The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-04
WATKINS DRAFTS GUESE
HE WAS THE STAR PITCHER IN IN
TERsTATE LEAGUE LAST SEASON.
New Ball Grounds to Be Christened
ssWashingtOn Park"-Goar Signs
Contract-Baseball Gossip.

Last week President Watkins, of the In
dianapolis CLUB, drafted Theodore Guese,
who was the star pitcher in the Interstate
League last season. Guese is a young man
with a very promising future. and it is
believed President Watkins has secured a
very good man. who will more than hold
his own i'm this league.
Guese was picked up as a raw youngster
without experience by the Pittsburg club
and turned over to Vanderbeck, of the
Detroit club. The latter did not give him
much of a trial, and, thinking he lacked
experience and would not pan out, he was
released and was Immediately secured by
the Fort Wayne club, through Jack Glass
cock manager of that club. He lost his
first game in Fort Wayne, but after that
he did such good work and showed his
ability TO be such a winning pitcher that
he was recognized as the best twirler in
the Interstate League. He is a big fellow,
possessing a physique like Amos Rusie
and the speed Of Rusie. He was known
in the Interstate League as the cannon
BALI twirler because of his great speed.
His control of both his speedy and slow
ball is excellent, and he has a faculty of
sending them over the plate around bait
ters neck, so that his delivery is hard to
solve. His curves are of the bending sort
that easily fool the best of batters.
Guese watches the bases closely, and at
the bat he was one of the best stickers in
the Interstate League. While in the box
he has a tantalizing way of grinning at
the batter before delivering the ball. He
is a glutton for work and can go in the
box three or four times a week without
weakening. He never becomes ratified
when an error is made behind him. Last
season he won twenty-five games and lost
ten, a percentage of ia. The record in
regard to bases on balls, strike outs, ETC.,
shows he also led the Interstate twirlers.
In the thirty-hve games pitched he hit
fourteen batsmen, gave eighty-nine bases
two wild pitches. His batting average was
.2Sl. In pitching feats recorded for the
season Guese pitched one game i'm which
the opposing team made but two hits, two
games in which but four hits were made
and three games in which only five hits
were recorded against him. He made six
two-baggerS and three home runs during
the season. Guese was called into the
game TO play first base on q few occasions
and went in several times when he was not
pitching to bat out victory in the ninth
inning.
President Watkins has received the
signed contract of Jot Goar Goar writes
he will be in good condition to pitch good
ball this season, as he has given his arm
much-needed rest and has been working
IL enough lately to stake the stiffness out
of 1t gradually
The new Indianapolis ball park will be
named the Washington Park Several
weeks ago President Watkins asked for
suggestions for a suitable name for the
park, and last week the list was closed
Washington, 739; Tish-I-Mingo, TBS;
Hoosier, 1; Tugela, l. Lawton. 24O; Capital,
81; Manila, 2; Recreation, IL; Union, 81;
Olympia, Is; Ko-We-Ba 245; Beveridge 2:
Usona, /; National L. Morton, /.
=
The sale of the Detroit Club will take
place this week. President Ban Johnson is
in Detroit to take care of the interests of
the American League. The people inter-
ested in baseball the country over will
watch the outcome of this sale for there
can be derived a great deal of dope" from
the sale on which to base the strength of
the American Association. the proposed
new league. 1t is said there will be a party
of men interested in locating q club In De-
troit to represent the new association who
will bid for the Detroit Club, of the Ameri-
can Association. 1t is safe to say Van
derbeck will make any opposing bidder bid
high to secure the club, as he will want to
bid 1t in himself. If the gentlemen of the
American Association bid in the club at a
high figure IL will be pretty good evil
dence that they have confidence in the
new league. The park is being sold to sat-
isfy claim for alimony secured by Mrs.
Vanderbeck in her suit for divorce against
the Detroit magnate-
1t has been reported that President Wat
kins will secure Mike Kelly to succeed
Motz al first base on the Indianapolis team
Kelly Is said to be good man and the
deal. should one be made, would have to
be carried on with Pittsbur. Watkins was
asked about the report, but he would nei-
Their affirm nor deny 1t. When the way in
which baseball the country over is now
situated, is considered, no one can blame
the Indianapolis magnate for declining to
give to the public the name of any player
he might have in view or for whom he
might be dickering. With the new Ameri-
can Association threatening to go into the
field q magnate would be almost foolish to
tell what players he wants before the play
ers are secured and signed, for they might
get away from him and be signed by some
other club or league. Whether Watkins Is
after Kelly or not IL is safe to say the In
dianapolis magnate will give to the public
a good ball team and the baseball enthusi-
asts of this city should not worry over any
reports coming from unreliable source
=
''Dibby'' Flynn will be in Indianapolis
tomorrow to pay a visit to President Wat
kins "Dibby' will only stay short time
He writes he is in good condition and ready
for the fray.
= =: -
President Watkins's chief prayer from
day to day is for good weather. Wash
ington Park is nearly completed or at least
the carpenter work has so far advanced
that it looks as IL there was little work
yet to be done. The roof is the
grand stand, and the inside work of the
stand will be done this week.
MRS. FRANCIS ARRIVES.