go up there's Old Lady McGovern rocking the baby to sleep. . The McGovern of the third generation is a good sleeper. He never yelled once while the knockabout team kicked each other alternately in the face and the stomach, and while Terry foiled the vii lalness. For the stage che-lld, you see, saw the plot and piped It off to Terry. He dashed down the glass, soaked the first and second assistant villains as they arrived, and Mrs. McGovern Jr. the real ly, truly Mrs. McG. soaked the viilalness on the jaw. "Ha!" It is the villain. "Back, bad man!? cries- the stage -che-lld, and pulls a gun on the coarse man. (Curtain.) Whoop! Wheatee-eeeWhob! ; In the first part-'of the third, the only really exciting thing the villain does is to dope Terry's medicine ball with dyna mite. But Sam Harris gets gay with Terry, and tosses it out of the window, and up goes the garden of Johnston's roadhouse. Enter the villain and gets his In the 6olar plexus. An interlude while the knockabout lov ers kick each other in the stomach to joy and merriment so loud that you couldn't hear the bass drum when they lan'ded. And now It Is night in the noisome cel lar above the East River. The swift current r-runs terribly below. "Look and shuddah," says the villain. "Ms first wife plunged down the trapdoor into that tide." Mrs. Terry McGovern and the baby are asleep In the cellar, by the way, having been fed knockout drops and lured thither. Mrs. Terry is awake. The villain gurgles to the first assist ant: "Stand with your knife at the br-rat's thr-roat!" "And now, Mrs. Mc Govern, write as I tell you or your che ild's blood flows!" Mrs. McGovern has to write a note to Terry saying simply scandalous things about herself. "Have you done with men?" asks Mrs. Terry. -"I have; give me the papah!" "Never! I rend It so! And If you touch me che-lld, you do it over me dead body!" The whole villain squad is upon her in a body. But the window sash on the back drop falls in with a crash. The calcium spots it. 'Tis Terry, with a sixshooter In either hand, and an expression as though he were contemplating young Corbett. (Curtain.) And the no smoking signs are Jarred off the walls. Act IV The fight, of course. Johnnie Burdlck plays Pedlar Palmer as though to the British manner born. The villain ess does nothing more terrible in this act than to try to dope Mr. Terry with chloral In a dope syringe. "For once a McGovern is tempted to strike a woman!" says Terry," as he foils her. Then, seconded by Hughey McGovern. Terry puts out Pedlar Palmer in three hammer-and-tongs rounds. He vaults out of the ring and Mamma McGovern and Mrs. Terry McGovern and Hughey Mc Govern and the stage che-lld and the pa pier mache Baby McGovern fall into each other's arms. And they are so sweetly happy, reunited thus, 'as not to notice that the villain and viilalness have tried to shoot them and been considerately foiled by all the supes except those paint ed on the back drop. It must be lively and exciting to be a McGovern. New York Sun. SHOESTRING DROP IS LATEST Pitcher Mathewson Uses It to Strike Out Jake Buckley. "Christie Mathewson has as much speed as any one ever needed, control that can't be purchased, and a shoe string drop," says Frank Bowerroan, the catcher. "The day he got the strike-out record be was using speed that burned the glove. One of the officials put me Lwlse that Christie had the record tied, and X went down to tne dox to ten mm to get Jake Buckley, who was the last man up. " 'I guess I can do that all right,' said Christie, and I trotted back to try to get Jake to help in the play. " 'I'm not makln records for anybody,' said Buckley. "I signaled for a fast one, and be fore Jake had his bat swung up I was handing it back. Then another one just the same. " 'Pretty fast,' grunts Jake. Then I signaled for one of those slow, straight drops. So help me, it came over 'the plate high enough for a strike, and I bad to get it on the pick-up. Then I tapped Jake, and said: Toddle back to your bench; you're done.' "New York Journal. KID M'COY AS TRAINER. Manager McG raw May EngageHIm for the Giants. Charles "Kid" McCoy, the celebrated lightweight pugilist and' noted expert on physical culture, may train the champion Giants In the South for the coming- base ball campaign. McCoy is now at Hot Springs, Ark., and it is said has taken kindly to the suggestion that he look after the prelimi nary work for Brush's men In the train ing camp. Manager McGraw and McCoy discussed the subject at length several times and it would not be surprising if McCoy's engagement should be formally announced in the next day or two. Til go in a minute." said McCoy, while discussing his probable engagement at Hot Springs, "and I will venture to say that if the players follow my instructions they will go to the post In better physi cal condition than ever before." John L. Rises to Talk Fight Sullivan Writes a Letter Chal lenging: Fltzslmmons If Latter Refuses, Ex-Champion Will Be In Lock. OLD John L. Sullivan got away for Grand Rapld3 a week ago. Before making his getaway the old boy fired letter No. 2 at "Bob" Fitzslmmons. John L. has the old Idea of "put up or shut up," and his last missive to Fitzslmmons fairly zinges in its. sarcasm. The partic ularly warm passages In the letter follow: "Mr. Robert Fitzslmmons: My Dear Sir I am told that In one of your inter views - lately you stated I could whip nine-tenths of the fighters of today. Do you want me and the public to believe that you are the other tenth and the only pebble on the beach? If your state ments are true, this Is the only way I can figure it out. "I am told that you further say 'that If you had met me twelve years ago it would have been all right; tha you had more ambition then. I give you my word that had I met you twelve years ago, or any time wlthtn the last twelve years, that I would have Jolted your slats so hard that your thinking proclivities would have been a thing of the past, and, if you want to meet me in the ring any time within the next year, I will guarantee to hand you a punch that will take all the 'kidding out of you. "Now, I can make arrangements in Oklahoma, San Francisco and one or two other places where we can meet for ten rounds, and if you will put yourself on record by writing- me a few lines over your signature, I will go ahead and ar range to meet you within eight months for six or -ten rounds, and the purse shall not be less than $10,000, and the winner shall take all. "You can gamble on It that I have many friends- left in America, and they are not 'dead ones'.' and It was only yes terday I was -offered the purse which I refer to If the contest would take place in Guthrie, Okla. "Now, if you are afraid of me, come out like- a man and say so, for I don't pro pose to 'kid' the public and my friends; and, furthermore, I don't propose to al low them to be 'kidded' by you or any one else-. I mean this, and you can take It In a personal way or a business way, whichever you like. "If you want to box me for six or ten rounds, and not fight me twenty- rounds, why, I will arrange for the meeting-. But If it Is to be twenty rounds I want at least seven or eight months to train In. If It Is to be six or ten rounds, I will re quire but a very little time; and. If you are afraid to meet me, for heaven's sake, say so and stop making these cracks that you are ready to meet any man in the world, no one barred, for that kind of a game does boxing no good. "You can't lick me in ten rounds, but I can lick you in ten rounds', and if I fail to do It I will give my word that I will never put on another boxing glove as long as T live." . Sullivan hardly wrote this letter. The old fellow did knock a man out at Grand Rapids the other day, but this does not put him in line for a battle with Fitz slmmons. Fitzslmmons would kill the "only John L.". in a punch. "It's to laugh." BASEBALL AND POLITICS. Joke on Ban Johnson and a Tam many Leader. Mark Murphy, the comedian, tells this story: It will be remembered that Ban Johnson lost some sleep in 1203 for fear the new park in New York would not be completed in time for the opening game. So he got a Tammany leader to go out on the grounds ( with him and hurry the men. No sooner did the leader set foot in the park then he went to tho men and said: "Hurry up, boys; you are awful slow. I have a steam shovel that can do as much, work as the-whole bunch: of you." With this a little Irishman spoke up and said: "Ye have? Thin show it t' us." Out thoy went to a neighboring street, where a steam shovel was at work. The Irishman sized it up for a moment, then replied: "That is a great invention, and it may do the work ov 40 ov us min, but look here. Mister Bosa, that shovel can't vote." That was enough for the Tammany leader and he said no more THE OREGON YACHT CLUB, which has flourished for v the last ten years or more on an old boat up the river. Is becoming- amibittous and is forming- plans for a clubhouse- that will excel anything- of the kind ever built In these waters. Sums like 510,000 are spoken of by the club members as if they did not amount to "much, and a membership In the club of 30o when the plans materialize is confidently ex pected. The scheme Is a very good one and will provide something- that Portland lacks very much a clubhouse where the yachtsmen and motorboat naviga tors can gather and enjoy the Summer evenings. The need Is not so much. felt till mentioned, but once" spoken of everybody asks why it was never done before. It is all very much In the air as yet. but it is such a good idea that it will surely be a go to have the club house on the bank of the river, which. can be reached by either sailing- boats or steam launches; a place where a hungry crowd can get a meal or a thirsty crowd can get a drink; a place with wide, cool verandas, a grill room on the inside, even bowling- al leys and billiard tables with which to kill time, is the general scheme. Both sailing- and motorboating- are becoming- much more common now than ever before, and quite a number of both yachts and launches are to be added to the existing- number already. Portland is beginning- to wake up to the value of the river as a place of en joyment and the pioneer yachtsmen are beginning- to find themselves a. little crowded for searoom. The Yacht Club might have been content to buoy its boats In the neigh borhood of the old scowboat used as lockerroom on the upper river for an indefinite time to come if it had not had overtures made to it by the Ore gon Water Power & Hallway Com pany, which offered to build it a model clubhouse, such as it wants, little further up the river. The executive committee of the club studied the mat ter for a while and thought the idea a rare one, but could not see why they could not build a clubhouse of their own. As the matter stands now they do not know whether to take up the offer of the railway company or do something on their own account. Just now the latter alternative is in high favor. The club members fig ure Is out this way. If they had a big clubhouse, with attractive surround ings, they would be able to get a mem bership sufficient to make it pay. com prised not only of all the yacht and motorboat owners, but also of a good many other citizens who do not par ticularly care to get out upon the water themselves, but would like to have a place on the banks of the river to which they could speed In their au tomobiles or drive to and have an out look over the water while they sit on the veranda and "have supper. Where to build the new clubhouse Is really the only question which bothers the club members. They feel that their idea is so 'good that funds sufficient to carry It out will be avail able. They do not know whether to go up or down the river. The vote is divided. To go up Is nearer, easier and has the advantage of precedent, but to "go down gives more sea. room, readier access to the Columbia and a wider range of location for the club house. . TRIPLE PLAYS ARE RARE. This Diamond Feat Requires Strange Combination of Circumstances. A triple play is one of the rare things in baseball, because it requires a. combination of circumstances which seldom occur. Ther must be at Jeast two men on the bases, and no one out. Then the next batter must hit the ball in a certain way, or the chance for a triple Is lost. In addition to this, the fielding must be perfect and fast. But two triple plays, made by one man un assisted, have ever been recorded. One was the famous play of Paul Hines way back In the early '80s. The other is fresh in the mind, although it was made in a minor league. In 1901 Harry O'Hagan was playing first base for Columbus, in the West ern Association. Tin-canned, he went East to Newark, and the day after he donned a New Jersey uniform he pulled off the play that made him fam ous. With men on first and second, and, of course, nobody out, O'Hagan was playing close to the bag. when tha next batter hit a liner directly Into his hands. The force of the ball was enough to knock him back so that his foot touched the first sack, retiring the runner who was off the base. O'Hagan, turning to throw to second, saw that the runner there had started at the crack of the bat and was nearly to third. So, Instead of throwing the ball, he sprinted to sec ond base with it in his hand, arriving la time to put the third man out on the play. Last season the Kansas .City Club of the American Association made two triple plays in one game at Toledo. GIRL BALL-TOSSERS ARE COMING Basket-Ball Teams of Albany and Corvallls Will Play Here. ALBANY, Or., March 4. (Special.) Portland has been selected as the place. . and Friday, March 10, as the date for. the third and deciding game in the state championship series between the girls" basket-ball teams of Albany College, and the Oregon Agricultural College, There Is now a contention as to what ball the game shall be played in, and this conten tion is delaying the final arrangements' for the game. The O. A. C girls desire that the Mult nomah Club basket-ball floor be used for the game, while the Albany girls prefer the Y. M. C. A. hall. Neither team Is willing to concede, the point, and there the matter rests. The Corvallls team wants the M. A. A. C. hall for the reason that it -is. a large one and similar .to their home floor, and the Albany girls allege that it Is beyond the regulation size, and refuse to play in it on that account. They say the Y. M. C. A. floor Is the right size and 'they think now that they have ac ceded to the' wish of the O. A. C. girl In agreeing that the game be played in Port land, their wishes should be considered In choosing the haH. No officials for the game have yet been chosen. .The contention about what, ball shall be used is preventing the completion of the arrangements,, but there is little doubt that the matter will be settled in the next few days, as the teams are. on most friendly terms, and .the, final ar- .rangsments for the -championship, gasaa "will then be made.