The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-10
PHILLIPS WILL GIVE
JOHN l. FISHER A TRIAL
He Pitched with Wabash College
Last Season and Made a
Good Record.
MAKE UP OF 'o4 TEAM
There May Be an Entire New IN
feld-Schaefer Will Have
TO Play Here.

The Indianapolis club officials have de-
cided 10 give John l.. Fisher, the crack
pitcher OF Wabash College. a trial next
spring. Fisher won a majority OF the
games for Wabash last season and he was
highly recommended to President Rusch-
aupt Manager Philips also thought well
of Fishers record and he will give the
young college pitcher a thorough trial Fish
er is anxious TO become a professional pitch
er, and his college friends believe that he
will have no difficulty making good in fast
company. Fisher viii be given every chance
in Indianapolis the coming spring to show
his worth. and. should he make good and
the club be unable to keep him. he may be
placed in a minor league club for years
training.
Manager Bill Phillips Is trying 10 land
few good players for the Indianapolis team,
and a man who made good in the Central
League last season may receive a trial in
this city. Manager Phillips will not state
who he is until after he has obtained
signed contract. as he does not want any
other club to gather up the man. While the
local club officials have tried to maintain
clam-like secrecy in regard to the probable
makeup of the team, the news comes out
gradually and it is pretty safe 10 predict
that the HOOsieFs viii be a championship
factor next season. The chances now favor
an entire new infield for the Indianapolis
club. with Dickey at first, Sehaefer at sec
ond. Kerr, a Three 1 Lacquer, at short and
Hess, who played with Indianapolis the last
few games last year, at third. There will
also be change or two in the outheld II Is
probable that Heydon and woodruff will do
the catching. with Phillips, Allemang, New
lin and Crowley as the pitching staff.
1t looks as If Joe Cantillon, manager Of
the Milwaukee American Association club.
is trying to do a little piece of underhand
business in the Schaefer matter He gave
out an interview in Milwaukee the latter
part of last week 10 the effect that he had
seen Schaeser in Chicago and the latter told
him that he would not play in Indianapolis
the coming season. Schaefer was traded to
IndianaDolis by ST. paul for Peter O'Brien.
and he will have TO play here. 1t is hard TO
believe that Schaefer made the statement
accredited TO him by Cantillon to the effect
that he would jump to the California out
law league before he would play in Indian
apolis.
Stormy days in baseball are in sight.
Salary cuts are coming Less than ten
weeks remain before the league teams start
for the South, yet few Of the teams have
started in to sign their players. which is
taken to confirm the opinion shared by the
rams tildl q Et1tEdl wave OF eCoilOny VIII
sweep over the payrolls. The magnates
dodge the question. but thinking fans are
positive that salaries will be cut and that
a salary limit will be established. This
will not apply to all players One or two
teams will not slice salaries
The economy wave will strike the new
players harder than the veterans. The
youngsters Will not have the public behind
them, as will the old men. The public does
not know the worth of the men coming from
the minor leagues and reasons it out that
the owners of the clubs should be in a
position 10 know the value Of their new
players. In the history of baseball the sue
cesSful clubs have always been the ones
that pursued a liberal policy. Boston
Americans and the New York Americans
bear out this statement Both paid big
money for their players, and the clubs made
big money. Several other clubs like CleVe-
land. Cincinnati and Athletics, spent money
in large sums. and sooner or later Will de-
rive the benefit.
There will be no change in the regular
makeup of the Boston and Athletic clubs
the coming season. Collins argues with a
great deal - force that the team that won
the championship last season ought to be
good enough to land it next season, or
have a good deal TO say about its disposal,
Connie Mack will present the same bunch
that won the penant in 1902 and finished
second last year. He will try out a couple
OF young pitchers and Mullen. the Manhat-
tan College crack. who will be used as sub
stitute infielder. In every other position he
will stand pat Hartzel. Monte Cross and
Harry Davis did not play up to anything
like their form last season. Thanks to the
coast trip. they went stale before the sea-
son was half spent, and neither Hartsel nor
Davis got right until near the finish. Bar
ring accident these three important men,
bers OF the Athletics will be all right from
the jump. and as there Is bound to be an
Improvement in the pitching department.
there Is every reason 10 believe that the
Athletics will again be factors in the race
for the flag The Cleveands will also be
IN IL. Larry and his band did not get off
any too well last spring and when they did
get into their stride they had too much
ground 70 make up TO overcome the leaders,
although they only lost the place of honor
by n whisker. The New Workers will also
have TO be reckoned with. Handicapped for
the better part Of the season with an afro
cioUs playing field il wasn't until the latter
part OF the season that they got going right
When they did. however, they rapidly cut
from the lead Of Athletics and Clevelands
but like the latter. they were too far back
when they made their squirt. IL is a trife
early to predict, but at this writing ii looks
as though the clubs that finished in the
first division last season will finish there
again the coming season, although the order
of their finishing NAV be different