The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-27
One Of the Wichita Club Owners
Spreads Some Taffy.
Nhfnks the Players Who Have
Moved Up Are o. X.
NONE LIKE WEAVER.
Says He Was Head and Shout
ders Above Other Catchers.
Speer, Dick and Hetling Were
First-Class Men, Too.

Wichita, Dec. 27.-John Holland
one Of the owners of the Wichita
team has given out the following
breezy interview about his baseball
club.
II think our boys who go from
Wichita to the major leagues this
year are entitled to something-some-
sters in the cities to which they go
may be on the lookout for them. ]
don't pretend to say that they Will be
world-beaters, but L do say that they
are fit for fast company. and that
there is not one of them but should
make good. Wichita made something
of record this year, when it sent
eight men to faster company, seven to
major leagues and one to class A
company.
MILAN, who went to Washington
during the 1907 season, has won his
spurs. From what L can hear there
fstand the pace. More than that, I
make this prediction-before the sea-
son of 1908 is half over, he will be
recognized as one of the stars of the
wonder. He came to us during the
latter part of 1905. I found him in
Shawnee, Okla. He was green
'busher,' and about all he showed
derful speed. He was unlucky in
placing his hits. When he came back
in the spring. however. he was there
with the goods. He was as fast as
ever, and by diligent practice, he
learned the bunting game. This with
his ability to hit 'em hard when nee
essary, made him the hardest man
in this association to outguess. He is
willing to learn, and an easy man to
handle.
Becker, who was sold to Pittsburg,
is another fast one. He has had more
experience than Milan, but not in the
ter we sold Milan, when 1 switched
him to the outfie1d. He made good
from the start. He led this league in
batting, with an average which 1 am
better than the official averages show.
He is almost as fast, if not quite,
down to first as is Milan. He is
good bunter, and can hit the ball a
mile. He stands up to the plate well,
and all pitchers look alike to him.
With more experience, his base run
ming will improve, and he also will do
better in the outfield than he did this
year
Harley "Cy'' Young, the pitcher
whom Pittsburg bought from us, is
another good one. He has everything
that good pitcher should have. and
it was an easy matter for him to lea d
all others in this league last season.
He showed a lot of Improvement at
that, and is much better pitch er than
when st. Louis gave him a trial. He
is big and strong, and is willing
worker at all times. He pitched
games for us last season, when he |
should have been in bed. but he made
no kick-just did the best he could. |
which generally meant victory for |
Wichita. He lost but four games, one |
of which was thrown away in the last
inning after two men were out. He
won every game he pitched against
the Western 1eaguers in the spring /
series, and took three straight from |
the Omaha pennant winners last fall |
lob AZ nd l0lxf
Weaver, Comiskey has bought four |
as good players as ever went UP from |
a Glass c circuit. Speer is finished |
pitcher, who throws from the left side. |
and is in there working all the time |
All he needs is plenty of work He is |
willing and anxious to get out every |
day in the week. and if he doesn't
make good right off the reel viii be
the worst disappointed "dopester" in
the business. He was without a peer
in this circuit, when it came to field
stead, whom I bought from Springfield
for Comiskey. He is always in just
the right place to stop bad throw,
while 1t takes a mighty fast man to
get away with a bunt when he is
working right.
Dick, too, is a splendid pitcher.
though sickness during the early part
of the season makes his record for
number of games played seem short.
He is easy to handle. and has curve
ball that will have the best of them
breaking their backs. He has plenty
of speed, too
Hetling is one of the best batters
that ever graduated from the minors.
He hits the ball fair on the nose and
usually when he doesn't get hit it is
because some fielder was lucky
enough to be standing in the path
of the ball. He is above the average
as an infielder.
Buck" Weaver was the best
in this association. More than
that, he was head and shoulders above
all of them. 1 never saw player
show the Improvement that Weaver
showed over his form of couple or
years ago. The American leaguers
won't recognize him when he comes
out with Comiskey'S White SoX next
season. He is finished now. and he
Is as good a thrower as ever wore a
NIT. He showed a big improvement
In hitting, too. He batted close to the
900 mark, and many of his drives
were for extra bases. He won't be
drifting back to the minors very soon. ,
o..