Captain Anson is going to retire. He has played his last championship game, has piloted his young men through the last season and has made his final forceful appeal to a league umpire. With the honors of unnumbered years thick upon him, with a fame that will endure till the last league ball is batted over the palisades of time, with fortune far beyond the hope of thousands who have howled his praise, "the grand old man" will leave the "profession" Jan. 1, 1898, when his contract with the Chicago team shall expire.
There comes a sentiment akin to sorrow in the incident. The man has so truly represented the spirit of sport, he has so honestly and industriously devoted his every energy to its requirements, and he has so persistently abstained from those customs that too often discredit men in his line, that the great public which loves base-ball will regret his departure.
Aside from that there is a measure of compensation. We know that young blood and new methods may help the Chicago team to that eminence it won in the old days. This sentiment is entertained by so many patrons of the game that it may be fair to concede them something.
One thing is certain. No man living will more cordially wish success to the old White Stocking club than will the man who has shared its joys and its woes, and who voluntarily, even now, yields place to a younger man.—Chicago Inter-Ocean.
A few days ago Captain Anson, a representative of the typical American game, declined to accept a public testimonial earned by years of hard work, honesty, uprightness, and faithfulness as a player. Mr. A. G. Spalding guaranteed that the fund would reach $50,000, and from the great flow of telegrams, letters, and offers of contributions that swept down upon the promoter of the testimonial it seemed as though that sum would be exceeded. Anson replied modestly that, while conscious of the high honor conferred in the almost unanimous expression of good will, he could not accept a moneyed tribute. A few years ago Dr. W. G. Grace, the champion cricketer of England, retired from the game, a game typical of England. Headed by the Prince of Wales a great public subscription was raised and more than $40,000 was given the champion. He accepted. The two men occupied the same position toward their games and their countries. The spirit of admiration was unanimous in both countries. Both were athletic heroes. Grace accepted; Anson declined.—Chicago Tribune.
The firm of Chicago & Anson expired by its own limitation last night. The partners parted on the best of terms. It is now twenty-two years since they began to do base-ball together, and the record made is an honor to the world of athletics. Long ago, while the dew of youth was still in his locks, the junior partner was known as "Old Anse," much as in army circles the pre-eminence of General Grant won for him the designation of "the old man." Anson first gained distinction as the heaviest batter that had ever gone to the plate. Then, for many seasons, he was captain. He marshaled his forces with the skill of a great commander. He lost many a battle royal, but he never threw a game, and, alike in victory and in defeat, the honor of Chicago was maintained unflecked. May he live long to enjoy the distinction of being "the grand old man" of the diamond field.—Chicago Inter Ocean.
Our ancient friend Captain Adrian Anson will find ample scope for his disciplinary talents in dealing with the cherubim whom Mr. Freedman has aggregated into his base-ball club. At various times the Baltimore, the Pittsburgs and the Clevelands have held the championship for all-round blackguardism and "dirty ball," but now New York, like "Eclipse," is first and the rest nowhere. In this connection it is interesting to recall that early in the season several of Mr. Freedman's young men haughtily refused to sign the Brush hoodlum agreement upon the ground that they were "gentlemen" and incapable of using vile language. The Brush rule is valid nevertheless, and the patrons of base-ball will watch with interest to see whether it will be enforced against the umpire baiters and vulgarians lately led by Mr. "Scrappy" Joyce. If Anson is given a free hand he will keep the rowdies in subjection. If he is hampered we venture to predict that Mr. Freedman will soon be hunting another captain. The "old man" will not stand sponsor for hoodlums.—Chicago Chronicle.
"I notice," said the Old-Timer, "that a hit was wanted in Louisville yesterday, and that James Ryan (who would quit rather than play with Anson as manager) was at the bat. How many, many times the cranks at the Chicago ball grounds have waited and watched for that same hit, and how often, oh, how often, they have been regaled with that same play—a pop-up to the infield. It is time, long, long ago, that James Ryan was relegated to the bench or the turnstile—for good. Decker is his superior in everything but grumbling."—Chicago Journal. New York, April 2.—A. G. Spalding absolutely denied to-day the truth of the published reports that he had jestingly offered the franchise of the Chicago club to Anson for $150,000, and that while Anson was hustling around trying to raise the money he had no intention whatever of releasing the franchise when it came to a showdown.
"The story is absurd," said Mr. Spalding. "In the first place, Anson is not trying to get the franchise. No one has made overtures to me with that end in view. I have set no price on the franchise, because I had not the slightest intention of letting it go."—Chicago Chronicle.
Temporarily war rumors must sink into innocuous desuetude and other old things. A matter of more far-reaching importance now claims our attention. We shall continue to hope that Sampson and Dewey and Miles will do their whole duty, but we shall not be able to give our personal attention to the trifles that occupy them until we have received definite information whether or not Anson is really going with the New Yorks.—Chicago Post.