Springfield Massachusetts Republican, February 7, 1898View transcription
SPORTING NEWS AND GOSSIP.
WHAT HARRY DOLAN THINKS.
The Springfield Twirler Talks About Manager Burns and the Springfield Club Generally.
Harry Dolan, Springfield's twirler, who is in Boston and is bowling to keep in condition, fell in with a Herald reporter the other day and talked about the Springfield club, giving some "inside" light. The Herald says: The young ex-Bostonian is an enthusiastic admirer of Manager "Tom" Burns of Springfield. "He is all right," says he, "and I will greatly miss my mark if he does not make a big hit in Chicago. I never worked for a better manager. He is very much like 'Billy' Murray of Providence in his methods. If you make a 'bull' he will fight with you, and call you down before everybody, but after the game it is all over and forgotten. He is very aggressive, right in the game all the time, and hustling constantly for victory. His players think the world of him, and as for the Springfield public—well, there never was a manager in that city so much esteemed, and the baseball 'fans' will go into mourning for him when he leaves. I think he will make a great showing in Chicago. He has a fine team ready for him, and lots of friends in the Windy city. He knows a ball player when he sees one, and he has no use for any player who is dumb. He took 'Jimmy' Callahan, after Philadelphia had turned that player adrift, and after Anson got hold of that young man it wasn't long before he was recognized as one of the best general players in the country. Just watch young Walter Woods, who was taken by Chicago on Mr. Burns's recommendation. How that boy can play ball, and how he can hit! Mr. Burns thinks he is even better than Callahan. Woods can hit any pitcher, and he can meet the ball beautifully, right on the line. He's a very quiet, gentlemanly fellow; in fact, I think he is a little too quiet. I have walked with him and could not get him to say a word except to answer a question.
"Springfield has a coming catcher in Nichols. He played with the Portland club in the Maine state league the first part of last season. He is a great back-stop and batsman. He throws very much like Bergen, right from the shoulder, and with as little motion. He takes the best care of himself, and is strictly temperate. If 'Dan' Green, the left-fielder of the team, knew how to bunt, he would be in the game with the best in the business. He's one of the fastest players living. Very few men can get to first as quickly as he. He is a great fielder, a splendid batsman, being a remarkable reproduction of Jesse Burkett, and how that boy can throw! There is no doubt about his getting into fast company very soon.
"'Big Dan' Brouthers is the same 'Dan' as of old. Still as fond of talking of his hitting. Right or left-handers, the pitchers were just the same to him last season as they used to be when he was the 'champeen' batsman of the country. 'Dan' would make a big drive, come back to the bench with a grin of satisfaction, and, lifting the bat with which he accomplished the deed, say, 'That felt good.' The big fellow is right in the game, too, from the ground up, and he can get as hot as the manager if things do not go to suit him. He will growl unmercifully if one of the 'kids' makes a miss, but it is all on the surface, for in a short time he will burst out to the victim: 'That's all right, you mustn't mind that. I didn't mean it.'
"I liked Springfield very much, indeed; better than I fancied I would. Of course I was terribly disappointed to leave Boston, but I suppose there was no help for it. I would like to quit pitching for good and take to outfielding. I feel sure if I tried it I would make a success. I am confident, if I could play in every game, I could hit with the best of them. I understand that 'Jimmy' Bannon wants to play in the infield, so that if he is given a chance I may get a show in his old place."
What Harry Dolan Thinks.
The Springfield Twirler Talks About Manager Burns and the Springfield Club Generally.
Harry Dolan, Springfield's twirler, who is in Boston and is bowling to keep in condition, fell in with a Herald reporter the other day and talked about the Springfield club, giving some "inside" light. The Herald says: The young ex-Bostonian is an enthusiastic admirer of Manager "Tom" Burns of Springfield. "He is all right," says he, "and I will greatly miss my mark if he does not make a big hit in Chicago. I never worked for a better manager. He is very much like 'Billy' Murray of Providence in his methods. If you make a 'bull' he will fight with you, and call you down before everybody, but after the game it is all over and forgotten. He is very aggressive, right in the game all the time, and hustling constantly for victory. His players think the world of him, and as for the Springfield public—well, there never was a manager in that city so much esteemed, and the baseball 'fans' will go into mourning for him when he leaves. I think he will make a great showing in Chicago. He has a fine team ready for him, and lots of friends in the Windy City. He knows a ball player when he sees one, and he has no use for any player who is dumb. He took 'Jimmy' Callahan, after Philadelphia had turned that player adrift, and after Anson got hold of that young man it wasn't long before he was recognized as one of the best general players in the country. Just watch young Walter Woods, who was taken by Chicago on Mr Burns's recommendation. How that boy can play ball, and how he can hit! Mr Burns thinks he is even better than Callahan. Woods can hit any pitcher, and he can meet the ball beautifully, right on the line. He's a very quiet, gentlemanly fellow; in fact, I think he is a little too quiet. I have walked with him and could not get him to say a word except to answer a question.
"Springfield has a coming catcher in Nichols. He played with the Portland club in the Maine state league the first part of last season. He is a great back-stop and batsman. He throws very much like Bergen, right from the shoulder, and with as little motion. He takes the best care of himself, and is strictly temperate. If 'Dan' Green, the left-fielder of the team, knew how to bunt, he would be in the game with the best in the business. He's one of the fastest players living. Very few men can get to first as quickly as he. He is a great fielder, a splendid batsman, being a remarkable reproduction of Jesse Burkett, and how that boy can throw! There is no doubt about his getting into fast company very soon.
"'Big Dan' Brouthers is the same 'Dan' as of old. Still as fond of talking of his hitting. Right or left-handers, the pitchers were just the same to him last season as they used to be when he was the 'champeen' batsman of the country. 'Dan' would make a big drive, come back to the bench with a grin of satisfaction, and, lifting the bat with which he accomplished the deed, say, 'That felt good.' The big fellow is right in the game, too, from the ground up, and he can get as hot as the manager if things do not go to suit him. He will growl unmercifully if one of the 'kids' makes a miss, but it is all on the surface, for in a short time he will burst out to the victim: 'That's all right, you mustn't mind that. I didn't mean it.'
"I liked Springfield very much, indeed; better than I fancied I would. Of course I was terribly disappointed to leave Boston, but I suppose there was no help for it. I would like to quit pitching for good and take to outfielding. I feel sure if I tried it I would make a success. I am confident, if I could play in every game, I could hit with the best of them. I understand that 'Jimmy' Bannon wants to play in the infield, so that if he is given a chance I may get a show in his old place."
