Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-22
SPORTING GOSSIP OF WEEK
Western League Offers Inviting Field for
Inventive Genius.
ANCHOR FOR PITCHERS is BADLY NEEDED
MREnates Unable TO Replace Men
Taken By Big Leagues on Draft
Last Year Despite Their
HustIinE.
Good opening.

Good opening
Some inventive genius has a chance to
earn a competence and do Western league
managers a service OF incalculabe value
just now. All he has to do Is to devise
an anchor or sinker, or something OF the
sort that Will hold pitcher to the ground,
or at least prevent him from going out of
sight when he does go up. The last week
witnessed some of the most disastrous
ascensions ever recorded in the history Of
the game. Omaha pitchers furnished two
OF them. This has been one Of the features
OF the Western this season that has not
been greatly relished by the bugs. Ac-
oustomed as they have become to seeing
the very best Of pitching, 1t has been a
tribe wearisome to watch some OF the
performers in the box The managers have
not been responsible for this, as 1t is the
natural result OF the raid made on the
league by the big leagues under the draft
last fall Omaha was cleaned Up. was
Dss Moines, Denver and Sioux City, and
for that matter the Class A teams in gen
srs1 we're riddled by the big teamS When
spring came there was mighty little left
for the Western managers, and they had
TO be content with what they could get.
Des Moines has two pitchers. Miller and
Eeeleyi Denver has one, Engle Lincoln
has one, Eyleri Pueblo has two. Minor and
stinmell, and Sioux City has none. 1t
would take a column to give the names
OF the experiments the several managers
have tried, hoping to get on a live one,
but nothing has showed up yet, It's bit
hard, but we have to bear It, In the mean
time Papa Bill will pay some good simo-
Icons for at least two more pitchers who
can keep their feet below the roof Of the
grandstand through nine innings of base
ball.
The Denver papers just now are lam
basting George Tebeau because he doesn't
send all his good players there. For ex-
ample, they demand that Mig Perrlne be
sent back. Just imagine what Kansas City
would say II Perrine should be transferred
70 Denver. BY the way, Perrtne L. hitting
No. in the American association. Last
season when Tebeau sent Perrine TO Dem
yer the papers out there received him with
q scornful boot, and insisted that the
Grizzlies wouldn't stand to be made a
dump for Kansas City castoffs But Per-
rine made good. and now they want him
back At any rate, why should Tebeau' or
anybody else strain himself to provide a
champion team for town that turns out
800 people 20 see a game on the Fourth Of
July? Denver fans haven't made much
noise at the box Office during the present
season, and until they do 1t isn't likely
that Uncle George is going to lose much
sleep over the noise they are making.
Some Of the eastern sporting editors at
feet to soon at the renewed story Of a
base ball trust. The progress Of events
mean nothing to them. 1t Is hardly likely
hat fha htYaf IF hall will
be consolidated. as has that OF some
branches OF productive industry. but the
continual effort OF the nagnates is TO get
closer together. and this IL a tendency
In line Of consolidation It means what
the railroad presidents cali a community
OF interests" working together under O
harmonious arrangement. When that time
comes, It is not at all likely to bring the
poor ball player any nearer abject slavery
than he now Is, but 1t lie going to keeI
the business OF base ball nearer a paying
basis, Present competition for players
among the teams OF the big league Is re
duced to nothing, so far as they are con
oerned. and TO less than nothing 80 fal
as the minor leagues go. In the lattei
case II is merely a matter OF draft. A
minor league manager may be luck!
enough to sell a crack player before tn
pen nowadays. 1t is far easier for tn
big league magnates 10 take him unde
the draft and test him as 70 his quality
turning him back II he doesn't come up t
expectations. In the big leagues a playe
once signed with a team remains under It
control absolutely until released or traded
He has no chance to set away, no matte
how much he may want to. The agree
ment between the National and America
settled this point. and aceomplishe
thereby all the tightest trust could pos
sibly have done. Prices and everythin
else connected with the business are IKE
by agreement. even by law in the cas-
OF the Amriean league. 80 what could
trust do for base ball that hasn't alread
been done?
The Omaha Field club tennis men ar
making extensive preparations to take car
or the middle west lawn tennis champion
ship, which win be held at Omaha wee
commencing August 20. From present II
dications the tournament bids fair to /
the largest tennis meet ever held in II
west. as most all the experts have sign
ned their intention TO enter the lists. Tn
IL really the twelfth year that the ever
has taken place. but It has not borne II
dignined name OF the middle west chan
ptohhhlp until the last nVe years, Whe
the United States National Lawn Tenn
association recognised the fixture under tn
title. Each year since 1901 It has bee
growing larger until now it attracts mar
OF the best players OF the country.
looking over the names Of the fixture OF
nnds men who have won national homo
In the tennis world. among them beir
sloeum, Bond, Carver, waidner, Hun
Parker, sheldon. sanderson, Fletcher, Il
Eberhard brothers and a number Of other
Walter T. Hayes is the present chRmpiC
In singles and he has already slgnihed h
intention OF defending his title. His wol
last year was remarkable. as II was h
irst year In tournament play. yet he WI
three tournaments in succeeding weeks, Il
Iowa state championship. the tri-state al
the middle west championship defeatir
with ease such men as Snow, Peters al
Fletcher, and losing only one set In ca,
tournament Ralph Fletcher and r.
sanderson OF Galesburg H.. are the hol
ers Of the doubles cups and although tn
have not been heard from to date, tn