The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-11
The Training Season In the
South Is Now Finished
And Big Ball Teams Are in
Condition for the 0eenIng.
THURSDAY is THEDAY.
The Boston Americans Look
Stronger Than Ever.
New Workers. Are in Splendid
Condition for the Fray.

New Orleans. April Tits baseball
weather here in the south with the
thermometer flirting with the eighties.
but how about the conditions in the
north and west, where the regular sea
son will open next Thursday
The change will be a trying one for
the players who have enjoyed the
pleasant weather for the last month or
more and were able to strip right
down to business.
After day or two all the major
league clubs will have returned from
their training quarters and head for
the city where the season will omen.
Inc New York and Boston clubs of the
american league played several games
Gown mere, and are in good shane
mere and there player may be a bit
sore put this VIII occur in the regular
season. Take everything into consid-
Grafton, both teams are fit for the hat
Sie. Inc new York men feel very con-
HuenI OF holding their own in the rfr
race this season, and they are a. better.
aIl-round ball club than last season
ana one of the very finest collection of
! pan players on earth; and being full of
enthusiasm they will make the fur fv
from the start John Anderson has
strengthened the club in both fielding
ana hitting, while Dave Fultz looks as
Wen as ever, which means much for
the Griffith team.
The Boston champions are actually
stronger than ever. Doran has filled
out the catching department, being
fully as good a thrower as Criger
Duke Farrell is going to be a vaI11a HE
man next season with that stick work
Of his. His whip is in fine shape, and
ne looked much better than at any
time last season. Tannehiu will more
than fll the place of Tom Hughes He
nirCniner ha1
ting out all corners on this trip and
singing the ball like a Lajoie. Tan
nehil is right at home with the cham
piOnS. Captain Collins looks easv but
there is more to him than given credit
for, as his work will prove and the
TannehilI-Hughes trade will be no ex-
ception.
George LaChance, while not a
grandstand player, is a good mark for
the Boston infield to throw to- La
Chance stands six feet one inch in
height and has a great reach. The
old sport can keep his toe on the base
ana pull in wild throws that some of
the swell first basemen would have
to jump for and lose the play. There
is not man playing ball that can
! beat the Frenchman when it comes
less balls. He is awkward, but like
the lanky Robert F'itzsimmons, man
ages to get the money.
Jimmie Collins is fully eight pounds
| over weight, but is feeling fine. Usu-
ally when the season is over Collins is
down very fine, as he has a way OF
keeping his troubles to himself and
worrying off weight
That pair of wonderful youngsters
Parent and Ferris. are faster than
| ever this season. A ball to those boys
is what a ball of yarn is to little kit
tens. They cannot get too much
practice, and handle the most dificult
/ grounders as if 1T was child's play
During the three years they have
been with Boston they have not lost
half a dozen games, and seem to be
immune from injury. The Boston in
field ranks with Pittsburg.
Wolf. the youngster Ted Sullivan
sent Mr.. Killilea from the Texas
| league, is showing up pretty good as
an infielder, and the chances are thai
| Captain Collins will keep him fol-
utility infielder. For an extra out
/ fielder Boston has a remarkably fasl
winning ball player in OMEN, the re-
/ cruit from Duffy's Milwaukee team
/ O'Neiu is a whirlwind on his feet. He
/ works at the bat Just as do all right
/ handlers who change about He meets
1 the ball clean and hards ana VIII grow
! stranger with practice He is too gOoc
/ a man to be only a sub, but then one
/ cannot tell when player may be
| called on during season, and It pays
4 to have a good man to send IN
/ Dougherty, Stahl and Buck Freeman
/ are fully as good as last season, sc
I that Captain Collins has a good
( chance to repeat. w men aSkeQ anCu
/ his chances, Mr.. Collins said: 1--WE
1 viii start out with as good chance
/ as any one, and knowing the distance
/ should keep well to the front" With
| good luck in the way of players In
| shane some think Boston will win this
! season with a somewhat less margin
! than last season. New York, Cleve-
1 land and the Athletics all look strong
and it is hard to tell about the Other
clubs. with so many new players.
The Boston National league clut
/ looks pretty good; that is, if all the
! players assigned to the club are ir
4 line for business. Moran. Bean and
| Gefer among the rest These three
| men are necessary to make the team
4 a factor in the race. In Camel The
/ club has the find of a lifetime. He
/ is a natural fielder, very fast, a granc
| all-round batsman, a. base runner and
| a player hard TO duplicate today II
j the big leagues. Boston was in bis
I luck when they picked up this col
/ legian. Raynor is playing fine sec
\ ond base, and Delehanty is showing
/ ing up fairly good at third. He is E
natural batsman- The club is Ia
! mentally weak at short. and has
/ only a fair man in Needham, who Is
/ booked to help out Moran. The
/ pitching staff is much stronger thar
/ last season. Pittnger and Willis are
] in grand form, while Stewart. vii
helm and Fisher are good average
pitchers.
MITCHELL CALLS ON JOHN J..