The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-20

ted team OF. st. Joseph. Since the
Hutchinson enthusiasts have taken hold
ing. Undoubtedly Wichita had made
the greatest race of them all. In less
than six weeks the last years cham
pions have climbed from the last place
in the standing to third place, which
they have practically cinched. Only IS
points divide the first and last OF the
first division teams, while the first
seven teams are separated by little
over 100 points Only four mora sche-
duled games remain to be played.
Wichita needs another victory to hold
the third place secure. Half game
divides Oklahoma City and Springfield
for the privilege of fourth place and
Webb City has good fighting chance
to defeat IeavenWorth for sixth place.
All season through the teams in Shive-
-ley's league have been punched and the
race has been one of the prettlest IN
minor baseball. First one city and then
another was predicted as possible
pennant winner, with the favorites only
q toss up between 1eavenWorth, Tope-
ka and Wichita The Leavenworth team
stayed in the race Tor a considerable
length of time, but bad luck caused
them to drop their pennant
chances. The Joplin team has been
ably assisted in the race by the phe-
nOmena1 pitching of Blaine Durbln, who
has been sold to the Chicago Nationals.
At Topeka, Dick Cooley, q pioneer in
professional baseball and vaudeville, is
the mainstay of the Topeka team Coo
ley is part owner of the team and plays
first base. He has had many ups and
downs in baseball, but is still far from
being candidate for the baseball
morgue. In addition to CooIey's good
leadership, the general makeup of the
Topeka team has been drst-class. The
outfield has been one of the fastest IN
the league and the pitching staff, while
not the best, was the most successful.
From she Topeka club Red Downs,
second baseman, and Jack Forester,
pitcher. have been sold. to the Detroit
Americans Cheney, a pitcher brought
from the Kansas State League, has
been sold to the Chicago Americans
From Joplin, the winners of second
place, Dick BayieSs, an outdelder, has
been sold to Detroit for $780, and $1,000
was received for Durbin from the Chi
cagO Americans. From Wichita, Edgar
Willets was sold to Detroit for $500.
Pitchers Becker and Speer and Out
fielder Milan have been sold to Indian
apolis. A class Of ball has been played
in the Western Association this season
as good as that of the Western League
and better than any other league In the
country Of its class. The evolution Of
the clubs in the league has been the
talk of sporting papers in the country.
During the early season the teams
were so closely punched that a brace
Of victories or q pair of losses was IL
able to put the sixth contender IN the
first place. It Is hardly likely that the
Western Association viii be as fast next
year as the present season. While the
clubs, with the possible exception Of
I4eavenWoFth, have made a. little money,
none of them have made out Of the gate
receipts what they deserve, for the ar
ticle OF baseball they have been playing.
The Shiveley- circuit will close on Sun
day. A popularity OF the finishing
games is that the first and second team
will play Off the last series, while WITCH
tia In third place and Oklahoma City,
close contenders for fourth place, wifi
finish together. The ta1I-end teams,
Leavenworth and Hutchinson win fight
out their finishing series at Hutchinson.