Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-10
TOPEKA READY FOR CHANGE
Dick Cooley FREQ, sding on Theory he lie to
Be in the Western League.
ALREADY HAS NUCLEUS OF A COED TEAM
Lines Out for Additional Players ana
Expects to Come I'm with n Team
which Can Hold It's
own.

TOPEKA. Kan. March s.-(special THE
base ball situation in Topeka is somewhat
matter Of doubt owing 10 the conflicting
conditions surrounding the' Topeka fran
chise. However, II Is the general opinion
Of the local management that the fran
chise Of the Topeka team belongs to the
Western league and Manager Cooley will
pick his team with that end In view.
Dick Cooley, who Is the president and
manager OF the local team returned this
morning from a two weeks soJourn at Hot
Springs, where he has been getting himself
in shape for the coming season. Cooley,
while in Kansas City yesterday on his
way back home, called upon several prom
inent base bail men, among whom where
George Tebeau and President D. NJ. shively
OF the Western association. Cooley says that
Shively's logic failed to convince him that
the Topeka team still belonged 20 the
Western association, and that he Is going
right ahead to get Western league team.
For a starter for his Western league
team. Cooley has most of the best men OF
his pennant winners OF last season. OF this
bunch he has a catcher. two pitchers. two
inhelders and four outhelders, who are
nearly all of Western league caiiber.
Cooley himself plays first base. which pos
National and American leagues
Jack Henry has done the bulk of the
catching for the last two seasons, and is
considered by Cooley to be fast enough for
the Western league. Last season at the
opening of the schedule Henry had to sub
init to an operation. After he recovered
he went right into the game with the re-
suit that his playing was not up to his
usual standard. He is now In fine shape
and expects to do good work this COM
ing season.
Good start for Pitchers.
In the pitching department Topeka has
McInnes and Halla. Halla was the second
pitcher in the league last season. He has
the best control OF any pitcher who ever
worked in the Western association. Nc
Innes was the mainstay of the team last
season, and IL winning the pennant could
be attributed to any one player Mac"
should have the credit.
In the inheld, besides Cooley. there Is
Walter Boles who Joined the White Box
near the close of the season. He is
pitcher. but is a very fast inielder as we'll.
He will. in all probability, be used at third
or short, probably short. In the outfield
there are Pennell, who has Just signed his
contract; Hurlburt. Davis and Abbott. All
OF them are good men and it would be a
hard task to select the three best ones.
All four men are above 30 hitters.
There are a number of new men who have
been signed to try out, but not very much
Western league ball is expected OF them.
Some Of the men are: Landes, catcher;
Landreth, outnelder; Mcbride. infielder;
Neal, Babb,. Richards and Thompson, pitch
ers. None Of these men have as yet played
Iaaa
Cole. Olson and Ragan of last years team
will likely be traded for faster players.
Manager Cooley has several good men on
the string. Negotiations have been pending
for several days for two pitchers and a
catcher of known ability besides an in
fielder, whom Cooley says will play rings
around any other player IN the league.
few of the members OF the team who
have been alternating I'M Topeka this win
ter are practicing daily. The preliminary
schedule opens March %, with the Wash
ington Americans. The Denver team will
hold its spring practice In Topeka, but no
games will be played between the two
teams If Topeka plays in the Western
league.
Cooley this afternoon wired TO Secretary
Farrell for a definite statement as TO To-
peka's standing, but has not received
reply however. He seems TO have some
inside information that Topeka Is in the
Western league and says that they will
have a good team To him the outlook for
the coming season looks very bright
TOPEKA, Kan, March I'D. g. Cooley.
manager and part owner of the Topeka
base ball club, returned to this city from
Hot Springs, .Ark, today. Cooley stated
that he was engaged in, securing players
club was not In that organization, regard
less OF the action of the Western associa-
ton club owners at the Kansas City meet
ing