The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 2, 1899, Page 20

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL SUNDAY, APRIL 2, 1899, J{ ai V({14 }‘d [ JO fi / C’y Writes Hbout the %ost 6’/@2/:@ Womem‘ of Fs Life ADMIRAL W.S SCMLE W 3 tration of Mr. T rom the j ) sited this re visit made send- this ssy back in a national frigate Niagara well ; the on and Japan able po far 1 When the Heart Grows Weary. For the lways at and com yme or orts of who live advantag tion of the two BOGHL OO0 A6 Edward Hanlon, 06308 X0 308 0 100 308 100 306 0 0 0 Heroes of the Diamond. 1 who z When s a howl; d, of no great of a wave of enthusiasm. game-the crowd sur- round. him an to. thie club house the center of As a rule t T ough proud of the public, do not:get the “big he: Such a one fs Anson, the old warhorse of baseball. The old ma dther five managed a the field w a round of applau » the plate there w 1 the grand stand and bleac! and: Anson usually responded b of basebail are pass when Anson walks the grov e crowd crane their necks to get a view of him. Da is ani r favorite, so is Glea- son, whose grand stand plavs set the crowd 1d. -. Eddle Burke used to own the left fleld bleachers; the old Burkville of a féw years ago is remembered by every one who visited the Polo €rounds, SOVOLOOTBABELD ool L ) UL s Y New only York half tely, and it most certain that, had Cervera's Who Managed the Champion Baltimores for so Many Years, Writes of thz New Mzn, New Rules and Many Changes on the Diamond This Season. Robinson of Baltimore i rite with the rooters, as are Jen- Mike Griffin, Van Haltren, Tiernan »f others. .Anson 1, Tiernan is looked upon as of t another great which Le b aying. N round of > category. When he ong the over the disap- goes nee. pointe it doesn’t. Changes in the Big Clubs. clubs ie princ to al Brooklyn st. object of mave Is to s gthen the two lattes which are recoghized as good base- towns, Baltimore id Cleveland, on other 1d, have: never been very profitable 1 ehball cities, but with the players that they retain and those a quired from Brooklyn and St. Louis the may still be able to make a good show- ing this on. Last year the two Greater New York teams finished in the second division. It was felt that w York should make a better showing. The work of bullding up a strong team requires several seasons, and therefore the Baltimore elub, which had come to be one of the leading teams in the country, was transferred to Brook- lyn. For the same reason it was felt that a better team should be put into St. Louis. These changes are believed to be for the good of the game, taking the needs and possibilities of the whole country into con- sideration. Aside from these transfers there will be few important changes in the personnel of the different clubs. The Boston team, Which has for the past fWo seasons car,@re peaten at the finish f=R=RcBeFeReReReF=FeyReF=Fog=3=2=3=1 constant home association in this blessed land of liberty it is not easy to comprehend how weary ‘the heart grows in waiting three long, long years before returning from what séems to us almost banishment, honorable, it is true, and yet more difficult to under- & d - how the altars of one's patriot- ism are kept burning and how the love of country and its flag may live and grow in hearts that are obliged by the circumstances to pass most of their 1i from and outside the dear- ations of education and It is this exile—this having to per- form duties that are beyond the public observation and to some extent outside the public sympathy, often in the most pestilential regions of the globe, where we stand guard over the commercial rights of our countrymen, ¢r on the re- mote frontiers of civilization, where we stand for the great power of right and protection to those domiciled ther that makes our country s¢ grand to and our respect for its flag so profound. The flag, too, has a personality to us. It represents the majesty of our Gov- ernment of the people and their great power. As the symbcl of freedom's home, it excites enthusiasm wherever it is shown abroad, and in the hearts of its freeman defenders there is felt a love and admiration for what it repre- sents that is apt to be overlooked by those who live where these privileges are not so esteemed as by those of us who, accustomed to long service abroad, are able to compare these ad- vantages with those of other countries, where much of our lives have to be passed. The Niagara reached Japan In the late fall and proceeded to Yeddo, as then known, but as Tokio in this day. Our presence was most welcome and our reception by the Government of Japan was just cordial and just as hospitable as that of our Government to their embassy. The temple of Siogee in the city of Yeddo was fitted up for able to make their maximum e escaped.—Engin- eer i . Melville, U. S. N, in the Engincering Magazine for March. ships been s (=R=FaFogoReReReye-FFeReFePog=ReReReoFeRoReFaTeFeFoFageFoFaFeRayal Bascball For 1899, & FeRuFeRaR=RoReRsRaga] o COCOOVULUDUUUOTT ried off the champlo tically the sam s well 2 depended upon, nd play together. Individual playing is well enough and ple: d stand, but to insure suce The patron's ery to strong incentive to a a hit in a double sens acrifice is often proli ) a vicious attempt to ’r the It s the manage- hip, remains prac- Its pla or tter results t the ball o ough unity fence, and good field ment of the Bostons, and the same may aid of the Baltimore team, that have enabled these teams to retain first and s places for several successive sea The Bostons' pitching staff, one of in the league, will remain the sz s last year, with Kid Nichols as the particular star. In Tenney, Low and Long the infleld will prove a Of the old Baltimore team Robinzon and McGraw will remain in the home city. To » added some of the Brooklyn 3 f last on.. With a winning m the Baltimore patronage has been ¢mall compared with some of the other centers of the nationial game. If this spring proves that a team cannot be made to pay on the home grounds, arrange- ments may be made whereby the Balti- more team will play their home games at some pl; where the patronage will sat- ¢ the management. Brooklyn to Have a Star Team. The Brooklyn team of 1899 will be a hard aggregation to beat out. It will contain probably more star players than any other nine in the league, and great results are looked for. There is no denying It, the patrons of the game in Greater New York are tired of being represented by two teams which made no better showing than did the Brooklyns and New Yorks last year. They want a team which will play good, snappy baseball. A baseball enthusiast sald to me the other day: *Building up the Brooklyn teamy will be sure to boom the game in this part of the country.. What we want is a team we can be proud of; one we can do some yelllng over. If the boys ant to baye the reception and entertainment of our officers. The. great city of Yeddo was laid out dally during our stay into interesting distriets for visits of inspection. The routes along which we were es- corted were, as a rule, closely packed Wwith natives, who were curfous to see the white foreigner for the first time in their lives. But in no instance dur- ing these excursicns was any incivility or rudeness manifested, though on all sides there was that natural curiosity to get a closer look at'the long-haired white man. In this the pretty Japanese woman was, as a rule, more conspicu- ous than the man, and I dare say there are many matrons living now in Tokio who can remember a bright button conferred in response to some roguish importunity. Painful Forebodings. After our mission had been com- pleted and the presents from our Gov- ernment to that of Japan had been landed, we started on our return to Chinese waters in the winter of 1860-61. Reaching Hongkong, the United States Minister, Mr. Ward, had authority to return to the United States. and the Niagara was directed to take him to India, and thence to the mouth of the Red Sea, where he took steamer for Europe, and ultimately home. This duty performed, the Niagara proceeded from Aden to the Comoro Islands, northwest of Madagascar, and lastly to Cape Town, in South Africa. Our voyage home was in length some- what longer than that going out, and nothing was known of the fall election that had already taken place, although there was considerable anxlety on board among the officers and men, as our complement included many from both sections. On the day of electlon, however., a vote was taken on board ship. with the result that Mr. Lincoln received a ma- jority of the votes cast. Until the ship had reached the highlands of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, we were in utter ig- M \ the satisfaction of knowing that the other fellows had to hystle to do it. I have been a regular attendant at the Polo grounds, but 1 am of a mind, and there are thousands just like me, to go over to Brooklyn if the New Yorks give us another sample like last year. What we want is a_winning team to represent the Greater New York.” Teams of Other Cities. The New Yorks remain the same as last year, and they can put up a first- class game of ball, something which wul be hard to beat. George Davis will oc- cupy his old position at shortstop, and every one knows the place he holds in the ts of the public; they have a & infield, their pitching de ong the best in the league; s chers and outfield. ; of the e stars—Van Haltren, Tiernan, Gleason, Warner and other: York, things will hum. Chicago and Philadelplila will remain about the same as last year, with possi- bly a few ptions, and, 1 think, they may be depended upon to put up a strong game. Cincinnati will also go on the d mond with the same team as last s son. It would be hard to beat the pitch- ing department, and the men behind it can give a gilt-edge sample of baseball. Cleveland and St. Louis will be consid- erably shaken up, probably with first- class results. Pittsburg will retain the same players as'last ye nd_the rest of the teams will hear from t m. \Washington and Louisville bid fair to make an improve= ment over last year. There are some star players Among their men and they should make a good showing. A team of star players does not neces- ly make a winning team, but the i3 presence on the field of one or more ree- ord champions goes far to attract the public. For instance, a team composed of men who have led in one or more de- varte will be a drawing card. The new Brooklyn team will contain several wmen who stood at the top last season. Keeler, who held the batting record for 1898, will py a position In the fleld, and the patrons of the game will be an ious to : if.a change of climate will ef» fect his work at the bat. Star Players of the League. It may be a difficult matter to pick out the stars of the league; each club has a few. Of the shortstops Davis, Long and Jennings will probably have little difficul- ty in maintaining thelr standing with the public. Last season the following men stood at the head of the record in their relative positions, and they will this year be pretty equally distributed among the leading clubs: First base, Beckley, Cin- cinnatl; second base, Reitz, Washington; third base, Wallace, Cleveland; shortstop, Jennings. Baltimore; center field, Griffin, Cleveland; right field, Tiernan, New York. Delahanty, Philadelphia, led in base steal- ing and Ritchey, Loulsville, in sacrifice hits, There were umber of other play~ norance of the portent of this vote, taken away off in the China seas. The absence of ships, however, along our coasts about the latitude of Cape Hatteras as we were approaching home caused painful forbodings lest Some disaster had befallen the country we loved so well. - The mutterings in the South of the year before in the event of a certain election caused some anxiety, and the absence of vessels in regions where in years gone by they were as thick as the leaves in Vallombrosa was held by the older heads to be ominously significant, but it was not until we reached the highlands of Cape Cod that we were to learn the full extent of the great calamity that was upon us. The election we had held on board the ship way off in the waters of China, on the other side of the' globe, was only the prelude of the more general one at home. As Mr. Lincoln was the choice of the majority of the officers and men of the frigate Niagara, so we were to learn subsequently he also the choice of the nation. Pilot’s News. When off the Highlands a pilot boat was discovered near by, and the pilot put off in a boat with his pockets full, as Is customarily done, of the latest papers. He was awaited with an im- patience that seemed almost painful, and the moment he had crossed the rail and reached the gangway he was asked by the captain, dear old Com McKean, than in whom no more loyal heart ever beat for the flag, this question: “Pllot, what is the news?” The pilot, Dolliver was his name. looked around at all standing about the quarterdeck, apparently amazed at the question, for what he was about to tell us as news was quite old to him. and instead of replying at once to this aues- tion, thes pilot, as so often happens, asked the captain with some surprise: “Where in thunder have you come from, captain?"” When told more politelv. if less em- n METHPRIR . PR I \\ W YPILOT, WHATS THE NEWS? DEMANDED THE CAPTAIN. ers who were a close second, and any one of them may jump to the front in his de- partment this season. New League Ball Chosen. The branch of the game in which the public prot takes the most interest is in batting; a good batting contest Is delight to the faithful rooter’'s heart. A plan has been discussed, and will proba- rried out, which will tend to in- ere this feature of the game. It is the purpose to fu 0 ball to be used in the le ; a ball which will contain a greater percentage of rub- ber than those hertofore in use. The re- sult is obvious, and the patrons of base- ball may look for more work on the part the fielders, other rule has been adopted to pre- nt a waste of time and shorten the games. The pitcher will not be allowed to make a feint to throw to a base; the mo- tion to throw must be followed by the actual delivery of the ball to the baseman. This will doubtless increase the base- stealing record. Changes in the Umpire System. An umpire may be fined or suspended for a violation of his trust, or may be removed if the offense is sufficiently ag- gravated. The appointment of an effi- cient staff of umpires will go far toward preventing the annoying delays and breaches of discipline to which the pa- trons of the sport had objected in the past. The schedule for this year contains 154 games for each club—the same as last season. This makes the season extend from April 15 to October 15. Each club will make four trips and play fourteen games with every other club. There has been talk of dropping vari- ous eclubs and the reduction of the circuit to eight teams. The league season will begin with twelve clubs as hereto- fore, but there may be changes before tha end. All depends on the course of af- fairs during the spring and early sum- plen ha mer. The advocates of the eight club league say that there are enough star plavers to make up eight teams that would make the hottest kind of a fight for each season’s honors, but that there are not enough for twelve good clubs. Of course a crack baseball player cannot be made to order. He Is partly the result of training, but more largely of a combina- tion of quickness, a sure eye, and good judgment. hese are the essentials of a 3 ssful baseball player, whatever his tion, and particularly in the batting partment of the game, The minor leagues and college teams, from which reinforcements are chiefly drawn, have not contributed as many men to the big teams in the past two or three seasons as they did for some time before. Conses quently there is the cry of a dearth of baseball talent. If it proves to be well founded, the reduction in the number of major league clubs seems likely to oceur, as it will be more profitable and Interest- ing to have elght star ciubs than twelve mediocre teams in_a larger territory. EDWARD HANLON, i Manager of the Brookiyn Club, phatically, by the captain that he had come from Hongkong, the pilot fol- lowed this information with another question: “Ain’t you heard nothing at all since sailing “No,” replied the captain. “Nothing at all, as we have touched nowhere since leaving the Cape of &ood Hope. There was no news there Wwhen we sailed.” Dolliver’s reply to this assurance 1 shall never forget. It was as forcible as it was emphatic. and as impressive as words could possibly make it, even if it was a little inelegant. Well, gentlemen, the country is all busted to h—L." An Excited Ship’s Company. ‘While this colloquy was going on be- tween the pilot and the captain. the ship’s company had crowd-d aft in both gangways, and, like the officers. were intens anxious to hear what the news might be. What Dolliver had saic S0 emphatically had reached their ¢ and had touched their hearts. Tears started from e that were not accu tomed to weeping, and coursed down the cheeks of those bronzed old heroes. It could be seen that a firm resolve to stick loyally to the old flag that had floated in honor over their lives and fortunes had gone deep into their souls, for almost immediately every eye was turned upward toward the peak. where th‘»nl(] flag was floating pea ully and majestically, and intuitively every head was uncovered in homage. It was an experience never to be for- gotten, and the sight of those bronzed old heroes, with heads uncovered to the dear old flag, taught my young heart in a few moments a whole volume of patriotism. I had been born in a slave- holding State, and had been reared sur- rounded by colored children, and was influenced to some extent by the preju- dices which the institution of slavery had engendered, but when it became necessary to decide off Boston harbor whether the love of State was to be superior to the love of country, and my pride in its glories and in its his- tory, there was no trouble after the sight I had witnessed when pilot Doli- ver came aboard. An Impressive Scene. Reaching Boston harbor in the midst of deep excitement and deeper feelings among those holding opposite views, a number of our officers decided to aban- don the cause of the Union for that of the Confederacy then established. Those who were loyal were merely re- quired to subscribe anew to their oath of allegiance. After carefully examining this new document it was not difficult to renew my alleglance at a moment when so many were abandoning our cause. The scene off the Highlands when Doliver came on board had graven its impres- sion too surely upon my heart. Those uncovered heads, those tearful those loving, loyal looks of the faithful old bronzed faces, who had known no other love and who were too old then to begin anew, had fashioned my young fanhcies, too, and after I had renewed my allegiance in the cabin of the dear old commodore I looked up and found I had done so standing directly under a scuttle leading to the poop deck, and directly under the folds of the old flag as it was gracefully unfolding itself to a light breeze, all the more dear to me now after the exposures we have un- dergone and the perils of service to which our lives have been devoted in helping others ta uphold it the world over, for those of our land who in their time and turn are to follow us in hold- ing fast to the teachings of our fathers, and, like them, to preserve the inherit- ance of this blessed land of liberty- for those to follow them. —_—ee——————— Raszball Hoodoos. Players and rooters in the natignal game are superstitious persons. Many believe in *hoodao: d. some of tha rules which they have adopted to ward off disaster are interesting. The best recipes are as follaws: Under no - circums cross = the roadway in front-of of empty- barrels. To pass a hunchback negro without recognition is fatal. He must at - all ards be. stopped and ken by the hand, while a.penny is rubbed upon .his back. Tt is dangerous to pass through a fun- neral procession. Walking by the: side of a funeral is permissible nd rather fa- vorable than otherwise. If the time will permit, it would be better to accompany the hearse to- the cemetery: gate, but ne farther. There are m players who would faint at the si of red-naired woman while on their way to & game. Of all the Kentucky hoodoos a yellow dog has ever been the most dreaded. If. a colored newsboy should happen to step on the omnibus or streetcar -in which you are riding, hold on to him. While playing do not allow a stranger within your tent or upon your players’ bench. None of the leading ball players wears & new uniform when hé can avotd doing so. If the new dress becomes imperative a well-authenticated rabbit’s foot, c fully tucked away in the lini; as a counter charm. Many of the most famous batters hold that disaster will follow if a strange hand touches the bat. A cross-eyed negro is an omen of evil to the pitcher. It is on record that a pair of shoes sold by a cross-eved negro to one of the Baltimore catchers was re- sponsible for the disaster that attended his nine through part of a season. Walk on the right-hand side of the way. If by inadvertence you should hap- pen to be on the left hand, - ke three revolutions to the right before crossing. No experienced ball player will, while traveling, sleep with his feet pointing to- ward his destination. Do not put the baseballs in the bat bag. It's Injudicious to talk to a girl with a cast in her eye. Many players and followers of baseball would sacrifice a week’s growth rather than meet a clergyman on their way to a game. If you are a professional playver, by no means ride on a street car or other cheap conveyance. Don’t carry an umbrella unless the rain has started before you leave your home. Allow no one to intercept or cross im- mediately in front of you on your way to the ground.—St. Louls Post-Dispatch. 0000000000000 00000000000000000000 Saved From the Grave Three Times by His Wife, Remarkable Story of a Choctaw Indian Condemned to Be Shot. ICHITA, Kans., April 1— Walla Tonka, a fullblood Choctaw Indian player, has been snatched from the g it were, by his wif within the last two ¥ he Tonka come alone to the Indlan execu- tion grounds near Eufaula and looked into his own grave. Then, just as he had knelt to be th by the exe tioner, his wife has ridden up with a r prieve from the Judge. now whether this In- It is doubtful fan will ever be shot. The Judge who passed the sentence is dead, the witnesses are dead and there was little cause in the first place for his conviction. In the spring of 1897 Ton. ttended a green corn dance on the res tion. His uncle, Lampson Young, W 1 ent, and quite freely did the ewater flow. Young and nephew were in love with the same girl, Tookah Ingamore, a beautiful Choctaw maiden who had been away to school. She favored the young and handsome Walla Tonka and spurned the uncouth Young. The old Indian could not see the heau- tiful girl borne off without some effort on his part to prevent it, so he challenged his nephew to a duel, the winner to take the girl. As a result, Tonka Kkilled him and for the murder was sentenced to be shot on August 6. Then he married Miss Ingamore, and later joined a baseball team and gained much notoriety by touring the country d rl, as a condemned yet free man. As August drew near he returned to hfs home in the Territory, and on the day set for the execution he -went to the Choctaw Courthouse. The grave . had been dug and Tonka knelt before it, so that his dead body -could fall easily into the pit. Just as the blindfold was being adjusted a woman, rounted on a weary and fagged pony, rode up. It was Tonka's wife. In her hand she waved a reprieve. Tonka was not to be shot until next April. For two days the woman had been pleading with the Judge. When-April came .onka was again on hand to be shot. It was to guard his honor that he wa b prompt. In the Choctaw Nation it 1s a family disgrace for a man to flee from death. For the second time Tonka knett beforé his open grave, and again his wife arrived just a few minutes before' the time when he would have been shot. This time she had secured a reprieve for nearly a year —until February 28, 1899. Tonka again joinea a baseball nine last summer, but was prompt about going to be shot. ‘The third time he looked into his grave and his wife came with the re- prieve. Tonka thinks now his wife is a treas- ure, and says with a smile: “I am really glad I killed my uncle. It proves how much this girl loves me.” The Indian wife looks sad but happy. “It is my du she says, in a melan- choly way. caused the duel. I will save my husband's life.” Walla . Jonka and-His Wife,