The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-31

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Second Base.
Cooley has evidently found the real
article in Harry McInnis. He halls erona
Everett, Washington, where he played
last summer in the Northwe league.
The official score keepers record gives
him a hitting mark of 203, and fielding
average of $50. McInnis pitched 10
games for this team and Won l.. He
struck out So batters, made one wild
pitch and hit three men.
Castro, of the Kansas City Blooz. put
Cooley wise to the youngster Castro
saw him working out on the coast and
recommended him to the local manage
ment as the goods. Others too have
told me-" said Cooley last night, that
McInnis is just about as good a man
as we want"
Bill Sparger is a new name in the
lineup. He halls from the southland.
Last season he pitched for Natchez in
the Cotton States league and more than
held his own. Sparger is not signed yet,
but the arrangement is practically COM
pleted.
The accession of Andrews may sur
prise some people. Jay made sort of
half-hearted impression in Topeka at
the tail-end of last season when he
was picked up by Sir Felix Blackburn
from st. Joe. He was big, fat, over
weight but showed evidences that his
old-t time prowess, that one time had
him on the All-American team, and a
tOp-liner in the business, had not yet
fOrsaken him. Day before yesterday
Andrews dTifted into town and fairly
paralyZed his friends bv his appearance.
He looked trim and ut for a race. TWen-
ty-one pounds of superhuous flesh had
been shOrn from his body by hard
careful training and care. It was the
Jay of ten years ago, and he wanted
a berth on Cooley's TEN. The two are
pals. They had d conference, closed a
| deal, passed some advance money, and
the thing was over. Jay viii play ball
for me all right nodded Dick. That
was all in the way of comment.
The only place on team not filed by
a seasoned player is second base. John
| Welter and Steve Raglan are slated to
/ fight for it. Perhaps neither can make
/ the weight" Ragan played short at
1 the tail-end of last season, and made
( a decided hit with the crowd. Some Of
/ the so-called veterans" on the team
/ however, worried him so badly, and
[ sent him up in the air SO high that
/ during the last few days he baubled and
I booted like school child. He won't
get that kind of medicine from Cooley.
Welter is the acknowledged second base
4 star Of last season in the Missouri VAL
/ ley league. He played with Pittsburg.
| RobertsOn's pennant winners. The sec
/ Ond sack is one of the easiest places on
/ the diamond to preside over. Therefore
/ the Waterman usually is a hitter, and
/ this is declaled to be Johnny's long suit.
! The three century mark is the dizzy
/ height to which the yOungster has at
I tanned and his admirers claim the same
4 hOnOrs in store for him in faster COM
pany' Welter may out-hlt Ragan, VINO VINO
/ finished the season with mark of $50,
/ but he probably cannot field as well,
/ for few have it over the Anthony lad.
/ The outfield is an establish quantity.
/ Cole has friends and enemies, just like
! every bali-player. But he is pretty good.
At least Lou Armstrong, who will man
age Joplin next season, induced Baker
to offer an even S1G0 to Cooley and
Crow for his release to make a Miner
of him next season. The offer is still
/ open, too.
Johnny Murray in the center garden
is one of the favorites in the league.
/ He is very quiet He opened with Wich-
tia last season, and went to the bench
/ with a sprained ankle about July 4
+ Dusty Miller taking his place For six
1 weeks Murray nursed his injury and
was then taken on by Topeka, and he
| played good ball until the season ended
/ His hitting was feature, though
doubtlessly he was robbed of many a.
base-hit because of his inability to get
to the first sack quickly enough because
of his sprained ankle. A letter from him
the other day says that he is sound
again physically and will be able to
play IN to his standard.
+ George Graves is q real genuine addi-
ton. He first gained prominence in the
Missouri Valley league at Fort Scott,
two years ago. The sale of HOrnaday's
Giants to Guthrie carried him to the
! territory. There he made a great rec
ord. He cast longing eyes to Topeka,
and $3.50 a month caught him fast.
The pitchers signed so far include
Jack Forester, the peroxide-top who
finished with Topeka last year, Joe Fres-
ton, a new one from Pennsylvania. rec
commended by Cole. Harry McInnis of
the Northwestern league, Bill Sparger
of Natchez in the Cotton States league,
and Al CLANCY from Winfield, Kas., a
boy with an ambition.
Jack Henry has gotten over his idea
Of flirting with the outlaws and has
come into the fold. He viii handle the
mask and big NIT for Cooley next sum-
mer.
But one of the old guard is left
+ Clarence Cole OF all that much
abused, erratic, helplessly ship
wrecked galaxy OF insists which
graced and disgraced the Topeka
diamond last year and the year pre-
vious, only Cole alone is still on the
Topeka pay roll. He was one of the
best of that tribe. and with a differ
ent crowd, under a different leader.
flying new flag, he may come into
his own.
A notion has gained circulation that
the admission to the ball games this