The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-06
ABBOTT GIVES UP.
White Sex Captain Is Supplant-
ed by Quigley.
Surprises Sheard With His
Resignation.
WILL STAY ON TEAM.
ssThe Fans Don't Want Me-" He
Complains.
New Captain Has Had Much
Baseball Experience.
WILL STAY ON TEAM.

Discouraged and disguised with his
inability to get the White Sox to play
winning ball, and feeling from the ter |
rife criticism of the fans that he was
unpopular and not wanted. Captain /
Spencer Arthur Abbott of the Topeka
team on Monday night very suddenly
presented his resignation to President
Thomas Sheard. insisting upon it's i'm
mediate acceptance.
Mr.. Sheard tried to persuade Abbott
to hold off for a few days at least and
wait a little longer to see if matters
would not run more smoothly. But
Abbott was obdurate and urgent that
he at once be relieved of the field man
agement of the team. Sheard gave in
and Immediately set about to find
successor. After casting lots with him
self he appointed .Shortstop Frank
Quigley to the place. The veteran will
be tried and a chance be given him to
see what lie can do.
Il resigned said Abbott this morn
ing, because I thought it the very
best thing to do. The fans in this city
apparently do not like me. They have
abused me on and off the field, no mat
ter how hard 1 have worked. 1 have ex-
erted every energy under the sun to
give this city a winning ball team. The
fans do not like me-they do not want
me evidently to run their team. Some
how or other our team has gotten down
and is unable to pull out of the hole.
We have good players, good stickers
and experienced men, but it seems as if
the signs all turned against US. The
fans have b5en blaming me in various
ways, and principally that I have not
been getting the work out of them. 1
am willing to step aside. 1 want to see
the team win. and want to see the man
agement make money. shall go in and
work just as hard as 1 ever have and
give Quigley every bit of support that
can. 1 think he will prove to be a
good captain
Il hated to see Abbott resign" said
Mr.. Sheard. Il wanted him to recon
slider the matter for a few days. But
he insisted, saying that he was more
than willing to step down and give
somebody else a chance. I consider that
mighty white act on his part. He or
no one else could have acted more
squarely in a matter Of this kind.
will say for Abbott that he always work
ed hard and always had the interests of
the team at heart. He was unfortunate
in that he sometimes talked a little too
much and got men sore and disorganiz-
ed. But this was simply a fault which
some men have. He worked mighty
hard for Topeka S success. He was very
conscientious about it. I do not believe
that there was a man on the team
| whom it hurt more to lose a game than
it did Abbott He will continue to play
first base. I consider him a very valu-
able player.
'Abbott's resignation was an entire
surprise to me-" continued Mr.. Sheard.
Il received a telephone message from
! him about o'clock last night to come
down to the National hotel. I supposed
that he simply wanted to talk over some
business matters with me, but on the
contrary he surprised me by Offering his
| resignation and insisting that I accept
it. We did not ask him to give UP the
| job and had no intention of doing so.
| But because he made up his mind taat
somebody else might be able to do bet
ter, reluctantly took the captaincy
from him and gave it to Quigley."
The red-haired shortstop, who from
this afternoon began to boss the
White Sox, is a peculiar sort of player.
To begin with, he is quiet, the very OPP
posite of Abbott. He will play through
an entire game without talking ten
words He has yet to give his first
show of making a big kick in Topeka on
an umpire's decision. He plays hard,
fast heady ball, tends to his business,
goes to his place on the bench when his
team is batting, and keeps quiet He is
a good infielder, but a poor hitter. For
some reason or other he cannot fasten
his optic on the ball. But he is a good
manager. He was captain of the Hart
/
year. and for two years handled the
Crookston team in the Northern league.
So he is not without experience on the
managing job. He was in the old
American league for a year with Mime
apolis, when that town won the PEN
nant. Altogether he has been playing
professional ball ten years.
a good many of the fans in a sense
feel sorry to see Abbott retired igno-
Tnlnlously as to this instance. Every
/ body understands why, namely because
the team is losing and because pressure
: has been exerted strongly that he be
/ taken out The attendance at the park
has been falling off since the team has
been home during the last and present
series. Sunday only 800 people sat in
/ the bleachers and grandstand. fully 1 900
less than the last Sunday on which the
team was here But Abbott must be
given credit for one thing: He gave IN
voluntarily and willingly. He gave up
for the good Of the team and rnanfl1llv
comes out and says that he will work
hard to make Quigley's regime a sue
| cess. For that he deserves the good
hand of fellowship.