BASE BALL, SHOOTING AND GENERAI/ SPORTS VOLUME 35, NO. 2. PHILADELPHIA, MARCH 31, 1900. PRICE, FIVE CENTS. A CENTRAL LEAGUE. PROSPECT FOR SUCH A LEAGUE IS SUCH AH ORGANIZATION FORMED RATHER DUBIOUS, IN THE WEST, The Canadian Cities Ready to Do The Long and Hard Lahors ol Presi Business, But the Michigan Cities dent Sclimidt, ol Terre Haute, Which It Was Proposed to Incor Crowned With Success so Far as porate Are Sadly Lagging, Starting, at Least, is Concerned. Hamilton, Ont., March 27. Editor "Sport Terre Haute. Ind., March 26. Editor ing Life:" The proposed International "Sporting Life:" At a meeting of base bail League is fai from being a crystallized promoters, held in Springfield, 111., on fact. President Cal. Davis, of the Canadi March 21, the Central Base Ball League was organized. The league -will be a six- an League, who has had the matter in club circuit, composed of Springfl.eld, hand, writes that the "International Bloomington, Decatur, Danville, Peoria and League base ball prospects are not very Terre Haute. The season will open May 1 bright. Things have taken on and close September 18. AN UNFAVORABLE ASPECT PRESIDENT SCHMIDT In the last few clays. Grand Rapids, which says that the prospect is good for a suc was considered to be the best of the Mich cessful season. He is to prepare the sched igan cities, has as yet done nothing in the ule at once, with 120 games, beginning matter of organizing. A mouth ago the May 1 and ending September 15; sixty city looked well and was prepared to send games at home and sixty away. Decatur, delegates to a meeting, but since that time Danville and Terre Haute are classsed as tin- expected backing of the Board of The Eastern section, with Bloomington, Trade has failed, and the city is now only Peoria and Springfield in the West. The a bare possibility. Saginaw is out, which circuit is a compact one, with each jump also includes Bay City, although the latter short, the longest distance being ninety- was never considered© as a probability. A. one miles. The circuit is geographically 1). Kerry has organized a team in Jackson lu the shape of a double triangle. and is ready to enter the league, and Al. THE FINANCIAL ASPECT. Mill, of Chicago, has a team under con All towns will permit Sunday games, and tract, which he is willing to put in Lan- the schedule will make Monday an open Biug, Port Huron, or any other Michigan date for playing postponed games. The city that will give him backing, but both Catcher John O©Connor, ol St. Louis. salary limit is to be $700 a month. There Lausing and Port Huron are base ball bury has been some talk of the league taking the ing grounds. On franchise for Peoria, but Al Lawson has taken- it. The smallest town is Danville, THE CANADIAN SIDE. with 22,000. and Peoria the largest, with London and Hamilton are ready for any WORCESTER WAY. PETERSBURG PETS. 80,000. President Schrnidt says the sea- good league. Woodstock would fall into sou will open with games in the East, line again, with good local backing, in all The Club to Remain Under the Con Roster of the Players Signed to trol of Manager Selee and His Springfield at Terre Haute, Peoria at De probability, there being a meeting there Date For This Club by Manager catur and Bloomington at Danville. this week to organize. Manager W. Kill- Fellow-Owners. Foster. master, of the Brantford Club, reports that Worcester. Mass.. March 26. Editor Petersburg, Va., March 28. Editor that city has failed to give him the assist "Sporting Life:" Malachi J. Kittredge can "Sporting Life:" Mr. F. M. Foster, of CLEVERJURPHY. ance required to start a professional team not have a controlling interest in the Wor Bristol, Conn., manager of the Petersburg there, and he will not put a team In the cester Base Ball Club. That was the edict How (he Noted Catcher Assisted base ball team, gives its make-up: J. J. the Philadelphia Players to Big league. It is pretty certain nobody else issued by President Frank G. Selee, of the Adams, of St. Louis, second baseman and will. Tu view of these developments there Worcester Club, at the conference with Batting Averages. was no meeting on Saturday. What may Kittredge, which he. in company with utility catcher: Edward Hoffman. of Phil "By all odds the cleverest thing that ever be done later on remains to be seen.© 1 Manager Frank J. Leonard, had at Gould©s adelphia, left fielder: Joseph Lytra, of New happened in a base ball campaign was Hotel, Boston, last week. Bedford. Mass..© pitcher: Edward Millard, Morgan Murphy©s tipping oft the pitchers© of St. Louis, pitcher; Michael Conway. of KITTKEDGE THHOUGH. New Bedford. Mass., pitcher and out- signs last season. Pitcher Masree gave VIRGINIA©S LEAGUE The deal for the purchase of a part fielder: John Callahau. of Marlboro. Mass., the snap away when he left the Phillies to of the Worcester Club has not been de go to Washington. Murphy posted himself WiH Have a Six-Club Circuit and pitcher: J. A. Hennager. of Washington, clared off. but Kittredge said when he third baseman: George Kelley, of Wash lu the club house on the Philadelphia Open the Championship Campaign returned from Boston early this morn-© ington, right fielder; H. L. Hunt, of Trav- grounds and succeeded in getting on to the on April 3O. ing that he proposed to let matters take ers City. Mien., catcher; Joseph L. Clin signs of every pitcher who visited the Richmond, Va., March 28. Editor "Sport- their own course. The prepositions he had ton, of Brooklyn, N. Y., centre fielder: grounds." says the Boston "Herald." "Of Ing Life:" The Virginia Base Ball League made to the present club owners had been Thomas McGulrk. of Brooklyn, N. \©., first course this was of incalculable benefit, and last week perfected plans for the com rejected, and the offers .they had made him baseman. Mr. Foster has uo short stop men got fine batting percentages who ing season. It was decided to have a six- were not wholly to his liking. yet. owing to a controversy with the Rich usually rated very low. Naturally it help club circuit, embracing Richmond. Peters SELEE WEAKENED. mond club relative to a man claimed Dy ed Delehanty to lead in batting. Murphy burg, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News When Kittredge first began negotiations both clubs. did not participate in a single game witb. and Hampton. Roanoke and Lynchburg with President Selee for the Worcester the Phillies last season, but he was well presented applications for membership, but Club he believed it possible to buy the club worth several thousand dollars more to they were rejected, it being thought best outright, and President Selee even went A Club For North Adams. the club than he got. Hereafter it will be to have only six clubs. so far as to name a figure at -which he North Adams. Mass.. March 26. The new the proper thing for a club to carry with The season will open April 30 with would sell the club outright. Kittredge North Adains Base Ball Club, which plans to it a sign discoverer, but few will make support a team in tbe field this season under their appearance who will meet witb the Petersburg, at Richmond, Norfolk at considered it too high and made no accept the management of Dick Landy. has chosen Portsmouth and Newport News at Hamp ance of the offer at the time. The club Charles A. Howland president. Harry Donahue. success of Murphy. He got on to some ton. The managers will met at .Norfolk owners then experienced a change of heart. treasurer: Richard Landy. secretary and mana signs last season that the owners thought April 4 to make up the complete schedule. They began to see that the Worcester Club ger, and Theodore Tredeau. T. P. Welch and were perfect, and in more than one case Al! of the clubs were represented at to was to be a sure money-maker for them Daniel Barry as directors. Manager Landy has did be succeed in penetrating the code of day©s meeting, and the outlook is regarded this season, and they decided to retract his team nearly completed, and will open the signals when they were given by the is bright. ... tUeir proposition to sell the whole clulj. seasoa ou the borne grounds April 18. i pitcher." LIFE. March 31. son, and it will he impossible for ofie umpire \o players to Youngstown. Fred. Cooke, an do the work required,of him satisfactorily. And again, they have turned down Tom Lynch, one old favorite locally, has been .appointed of the best umpires who ever handled an indi on President Power©s staff of Interstate cator, a man who was always master of the umpires for the coming season. Several field, a gentleman at all times, who gave his outside applications have been placed with decisions impartially. He was a man respected Manager Finn for positions on the local TALKS OF RETIRING FROM THE by players and public, a man who could always team. THE LEAGUE HOW OH AH EIGHT" be relied upon and a credit to the game." IT IS LEARNED, CHATTEL OWNERS INDIFFERENT. locally, that player Fred. Shires, of New PROFESSION, Mr. Jennings© owners, the Brooklyn mag port, has returned his contract unsigned CLUB BASIS. nates, decline to take the rebellion of one to Manager-Finn and claims dissatisfaction of their slaves seriouely.