The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-10
Duffy Is Almost Discouraged
With His Team.
Poor Showing a Source of Great
Worry.
BEFORE SEASONS PLAY
The Milwaukee Aggregation
Seemed Very Strong.
But Their Playing Has Been a
Sad Disappointment.

Milwaukee, May 10.-Inclement wealth.
er prevented the Milwaukee and Detroit
teams from playing bail today and dur
ing the entire day Duffy had his players
swarthed in sweaters working out az
the field practicing batting and fielding,
while the American league leaders spent
their time at their hotel
Duffy is disheartened over the way
his team is going this spring, and he IS
almost at his wits end figuring how he
IS to strengthen the aggregation if some
of the men who have been falling down
lately fail to make good after a
thorough trial He was satisfied before
the championship season opened that
the fnfield was without a peer in the cir
cult but at the very outset Conroy and
Burke played slOvenly and without the
slightest indication of ability, though
patrons of the game were prepared 10
witness some brilliant work.
Last year Burke was one of the most
promising young third basemen in the
country, and his aggressiveness placed
him in the front rank but this spring
he has been fumbling easy rollers with
the same agility that he has been fight
ing the hard ones, and his batting has
fallen or materially. He has not lost
confidence in himself, however, and says
he knows that the game will break bet
ter for him when the spell of Ill luck
wears away. and, in spite of the jeers
of the spectators. he continues TO work
with UuCEtSllS edIDESlnGSS. 0u1lE may
give young Friel, from the Connecticut
league, a trial at third base temporarily
until Burke rounds into shape again
Friel came to Milwaukee on the recon-
mendation of Jimmy Canavan, and in
the one game in which he played he
ELECTED the admiration of the spectators
by his easy way of handling grOunders
at third. hard batting, and speed on the
bases
Conroy has been in and out every day,
and his poor playing has lost a number
OF games for the brewers His form so
far has been away below par. in spite
of the fact that he was last fall looked
upon as the best fielding shortstop in
the American league Duffy expects that
practice viii put him right once more,
and is keeping him at his knitting every
day In batting ConrOy is an improve
ment over last year, and he is faster
than ever on the bases
Hallman has been hitting the ball on
the nose in every game played on the
home grounds so far, and he leads the
team in that department, but his field
ing has been frightfully poor. inability
to Judge and stop grOunders making him
target for the bleacherites and the
press Unless he exhibits Improvement
IN fielding it is q. certainty that he will
be replaced in the outer garden
Dumy's pitchers have been rounding
Into condition since the team came
home, and Hawley, Sparks, Reidy and
StAAl5 seem 70 pe III me Iettle, IN
spite of the ragged work the fielders
have been doing behind them Bowling
has exhibited great speed and good con-
troll 50 far. while Garvin's weak pitching
wing, which he strained in Cleveland
Is rounding into condition for active
participation In the campaign. The trio
OF catchers have exhibited satisfactory
ability, and COnnor is admittedly the
best In the bunch. Leahy has been
trouble with a sore arm, which has han
d1capped him somewhat in his work be-
hind the bat and Duffy is working Ma
loney unto an outfielder, as the George
town youngsters speed makes him
available for playing in the outer gar
den, and his batting and base running
are required in every game
It is said that Duffy has three likely
men he wants to engraft into the team,
but this plan is opposed by the mag
mates. who are nevertheless holding him
responsible for the mistakes the PLAYERS
they gave him have been making.