Yannigan (23 February 1895)

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

   The New York Public Library has this gap in SPORTING LIFE from 1891-1895:

Call # *ZAN-2413 Library has: v. 1-6, 9-16, 25-70; Apr. 15, 1883-Apr. 7, 1886, Apr. 13, 1887-Mar. 28, 1891, Mar. 1895-June 3, 1922.
 *ZZAN-1407 Library has: v. 1-6, 9-16, 25-70; Apr. 15, 1883-Apr. 7, 1886, Apr. 13, 1887-Mar. 28, 1891, Mar. 1895-June 3, 1922. MASTER NEGATIVE (of *ZAN-2413)
Title Sporting life; the loyal champion of clean sport [microform].
Imprint Philadelphia [etc.]

   I was searching for "fan" a few years ago, so I bought copies of the microfilm reels where there are gaps.  The microfilms showed themselves again when I was moving some books in my tiny studio apartment ("the Popik archives"), so I searched for "yannigan."  I had previously posted the word from 25 March 1895.

   23 February 1895, SPORTING LIFE, pg. 5, col. 2, "WASHINGTON NEWS":
   Charley Abbey will not be at fault if the Senators do not have the finest collection of bats in the business this season.  Early last fall Treasurer Earl Wagner gave him an order on Tappan's for five dozen bats.  He selected the sticks himself, cleared out a place in the dry room of the store, where he strung them on wires, and regularly twice a week since that time he has oiled them carefully.  Said he the other day.  "Well, if the Yannigans can't crack out singles, doubles, triples and homers with that lot of clubs they can't bat at all, and had better go to farming."
   Manager Schmelz has coined another new one.  Referring to one or two of his new recruits the other day, he said, "They are Japanese"--meaning, they are all right.  If the Washingtons did not already have a high-sounding title in the Senators they might be sailing under the name of "the Japs" this season.

(Gerald Cohen may re-post this to SABR--ed.)