The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-24

Charles w. Boyer. owner of the Sa-
vannah franchise in the South Allan
tic League. announced, officially, yes
terday the engagement of Samuel La
ROGUE as manager of the Savannah
Club.
LaRocque is now in Birmingham, his
old home, and will come to Savannah
some time next week to commence
preparations for the opening of the
season. According to President Boy
ers' telegram he will be known as a
player manager, covering first base,
the same position he has played for
the last five years, and in every league
he has played in he led the first base
men on fielding, and all in hitting.
In looking over LaRocque's record
no one can fail in the conclusion that
Mr.. Boyer has already commenced to
exercise that sound judgment that has
always characterized his connection
with baseball enterprises, and there is
little doubt but that this same good
judgment and care will be the means
of bringing the bunting toe Savannah
when the last hoarse call of the UNI
pire shall have sounded the close of
the season.
Western League Dead.
The reason for ,LaRocques' presence
in this part of the country is found in
the fact, announced several days ago,
that the Western League is out of
business. He was manager Of the
Butte, Mont, team last season, and
that the league promoters would get
together in time to have ball out on the
hills again this summer.
Since he has been in the South La
ROGUE has received a number of fiat
tering offers. Though every team in
the Southern League has signed a man
for the first bag, three different man
ayers offered LaRocque the initial bag
but he gave a final refusal when Mr.
Boyer offered him the management of
the Savannah Club, for Sam says he
believes this little league is going too
make good and he wants to get in on
the ground floor.
List of Managers Now Complete.
With the signing of LaRocque for
savannah the list of managers for the
South Atlantic is complete, and COM
parison with the managers of the
Southern League would bring no dis
credit to the junior organization. The
managers are:
Savannah-Sam LaRocque.
Charleston-Ed. Ashenback.
Macon-Billy Smith.
Observation-Disclosures Kelly.
Columbia. J. Grimm.
Aususta-Con Strothers.
These wise oldtimers will get all
there is to get out of the South At
lantlc League teams. All of them are
veterans of the diamond, and are
known from the frozen North, east to
the sunny slopes of the Pacific valley.
That they will develope stars of the
hrst magnitude there is hardly any
doubt.
A Developing Field.
In Savannah alone many of the
bright particular stars in the baseball
armament have been developed. Chief
among these are Muggsy McGraw,
manager of the New York Giants;
Monte Cross, the peerless shortstop for
tne Philadelphia Athletics: Fred
Clarke. of the Pittsburg Champions.
me best left fielder in the game: Jim
my Collins. manager of the Boston
WORLDS champions, and number or
others of lesser magnitude.
No Players Signed Yet.
LaRocque has not commenced sign
ing players yet. although he has got
ms nets out. He is a careful manager,
ana will not take a man who he does
not feel sure will make good.
Mr.. Boyer has a large list OF APP
plcants to submit to LaRocque as soon
AS he sees him and 1T will not take
long to line the team up.