The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-25
ARE WARMING UP
Topeka Ball Players Get Down
to Work.
Old Faces Are Still i'm the
Lineup.
TRY TO MAKE GOOD.
Team Will Carry Two Catchers
This Year.
RY To MAKE GOOD.
Two Former Pitchers Will At
tempt to Hold Places.

The practice season proper for this
White Sox is now here. Today the
Dali players who are anxious to make
| positions on the local team are drop.
! ping into Topeka from all directions
and are all anxious and ready to have
a trial at making good. To the aver
age ball player job with the Cooley
crows al the present time is a pretty
desirable proposition on account of the
| advancement into the Western league
where Topeka properly belongs. Nc
| longer Will the fans have to put uI
with the tactics of rowdyism which
casions when teams like Wichita and
| others quit the field, play the baby act
| and then not have to pay the fine for
+ mally issued on such occasions by the
| now in a league where there Is real
ball playing and where the traits OF
bush leagues are at a discount All
| ball players in the Western league are
sportsmen and most of them know
how to behave themselves on the
field. For this reason in addition to
playing in faster company, most ball
players are glad of the opportunity to
tryout with the local bunch.
Although Cooley has been greatly
handicapped all winter in getting his
men together on account of the dubi-
GUS status of the Topeka team, a
glance at the bunch who are signed
IN for the spring practice will show
an imposing array of baseball talent
from which team as strong as the
average Western league team can be
selected.
There are some players of course
who will stick but there are also some
who will have to go and perhaps be
gobbled up by the Western assoc1a-
ton. Who will be the ones to stay is
the question which is just now per-
iny he mo fnr ~ a "a ne a ~
Is also the topic for discussion when
ever two fans meet.
In the Western league two catchers
will be needed. There are three who
would like to make good on the To-
peka bunch. Henry. who has played
in Topeka two seasons, Lands, who
came in from the shortgrass and made
a good showing last season, and KEEL
sey. recently purchased from the ST.
Paul American association team. COM
pose the trio. From the dope 1t
would seem that Kelsey would have
little edge on the others although his
work has never been seen in Topeka
Henry, If he is able to display his
form of 1905, as he says he will do this
season. will be a hard man to beat.
lands has not had the experience OF
some of the other catchers and for
that reason his efforts while they may
show great form will be at a discount.
). AT the present time it would seem that
Kelsey and Henry would get to alter
For pitchers there are several good
men who will tryout. Halla and Nc
Innis of last years team, besides the
new men. Disch, Moore. Jones and
couple of others who are receptive
candidates for positions will try out.
OF the last years men Halla stands
the best show. Halla ranked second in
the league last season and is in much
better shape this year than he has
ever been before. Whether McInnis
stays or not will have to be decided a
good deal by the form which the other
men show. or the new men, Jones is
probably the best. He has had lots
of experience and as he has pitched
in the coast leagues all winter he will
be in form right from the start. Moore
and Disch, if the advance dope which
has been furnished is any criterion to
their ability, should prove good men.
Five pitchers will in all probability be
carried in which case McInnis will
make the bunch.
There is only one candidate for first
base and that is Cooley. His ability
Is well known and any comment on his
chances of making good showing in
this position in the Western League is
For the other infield positions there
seems to be a scarcity of Western
League calibered men at the present
time, although Cooley has COUPLE of
other inf1e1ders in view. Boles will play
short at which position he starred for
"a pidly rounding into form and will be |
a topliner by the time the season starts. |
For third, Runkin recently purchased
from Pa Rourke at Omaha, is the only |
one slated for the job at the present
time If the comment which has been
passed around through the press of the
Western League is to be believed the |
ocal management made a ten-strike |
when they purchased the veteran from
Omaha. From his showing last season |
MS success on the Topeka team is as
cured Mcbride, who has not played |
pail in fast company before, but who
S one of the most promising lads in
Oklahoma, and who comes highly rec
will be here today to-
morrow to convince that he should be
added to the Cooleycrow payroll.
Cooley, however. has another infielder
libbling at the bait which he will be
lble to land before many hours have
passed.
There are several men slated for a
ryout in the outer gardens. All of last
seasons outfielders will be here. Cole
md Davis have been here for some
ime and Hurlburt will be in from the
anch in a few Gays. Pennell, who