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