Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-04-22
OPENING BALL GAME
Rock Island to Meet Dubuque in
an Exhibition Tomor.
row.
SCHEDULE EXPECTED OUT SOON

Believed Local Club VIII Begin Season n
Home With Rockford-Records of Man
ager Harry Sage's Men-Bits of Cos
sid of Interest to the Fans Cleaned From
Around the Circuit.
With favorable weather, it is anti
cipated there will be n fine attendance
at the seasons first game at the bal
park out on Twelfth street tomorrow
afternoon. Harry Sage and his play
ers will make their Initial bow at
home in an exhibition game with an
independent team from Dubuque.
The local team is made up of mostly
young men. They all have records
that make it reasonable to expect they
viii give Il satisfactory accounting OF
themselves here.
Billy Botenus, of Buffalo, n. Y.
who will hold down first bag, was
with Toledo in 80, in 80 with Tor
onto, in the International league, and
subsequently with Peoria, Ishpeming,
Springfield, Mass, Buffalo, n. Y,
Rochester and Wilkesbarre. In 1898
Botenus abandoned the professional
game because there was not enough
money in it, and played with indie
tinction of having the best batting
average on record for single game.
Joe Wright, center fielder, enjoys
the distinction of having been in the
National league, having been sold by
Memphis to Louisville in 1895, and if
Joe had attended to his knitting as
he might have done, it is probable
that he would be travelling with the
swiftest company in the business to-
day. Joe is an excellent man in the
garden, and while with Rock Island
last season showed himself a past
master in swinging the hickory.
Wright began his baseball career in
1890 with Oshkosh in the Wisconsin
league. He afterward played in the
Eastern and Southern leagues.
Charles Doom, catcher and exchange
fielder, whose home is in Cincin-
natl, began his baseball career in 1894.
Buck Ewing took an interest in him
and advised him to practice catching,
which he did. and With much success.
He was connected with various indie
pendent teams until 1898, when he
secured berth with indianapolis.
He did excellent work, but had the
to break thumb. After he
recovered from the injury he was
farmed to Ottumwa. and Rock Island
ers will remember the auburn-haired
youth who did such clever service for
the Iowa aggregation on its visits |
here. Doom is % years of age. He |
an offer from indianapolis.
Tim ORourke.
Tim O'Rourke, of Amiret, Mimi
third base. is an old timer. He has a |
fine record and can be expected to do
some good work with the stick and at |
third. He is 81 years of age and |
weighs 155. He is known in the base
ball world as "Voiceless Tim 1t |
should not be inferred from this that |
he has no voice-the fact is, Tim s
pipes don't work very well. They
got out of whack while Tim was sing
ing first tenor in n Minnesota choir.
Leaving the choirTim merely changed
from first to third. He has been in
he Western, Texas and National
eagues. He was with Springfield.
Ohio. last season.
Bob Rothermel, second base, has
been travelling in the fastest of
eague company for several seasons,
md he can be depended on to hold up
lis end in the infield for Rock Island
OF Harry Sage, manager and catch
II. it would he suPertluous to tell
to people here in his home.
larry has been with the top notchers
Turing his days. He is a reliable,
player, and while he is
n charge. Rock Island enthusiasts
an rely on it they will be given good
lean ball.
Dick Closson, of Des Moines,
hort stop. is % years old. He tips
he scales ut 165. He has had no
eague experience, but for three sea-
ons has been identified with the
eading independent teams of Iowa.
Jack Hart, of Swea City, iowa,