The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-22

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also try for a place on the pitching
staff Bakule was the best colleg,
! pitcher in the state this year and hi
ought to win a place with the Convicts
Walsh, the little shortstop, may sigr
| W.
| Outfielder McGin and Pitcher Allison
| Who have been with the Leavenwortf
team for some time, have been sold tt
the Dubuque team for $500, and two in
11elders thrown in McGill was the
best outfielder, outside OF Woo1ey, or
| the team, while Allison was one of the
| loaned to Topeka pitched several good
games.
What Manager Chance thinks about
Blaine Durbin, the Western asso-
citation star of last season is shown by
the following from the sporting writ
er of the Chicago News: Chicago base
ball fans have seen Blaine Durbin in
action twice this spring, but neither
time under advantageous conditions.
pitcher has performed Manager
Chance has sent him to the box when
Jack Taylor had been batted out of
the lot, the opposing team had its bat
ting clothes on and nothing that any
one could have handed up would have
made any difference.
Durbin's first appearance was on
April "a, when Cincinnati was here
q. L
the little left handler got in after the
score was to 0 and the Brooklyns
were hammering the ball for fair.
Neither appearance could possibly
give line on his ability.
Those who have seen Durbin work
under favorable circumstances say he
is one of the best southpaws in the
business and has the making of a
brilliant star. Manager Chance has
seen him work a good deal and he
So nf he
dozens of requests he has had from
minor and major leagues for him have
been turned down. Durbin is fixture
al the west side unless some unfortun-
ate accident turns up.
Nearly every minor league in the
country has asked to get Durbin, but
there hasn't been a chance at any time
for him to go back to the minors for
the majors won't waive on him. Early
this spring before the Cub roster was
fully determined President Murphy
asked waivers on number of play
erS simply to have them in shape for
deals If such should later be decided
upon. But Durbin was one of those
upon whom waivers were not forth
coming
Barney Dreyfuss wanted Durbin and
it was in the hope of getting the little
pitcher that he refused to waive on
Seabough and Osborne. He finally
gave in. however. when he found there
was no chance in the world of landing
the man he really wanted
There have been some critics who
have seen Durbin work who say he is
too small to make a high class major
league twirler. Jimmy Ryan, once a
popular idol at the west side and a
good judge of ball players, umpired
behind Durbin one day last spring and
this is what he had to say of him:
when Blaine Durbin gets little
experience so as to have his condolences
in the National league he is going to
be one of the best in the land. He has
not only a deceptive delivery but he
has everything any pitcher 1 ever saw
possessed. Considering his size his
speed is remarkable.
so far as his size is concerned, that
will make ahtt3eC difference if he has
the brains. Clark Griffith is no larger
than Durbin, yet Griffith was one of
the most effective pitchers that, ever
stepped upon a slab
''Durbin is more than a pitcher He
is an all-around ball player, capable
of covering the. outfield with anybody.
He is fast as lightning on his feet and
has played the outfield enough so that
he knows his ground. But best of all
he can hit. He is a natural batter and
always hits well, even when pitching
which is the hardest kind of work for
a batsman. If there isn't any room on
the pitching staff for Durbin, or if he
shouldn't happen to make good in that
don't overlook his ability
to hit the ball. But he is too good a
pitcher to relegate to a f1elder's lob
for a long time-to come"
Fans at the west side yesterday saw
something of Durbin's strength with
the stick when he raped out three
singles off Bell. While the
Cubs are fighting to attain a lead in
the race Manager Chance will stick to
his regular pitchers upon whom he
knows he can depend. But if the west
siders get good lead and the outlook
is favorable for another pennant Dur
bin will get into the game along with
the veterans.