The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-10
DOWNS IS SIGNED
Topeka Gets the Red Haired
Second BGseman.
BaerwaId Secured for Right
Field and Substitute Catcher.
WHITE is NOT COMING.
Hayden Asks Too Much for
Little ShortstOp.
Cole Traded to Armstrong for
the Extra Catcher.
WHITE Is NOT COMING.

RED Downs and Johnny Baerwald
are the latest additions to the Topeka
White SOx for 1906. Downs contract
was received today. Baerwald viii be
taken on in the place of Cole, who goes
to Joplin on an even trade.
With the good news of the acquIsi-
ton of these two men is mixed some
that is bad. E. L. Hayden, owner of
the Webb City franchise. informed
Cooley and Crow this morning that
Billy Whites release from his team
would cost the local management $500.
The price is too steep, and therefore
the ex-Sedalia star won't be in the To-
peka line up next summer. White
wrote to Crow and said that he would
play here for $50 a month, and that
he could get his walking papers from
Hayden for SIS. The proposition was
accepted and White was sent a con-
tract But Haydon's clearance sale
calls for too steep a sum and the deal
IS off. While itis much regretted that
White does not come here, the local
management is not to be blamed for
refusing to pay such a price for
Whites release.
Downs will draw $50 per month in
Topeka. He wrote for s175 some days
ago, but Crow shaved off S25 and the
sorrel-top came in under cover. He is
one of the real stars of the league. Big,
strong, active, he plays the game for
every ounce that is in him. He finish
ed ninth in the list of Western associa-
ton batters this season, and with the
honor of being in the 800 column His
official mark was .319. His record fol-
lows; Games, 134s at bat, 499; singles
I SO two haze hits ri. 1o hi
8; home runs, 6; sacrifice hits, %;
stolen bases 725; batting average, .319.
The red-tOp was with Guthrie last
summer and played second base, the
same station which he will occupy in
Topeka this next summer. He is a
youngster, but that at that, is some
thing of a veteran. When with Fort
Scott in the Missouri Valley league he
was drafted into the Omaha Western
league team but was crowded out by an
older head. With Guthrie last summer
he was easily a star, and ranked up
with the best second basemen of the
1 league.
sBaerwald halls from Joplin. He was
with Pittsburg in the NJ. Y. l., and led
! the league in batting two years ago. He
IS good right fielder, but every whit
as good catcher. The latter accom-
! plishment makes him an important ad-
dition to the White Sox As it now
! stands. if Jack Henry should get hurt
/ there would not be another seasoned
| backstop to don the nit and mask That
is one of the salient reasons. why Cooley
and Crow are taking hin. on. He comes
l from Joplin in exchange for Cole. Lew
! Armstrong, who is handling Bakers in
/ terest for the Miners this year wrote to
the local management today Offering to
make this trade. After consideration
| Grow decided to take up Army" hands
down. No consideratf goes either way
with the trade Joplin has long wanted
/ Cole, in fact Baker made a cash offer
/ of 500 last year to Sheard and Logan
| for his release. He is the last of the old
/ guard. Cole is a good ball player, but
| he did not have enough friends in To-
peka to make his staying here any long
| er very advisable to his own interests.
/ Baerwald didn't hit SO well last year,
getting a mark of 224. He only played
| about tWo-thirds of the season. His
record follows: games, 103; at bat, 3SS;
| singles. 81; doubles, 10; three base hits,
1 Il; home runs, L; sacrifice hits, II;
stolen bases, %; batting average, 224.
He was handicapped by an injury which
he sustained the year before in getting
his thumb broken, which he hurt again
/ at the beginning of Iaast summer. He
only hit his real batting gait at the
! latter part of the season, when he went
up at a good clip. Then, too. he did
1 much of the backstopping the latter part
Of the season for the Miners after Tony
/ Vanderbilt mashed up his thumbs.
The accession of Downs means that
second baseman is now supplied and
that Johnny Welter the Pittsburg Mis-
souri, Valley League will be tried on
third. Jay Andrews will come, but the
local management does not think that
che will come through" However the
ex-big league star will be given a
chance to see what he can do. The los
ing of Billy White leaves only Steve
Raglan as the only date for short stop.
The line up so far is as follows:
Catchers-Henry, Baerwald.
Pitehers-Chaney, Preston, Sparger,
/ McInnis. Forester. Howey.
First base-Cooley.
Second base-Downs.
Short stop-aRgan.
Third base-Welter, Andrews.
Left feld-Murray.
] Center field-Graves.
| Right field-BaerWald