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Nobody that ever handled a base ball need be told anything about Reach's American Association ball, which is simply the acme of perfection in ball making, and which can never in its general superiority be excelled. But perfect as this Reach ball was, the manufacturer has actually discovered an improvement which, while it does not make the ball any better—that would be impossible—adds greatly to its durability. This improvement consists of a double stitch, which makes the ball doubly strong, so that a thread or stitch, upon which the greatest strain always falls, can be cut or broken without affecting the ball at all and without rendering it unfit to continue in a game. The advantages from an economic point of view alone are so great as to make a further comment or praise superfluous. Every practical player can at a glance conceive how vastly this new double stitch improves the Reach ball.

[Boston vs. New York (NL) 5/9/1890] [byline O. P. Caylor] Rusie, the indomitable, pitched again. And what a game of ball he did “put up!” Several times when the batter had three balls and no strikes he settled down to straight pitching and put the next three balls over the plate.

[relating Bug Holliday's favorite bat] This particular bat has a history. It has been used longer than Bug has been in the business as a professional. When Orator George Shaefer was a member of the St. Louis Unions, in 1884, he selected a piece of second growth ash and took it to a planing mill. He stood by while the wood-turner worked the wood into a stock to suit his fancy. He then oiled the bat and used it for two years. In 1886, when he visited ST. Joe, Mo., he gave the bat to Holliday. Bug has had it ever since. It is his prize stick, and has assisted him not a little in making his great batting record at St. Joseph, Topeka, Des Moines, and last season with the Cincinnatis.

Brunell's paper, the Cleveland Sportsman, says:--”The 'famous' official scorer of the Chicago League Club, who has kept old Anson in base ball for years, is a woman, the daughter of Secretary Brown, of the club.

[Brooklyn vs. New York (PL) 6/6/1890] Brotherhood Park was in bad condition for good playing. For ten or twenty feet back of the sod in the diamond the clay had been raked and the ground was soft and muggy. But the worst part was in short right field. There a small lake of water stood upon a surface about thirty feet square, running across the foul line. The mud had been scraped away and lay in a hge ridge extending out toward centre field. The right fielder at times played just back of the dirt ridge and again in the much in front of it, according to the batter’s ability. A ground rule was made to the effect that a hit into this territory should give the batter and base runners only a single base each. The New York men sent five of their base hits into this dismal swamp, and the Brooklyns dropped two in the same territory.

[reporting on the oral argument in Philadelphia Ball Club v. Hallman 3/7/1890] The court was crowded with people, and when Judge Thayer, during Col .Vanderslice's argument [for Hallman], remarked:-- “How is this? Do these people claim the right to a man's services indefinitely? I see by this brief that they can release him on ten days' notice,” and Col. Vanderslice replied “Yes” and the Judge said “That's a bond of slavery,” those in the room nodded to each other, as each believed it meant that the defendant would surely win his case. The Sporting Life March 12, 1890

[from Judge Thayer's opinion, which is given in full] It is not said anywhere in the agreement that the terms upon which he is to be 'reserved' are to be the same as those upon which he was employed in 1889. The failure to designate the terms and conditions of the new engagement under which he is to be 'reserved' renders the contract of reservation wholly uncertain, and therefore incapable of enforcement, especially by a proceeding which is a substitute for a decree for specific performance, for specific performance is never decreed of a contract the terms of which are uncertain. If they made an incomplete, or uncertain or an ineffectual agreement to retain the defendant for another season it is their fault, for the agreement was evidently drawn up wholly in their interest, but the defendant's rights cannot be affected thereby.

Now if, on the contrary, it be said, as was assumed by the plaintiff's counsel on the argument that the fair meaning of Art. 18 is that Hallman should enter into another contract for the season of 1890, precisely similar in all respects to the contract executed in 1888, and embracing all its provision, then it follows, of course, that he must hereby bind himself afresh by Art. 18 to renew the contract for 1891, and again in 1891 for 1892, and in 1892 for 1893, and so on from year to year, so long as it may suit the pleasure of the plaintiffs to insist upon the reservation clause and its annual renewal; for there is no more reason and no more warrant for dropping out Art. 18 from the new contract, if the new contract is required to be the same in all respects as the old, than for dropping out of it any other of the original nineteen articles.

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The only demand which the plaintiffs have made upon Hallman was that contained in the written notice served on him on Oct. 21, 1889. That notice required him to sign a new contract of similar tenor, form and term as the old contract. Such a contract must necessarily embrace Art. 18. If they intend to leave out Art. 18 they should have said so. They had no right to require him to renew the old contract upon the terms mentioned in their notice of Oct. 21, 1889. He is in no default, therefore, for refusing to comply with the demand contained in that notice, and it is too late now for them to give him a fresh notice. It is their own fault, not his, if they demanded more than they had a right to demand. The Sporting Life March 26, 1890

[from the ruling of Judge Wallace in the Ewing case] In a legal sense it is merely to make a contract if the parties can agree. It follows that the act of the defendant in refusing to negotiate with the club for an engagement for the season of 1890, while a breach of contract, is not the breach of one which the plaintiff can enforce.

Henry V. Lucas, the old St. Louis manager, is now located in Chicago, where he has charge of the passenger department of the Baltimore and Ohio Road. He does quite a business with ball clubs, and always looks out for the comfort of the boys.

[describing Jack O'Brien, signed by the Athletics] ...Jack is a very strong batsman... As a first baseman he has in the previous years demonstrated first-class ability, and with practice he will doubtless rank with the best in that position. As a base-runner, though, he will not shine, being too heavy for that. O'Brien could also be utilized as a catcher or outfielder in case of emergency, but weakness in throwing would render him ineligible for a permanent place in any position but first base, where he will be quite at home.

When the ball was thrown out for the first time, Centre-fielder Cake, of the Rivertons, followed a usual custom of his, called to McFedtridge to throw him the ball. Upon examination Cake at once saw that the ball was smaller than the regulation size and made objection to its use. His protest availed nothing, however, and the game was started. The first ball struck developed another new characteristic in the ball. It was dead as lead. It was soft on the outside and hard on the inside, and consequently lack3d the elasticity of the League or Association ball, falling dead from the bat instead of going out. The duplicity was further carried out by the trade make, “a. J. Rease, Extra League,” that was stamped on the ball. What is the advantage of using a “queer” ball! Only to put the opposing pitcher under a disadvantage. The home talent suffer none because they are used to the ball, but the visitors are totally unprepared for such a ball, and consequently the home club has the best of it all around. Besides this, it is not in accordance with the spirit that should govern amateur contests. Bristol has a fairly good team, but if it desires to meet respectable amateur clubs I mus at once stop all such underhand business and give the visitors fair treatment.

“Fred Carroll and Billy Kuehne,” says the Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, “have invented a very curious yet simple means for training the eye to judge swiftly pitched and erratically curved balls. The machine, or whatever it may be called, has been erected in the extensive back yard of an Allegheny residence, and the boys expect to do business with it daily. At the upper end of the yard the machine is set up. It is a powerful spring securely fastened to a piece of heavy timber. On the top of the spring is a cup-like arrangement in which the regulation base ball snugly fits. This is pulled down and fastened to an ingeniously made catch, or series of catches rather, for it can be set at any curve or angle to suit the operator. The spring is on a line with a home plate at the lower end of the yard. One of the players manipulates the machine, while the others take turns with the bat. A ball is placed in the cup, the operator fastens the spring down to any catch he chooses, the combinations of curves and straight balls being almost innumerable while at the same time it is an utter impossibility for the batsman to anticipate how it is going to come. When ready, the operator relieves the catch and the ball is thrown with the force of a bullet. It requires a mighty quick eye to get on to it, and furnishes not only excellent practice but a great deal of amusement. The balls go over the plate much swifter than is possible for the strongest pitcher in the country to send them, and by becoming proficient in sizing them up a batsman will have no difficulty in hitting the most skillful twirler, as the hardest-pitched ball would look slow and easy in comparison with those thrown with the spring. The inventors will probably apply for a patent.

A machine has just been invented for training the eyes to judge swiftly pitched and erratically curved balls. The machine is a powerful spring securely fastened to a piece of heavy timber. On the top of the spring is a cap-like arrangement into which the regulation base ball snugly fits. This is pulled down and fastened to an ingeniously made catch, or series of catches rather, for it can be set at any curve or angle to suit the operator. The spring is on a line with a home-plate at the lower end of the yard. One of the players manipulates the machine while the others take turns with the bat. A ball is placed in the cup, the operator fastens the spring down to any catch he chooses, the combinations of curves and straight balls being almost innumerable, while at the same time it is an utter impossibility for the batsman to anticipate how it is going to come. When ready the operator relieves the catch and the ball is thrown with the force of a bullet., quoting the New York Press

Latham was ordered off the field in the eighth inning of last Saturday's Cincinnati-Pittsburg game. The dude was on the bench and was helping Manager Loftus in coaching the Cincinnati players. Every once in a while Lath would let out a wild whoop, and he was constantly chiding the Pittsburgs. Captain Hecker insisted on his being ordered from the field, and Umpire Strief was forced to enforce the rules. Undismayed Arlie took refuge in President Stern's private box under the grand stand and continued to coach the team.

[See TSL 5/10/1890 p. 5 for a long article on American Association Base Ball Club of Kansas City v. Pickett, Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia, in which Kansas City obtained an injunction preventing Pickett from playing with the Philadelphia PL Club.]

[from Edwin Ewing, the Scranton correspondent] Paddy Gillespie, the New Yorks' old left fielder, is now working in the coal mines at Carbondale, sixteen miles from this city. Poor Paddy! What a tumble he took! Had he followed the precepts as laid down by Francis Murphy he would now be a Brotherhood Giant under “Buck” Ewing. Last Summer the poor fellow, as if realizing how great had been his downfall, braced up a little and was given a trial at short stop by the Carbondale Club. His fielding was all that could be desired and he batted in his old-time form. Club managers heard of it and hopes were entertained that Gillespie would recover his lost laurels. Even then his weakness would have been forgotten, but that everlasting, mysterious craving for alcoholic stimulants returned with redoubled intensity, and, alas! Paddy fell once more. So firm a hold has the accursed wine cup got on him that to-day he is a wreck of his former self, forsaken by those who honored him when he played left field for the Giants and made the “only” Clarkson “shiver in this boots.

When Indianapolis agreed to transfer its players to New York at the recent League meeting Paul Hines was included. He failed to reach an agreement with President Day and was released.

Supposing he was free to sign anywhere, Hines had almost concluded arrangements to play with the Washingtons this season, and was considerably surprised when he was notified to-night [4/1] that Pittsburg accepted his services. He declares he will not go there, but as he gave Nimick his terms he cannot well avoid it.

The loaning of [Gil] Hatfield by the New York (P.L.) Club to the Bostons for the purpose, it is claimed, of taking the place of Irwin at short until the latter recovers is quite likely to make trouble in the Players' League. Hatfield left on Wednesday night for Boston. Ward, of the Brooklyn Club, protests against the action of the New Yorks, claiming that it is illegal, and every game that Hatfield plays with Boston Ward says he will protest, and he is satisfied he can have the games thrown out. If Hatfield should be regularly released and signed by the Bostons, then it would be all right. The Sporting Life July 12, 1890

[reporting the PL special meeting of 7/17/1890] Ward's protest against counting the Boston-Pittsburg games of July 10, 11, 12, in which Hatfield—a New York player “loaned” to Boston—participated was then 6taken up, and after thorough consideration the games were declared illegal, thrown out of the record, and ordered to be played over again. It was found that the constitution positively prohibited the “loaning” of players by clubs, or the playing of such players unless regularly transferred and released. It is the intention of the League to stamp out everything that may open the door to irregularities or anything suggestive of hippodroming. The Sporting Life July 19, 1890

[Philadelphia vs. Brooklyn (NL) 4/28/1890] Corkhill carried off the fielding honors for his club by two great catches. One of them was a running catch of a hard hit by Thompson, which, had it got past the outfield, would have been a homer.

The crowd compelled John to acknowledge their appreciation of his work. He did it by raising his cap just about half an inch.

Charley Collins, the well-known second baseman, now umpire, gave out a novel and feasible idea at the recent International League meeting. It is to redeem a tail-ender. Chub would divide the season into two parts, one ending July 31 and the other Sept. 31. A schedule would be made out for the first portion,w hen the champions would be declared. Then all clubs start out on even terms for the second schedule, which gives tail-enders a chance to brace up and every club a try for the second pennant. Finally, the two champions play off. It is a great idea and shows that Collins is a meditative fellow.

[from a circular by the Amateur Athletic Union] The A.A.U. Of the United States invites your attention to the organizaiton of a series of open amateur base ball contests, in which to decide the Eastern and Western amateur base ball championship of the united States. .. ...a schedule of base ball games will be played on Wednesday and Saturdays... composed of teams in and about New York City, in and about Philadelphia and in and about Washington, in and about Boston, in and about Chicago and in and about St. Louis. The winners of the scheduled series of games at New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington...will play a series of three (or five) games for the Eastern base ball championships...so, likewise, will the Western amateur base ball championship be decided by winners of the Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis series of games. … Teams winning the Eastern and Western amateur base ball championships will be called upon to compete for the amateur base ball championship of the United States... [A. G. Mills one of the signatories]