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Nichols Complains of a Sore Arm andi Boston Is in Trouble. JACK i TAYLOR THE CHOICHE As Announced in Tuesday's Eagle th Triumvirate Has Made an Offer for the St. Louis Star, but Von Der Ahe Wants More Money~Bowling Said to Be the Cause of Nichols’ Breakdown—Young Too Busy to Appoint Umpires, Manager Frank Selee of the Boston cham pions is anxious to secure at least one more experienced pitcher for the season of 1898. According to the latest reports, Kid Nichols, the star pitcher of the pennant winners, is sending out bulletins from his home in Kan sas City to the effect that his pitching away has developed peculiarities which may spoil his effectiveness next season. Whether this is one of the usual midwinter schemes of the crack ball players to keep themselves be fore the public cannot be determined at bis early date. What seems to prove that thera j is some truth in the bulletins is the fact iGac during the last month or 60 of the league season just ended. Nichola was badly punished and the Boston aggregation nearly went to pieces for good when the Brooklyns found his curves for twelve runs in one dus ning. Seles appears to place some credence and rumors of Nichols’ reported lameness and he has already selected the pitcher whom I would like to have on hand in case of Nichols disability. His choice has centered on Jacl Taylor, the erratic but clever Staten Island twirler, who is now a member of Von der Ahe’s S:t. Louis Browns. As announced in Tuesday's Eagle, Selee offered Strivetis and Ganzell and $5,000 for Taylor and Clements. Stivetis helped Boston materially in winning the pennant by hs terrific batting, but as a pitcher he did not cut much of a figure, which accounts for Selee trying to return him to the club which brought him into league company. Von der Abe, however, re fused t make the deal at less than $7,500 and Selee is, therefore, considerably worried, for the Boston triumvirate seldom increase their first bid. The trouble with Nichols is said to be too much bowling during the winter months. He is a firm believer in the great indoor sport as a method of keeping the pitching arm in shape claiming that it strengthens the muscles an keeps the arm limbered up. The theory is ad vanced that Nichols has overdone it, and that his apparent breakdown last fall is attribute able to this. Billy Hart, who was recently sold to Pittsburg by St. Louis, advances this theory, claiming that his practice at bowling last winter caused his poor showing in the league race. He says that Breitenstein and Ehret met the same fate, because the hard work at bowling stiffened the muscles of the arm, and, while it brought speed, it prevented effective curving of the ball. Although President Young has been credite d with appointing five of his umpires for next season, it appears now that he has not yet made a single appointment nor does he for some time to come. In an interview on Tuesday Mr. Young said: “I am to go busy with the schedule to devote any time to the umpires. The umpire question will not occupy my mind till after the sched ule meeting in February, in St. Louis. The double umpire system will undoubtedly re lieve me of the most excruciating worry that ever brought threads of white to the locks of man, and next season I hope to make up for many an hour of lost sleep. No more wire burning telegrams from flory managers and outraged owners. Two umpires to a game will bring about more artistic ball and cut out much of the pyrotechnic elocution that was exchanged by player and umpire in seasons past. I will limit my staff of umpires to twelve regulars and four substitutes. Some of the applications I have received would light en up some of the comic papers, for among these unconscious comedians are drug clerks, machinists, business men and not ae few lunatics. A rumor has been current for some days in baseball circles that Buffalo will supplant Brooklyn in the league circuit. It was pointe d out that Treasurer Abell would not con tinue in baseball because of Mr. Byrne’s se riousness. Mr. Abell publishes a state ment that the Brooklyn franchise has not been sold and that there is no danger of this city not being represented in the league.
Newspaper Details
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Brooklyn, New York, US
Thu, Dec 30, 1897
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Mary-Kate S.
