Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-05-30
AS Seen By SPORTING EDITOR OF
SEATTLE Times.
Has Strongest Pitching Staff in the
Northwest League, and All Play a
Steady Game. Manager Brown is
COmpIimented for Utility. Nber-
deem Gets Valuable Advertising.

deem Gets Valuable Advertising.
The Aberdeen baseball team is secnr-
ing more value in advertising for tlis
city than it costs several times over. Its
games and splendid playing are noted in
the press all over the Pacific Coast, aud
in the sporting papers of the East. The
following extract is from a two-column
article in a recent issue of the Seattle
Morning Times.
The sporting editor of the Times went
over to Tacoma last week to see the Alb
erdeen and Tacoma teams play, and after
seeing these two top-liners perform, he
ventures the prediction that these clubs
will he in the running all season and
that the Seattle team will have to hustle
hard all the way to finish with them.
'It seemed like a visit to the Seattle
bench to greet the lads who are wearing
Aberdeen uniforms this season. There
was Julie Strelb, wearing his fat ankles
and an expansive smile Deacon Van
Ruren. looking a good deal more serious
than he feels; Eddie Householder, with
smile on his face before the game and
a scowl after the umpire yells play ball; :
Dode Brinker, the former University OF
Washington star football player; Jack
Hickey, the old iavorte; Gene Mahon,
Seattle boy; Dick Boettiger, who
caught his first league ball in this town,
and Andy Anderson, who used to play
second base for Dugdale.
"The Aberdeen bunch play a nice
steady game, but their chief strength lies
in the pitching staff In Brinker, ilig-
ginbotham and Starkels, Manager Brown
has three giant right handlers, good
enough for any minor league club in the
country. In addition he has Jack
Hickey, the peer of any minor league
left handler when he is right, and Tonne
son, one of those untamed southpaws
who scares batter to death with his
speed and lack OF control.
''But it is in Dode Brinker that the
Seattle fans will note the greatest change.
This big, quiet, modest young fellow is a
sure enough pitcher this year. When
he was tried on. by Russ Hall couple
OF years ago, he used to get set in an
awkward position when men were on
bases, and they got big lead on him.
He has cut that all out now, and his arm
seems more timber and has more snap
to it than in years gone by. The result
is that he whips the ball in like bullet,
and has the finest kind of control. The
three umpires in this league, klopf, Ma
haffey and Ehret, are all old pitchers
They have all worked behind Brinker
and each one OF them has told the writer
that Dode is big league material right
now. He has not been hit hard in any
game this season, and as he takes the
best OF care of himself and is in the finest
kind OF shape. he will be a winner.
"No team in this league has anything
to compare with it. Butte has Garvin,
a top.notcher, AMI Hoon, very promis-
ing youngster; Tacoma has two sterling
box men in Dellar and Claflin, with
steady old Ike Butler pitching about the
same kind of ball every time out. Seattle
has very fair performers in Rush, Allen
and Mack, with Walsh not doing as we'll
as he should, and Coy yet to show his
speed. Spokane has an average lot OF
pitchers with Osburn looking the most
promising. Great things are expected of
big Ericsson when he gets right, however.
Ia Nelson, Vancouver has lad of prom
ise if he can once get confidence in HIM
self and pitch the game out to the end OF
the string, but with the exception Of
Dellar, of Tacoma, and possibly Garvin,
of Butte, none OF the twirers mentioned
class with Higgnbotham, Brinker and
Starkells for every day work.
"The Aberdeen team will starte no
one by the brilliancy Of its fielding, nor
is it the best hitting team in the league,
but with first-cass pitcher in the box
every day, that team will not have to
make many. runs to win. Manager
Brown used rare good judgment in spend
ing most of his rnoney for good pitchers,
though at that Brinker is not getting as
much as the quality OF his work deserves.
"In Red Brown, the manager, the
Aberdeen team has one of the best
utility men in the business. Seattle fans
know how he can play the outfeld, but
they will have to see him at work to ap.
preciate what a swell catcher and in
fielder he is. Red could not hit the
Pacific ocean with handful of shot. but
he is so full of pepper, and plays so hard
all the time to win, that folks forget all
about his weakness with the stick"