The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-01
FAIL TO MAKE GOOD.
Like Stars in Minor Leagues, But Few
Good in Fast Company.

The fact that the major league
clubs are now buSily engaged in sign
ing up minor leaguers for next year
brings to mind the fact that of the
unusually large number of youngsters
tried out last spring by the American
and National league teams only a
comparative few made good. A man
may look like the real thing in a
minor league, but often like an anna
teur when he gets into fast company.
Sometimes he will start out like a
race horse and then die away before
the quarter pole is reached OF
course, there are exceptions. Take,
for instance, Miller Higgins, the clev-
er young second baseman of the Reds.
He made a flying start and has not
fallen down all season Catcher SchIei
of the Reds is another such player.
Then turn to the American league.
There seems to be no better pitcher
in the league than Frank Smith, the
young Highlander that Comiskey got
from Birmingham in the Southern
league. Comiskey also made a find
when he picked up DundOn, his sec
ond baseman. McAleer got a good one
in Pitcher Glade, while Detroit was
lucky when it secured Outhelder Nc
Intyre- Turner has made good with
Cleveland, although his batting has
been rather weak for the last few
weeks in consequence of his serious
illness, which threatened to keep him
out of the game all year.
Clark Griffith found a star backstop
IN Kleinow, while Osteen more than
came I'D to expectations as a utility
man. Danny Hoffman, secured a year
ago. has proved to be one of the Ath
letics' star hitters, and Infielder Mullin
also did fairly well in subbing for diff
ferent players Washington picked up
q star twirler in jacobson, while Jake
Stahl and Shortstop Cassidy are corners
sure enough.
Upon the other hand. where these
few have made good, dozens have fallen
by the wayside. Cleveland took num-
Der of youngsters south, and of the
number Turner was the only one re-
tanned aside from Hess, who might also
be termed an experiment The others
were Rossman- Pastor, O'Hara, Cur
1iss, Hickey, and Schwartz Chicago let
out Pitchers Dougherty and Stricklett,
Outhelder Charley Jones and Huelsman
and Catcher Berry. St Louis released
Pitcher Morgan in addition to the vet
Grams Demont and Gene Wright. Pitch
err Ferry and Second Baseman Burns
by Detroit, but then Detroit did not
have many experiments
The three leading eastern teams did
not throw out their line for young
blood to any extent and consequently
there have not been many releases in
that section New York farmed out
Thoney. however, and released Pitcher
Bliss.
Philadelphia only youngsters were
Hoffman, Mullin, Bruce, Barthold. and
Pinnance, and the first two are still on
Connie Mack's payroll Boston had but
two youngsters, Outhelder O'Neil and
Catcher Doran, O'NeiI being traded to
Washington for Setback Washington
has used no less than twenty-four
players this season.
Running over the list of youngsters.
the following good team could be Sc
lected:
Catcher-Kleinow, New York
Pftchers-Smith, Chicago; Walsh,
Chicago; Glade. St. Louis; Jacobson,
Washington
Second base-Dundon. Chicago.
6hortstop-Turner. Cleveland.
Third base-Cassidy. Washington.
Left held-McIntyre. Detroit.
Center field-Hoffman, Philadelphia.
Right field-Hynes, ST Louis
The last named is a recent acquisi-
ton of the Browns. but ne looks like
fixture. His batting is above the aver
age and his fielding fair.
No better judge of a players abiI-
ity than Connie Mack exists, and it
was Connie himself that said that
nine-tenths of the youngsters that
looked good were not as skillful play
ers as the men that they were ex-
rected to replace Il had an in
stance of this" said Connie Il
picked up young Mullin. the star hit
ter of Manhattan college, two other
American league teams being after
him. He had a batting average of
about so and a fielding average that
would cast the records of Parent and
wallace in the shade. And he had
been up against good pitchers, too, his |
team having played several exhibition
games with big league clubs Well I
had him on the bench for a while. |
or until we reached St Louis on the 1
first trip told Monte Cross that /
he could take a rest Monte went to /
the bench and Mullin to short. Well, |