The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-18


The baseball season in the Western
association is now a little more tnan
half over To all appearances Wichita
has a good chance of victory. But
we are not going to give the pennant
to her yet. Over sixty-f1ve games re-
main to be played and Wichita with
little slump could easily hit the tobog-
gan and allow Topeka or Oklahoma
City to climb upon the top perch OF
the pennant ladder. The first division
apparently belongs to Wichita, Okla
i1oma City. Topeka and Joplin with
Hutchinson having a. possible chance.
Webb City might surprise the rams or
the association, as Milton is no poor
man to have at the head or team,
and is working hard to get his team
up in the race. With Springfield and
Leavenworth, despite the heroic eff
forts of Managers Murray and Quigfey
to get their teams out OF the rut, 1t is
almost a foregone conclusion that
these two will be fighting 1t out for
the cellar championship.
Enough of the season has passed by
to give the fans a good line on the
playing abilities of the different men
on the different teams and many of the
fans already have made up their minds
as to who are the stars in their par
ticular positions.
In the backstop department there is
undoubtedly one man who is head and
shoulders above all the others, both
literally and figuratively speaking. He
is Buck Weaver of Wichita. No one
in the whole Shively circuit has it on
Buck in any department of the game.
His headwork is one of his strong
points and in the mechanical depart
ment of the game he is also unex-
celled.
AS for pitchers there have been no
twirlers developed of the same class
as Blaine Durbin. Joplin's little south
paw of a year ago. However, there
are some strong twirlers in the asso-
citation. Among the right-handed
pitchers it is about nip and tuck be-
tween Cy Young of Wichita and
Charles Mcfarland of Oklahoma City
Young probably has more than Nc
Farland, but he has not the years of
experience that make the pitching of
| the Oklahoma City manager so eff
fective. Both are about even in the
proportion of games which they have
won this season. Fleharty of Hutch
| inson, while rather young in expert
ence, is coming very strong this sea-
son, and is recognized as one of the
| best in the association. Barber of the
| Salt Packers has made a great rep
so far but has played in but few games.
who are away in the lead. Jones of
Topeka is probably the best southpaw
| in the league today. He has good
assortment of curves and has head
| that helps make his pitching very eff
fective. Bandy of Oklahoma City,
out side of Jones, is the best SOuthpaw.
Speer of Wichita has pitched good ball,
| but he is not as reliable and has not
| the GOODNESS in the pinches that some
! of the others have.
At~the initial station there is prob
ably no man who has it on Abbott,
Topeka's first sacker. when 1t comes
to all around work. Abbott is playing
a great game this season, both in his
fielding and at the bat. He is recog-
nized as one of the best pinch hitters
in the league, as Wichita can testify
/ to, and in fielding his position is as
good as any. Competition for the hon
ors at this position. however, has been
] pretty keen. Bill link of Hutchinson,
Jack Holland of Wichita, Dick Rohn
of Joplin and Warren Gill of Okla