The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-28
OPENS TOMORROW
Western Association Baseball
Season Begins.
Topeka VIII Be at Oklahoma
City.
GLIMPSE AT TEAMS.
Joplin Appears to Stand Best
With Guessers.
Topeka Is Much Stronger Than
Last Year.

Topeka at Oklahoma City; Wichita
at Guthrie: Sedalia at Springfield:
LeavenWorth at Joplin; these viii be
the combatants on Saturday afternoon
when the first gong sets into action the
Western Association pennant race for
1905. With a circuit enlarged and bet
tered by three new good towns, Okla
homa City, Guthrie and Wichita; sail
ing under a new and more dignified
name; raised from a class D to a class
q organization; with an outlook OF I'M
limited promise; this, the fourth year Of
the league, is especially signalized.
The first temptation is naturally to
pick the pennant winner. These can
even at the best, be nothing more than
guesses, based on dope" and the lat
ter stuff is q much Watered stock in
which to invest money. But in full
cOgnizance Of the fear that they Will
rise to haunt the writer many times
during the season, the following is
meeI1ly offered as a suggestion of how
the teams may finish;
Joplin.
Springfield.
Oklahoma City.
Topeka.
Wichita.
Sedalia-
LeaVenWOrth.
Guthrie
The reasons for that arrangement are
DhcE4 Oh TWO llAuE5s present AlQaCa-
lions and the ability Of the managers
who have the various clubs in charge.
JOpIin's Chances.
In the first place, the man who owns
the Miners, r. F. Baker, has money,
spends it. but judiciOusly. He realizes
that in order to get a good man he
must pay for him. This he demOnstra-
ted in the recent case of ole Olson.
last year with Topeka. Olson wanted
$50 to play here this summer. Presi-
than the fast little Swede was worth.
But John Fillman, Bakers manager,
took cards, willingly and gleefulIy rec
commended to his employer that Olson
be purchased from Topeka at Sheard' s
price, S100. and he paid that amount
per month to play with the Miners.
That kind of a policy wins. Fiilman
himself is a ball player and a good one.
but on top of that he is rafting good
manager He knows baseball-he knew
at glance what there was to Olson.
He pitted his judgment against that of
Sheard and Abbott paid their price and
Olson's, and he viii benefit thereby
Now take the Miners lineup Behind
the bat is Vanderbilt, the bast catcher
in the league On the slab are skinny
Horton, Sam Morris and KID Durbin.
who are among the very best of the
tWirlers. On the bases are ShimoneIx
Olson and Pendry, with Fillman at
short. Sullinger, Bayless and Gray will
be in the Outheld. This is a strong az
gregatiOn and one that can win ball
games There is in reality not a weak
spot on the team.
Springfeld's Chances.
Shorty Hurlburt has a faculty for
turning out winning clubs, and there
are no apparent reasons right now
Why he should fail down this year.
1t is true that his bunch does not look
as promising now as it did at the same
time in the spring of 1904 Charley
Schmidt, Dutch Persch, Mig Perrine
Skinny Horton and several others
the Midget lineup. Some new ma
terial has been gathered to fill up the
gaps and good ones We're secured in
Gebeaugh, catcher; Burns. shortstoD.
Marriott, second base. and Tommy
Cope, third base. But the est Louis
gang headed by Zoellers kicked up
such q fuss that Cope had to go. and
Hoellers took the captaincy instead
The third sack is now unprotected. but
Eurlburt viii "fll hiss@and" all right
He VIII be right up under the wire
with the first ones when the race is