The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-13

| the first division. but they can't do 1t
| and again lose six games straight
| There are several other teams run
ming pretty g69d Taee 1e and se SSIa
homa City are going some right now
with the odds in favor OF the Nets.
With the addition of Jack Love the
| Nets infield is better than at any time
| this season and Hoffer helps out in the
pitching department. Hutchinson
| knows how to hit the ball and Arm
strong has a we'll balanced team al
| though they are crippled somewhat at
| the present time. When the team will
play ball and some of them deport
themselves in a more gentlemanly
manner the fans OF the town are for
them, but when they lose games and
the captain is put out of the game
every day or SO the fans don't approve
Of the bunch. Here's hoping they
trounce LeavenWorth.
Milan has left for Washington,
where he will try for place on the
outfield of the Nationals in the Amer
is an adept at handling himself in the
outfield. He is also easy to handle
and is willing to learn. There is that
much in his favor. However, the
jump to the big league Is a long one
and it will be pretty hard for Milan,
brilliant though he may be in this
brush, to make good in the American
league. His fielding will put him in
Clip he may be the sort of a player
Joe Cantillon wants. He is very popu-
lar in the Western association and has
lots of friends among the players and
the fans who would like to see him
make good.
Dudley Risley, the former lola and
Oklahoma City player and manager,
who is we'll known among the Western
association fans. has again broken in
this league after having been banished
| to the obscure town of Fort Smith in
the o. A. K. league. Risley is now the
manager of the Springfield team and
If baseball in that city, dead though it
NAV be, does not take on a boom we
miss our guess. Dud was never very
popular any place as a player, but as
a manager he always had his teams
working and they were always in the
race. He has taken some of his Fort
Smith players to Springfield with him,
among them George Graves, and the
team ought to be somewhat rejuven-
ated. Nothing would help the Ozark
town more right now than winning
team.
A job as a baseball magnate in the
Western association must not be a
very popular job. Four franchises are
now reported to be for slllN First of
all the Topeka franchise has been re-
ported to be on the market. President
Heyman of Oklahoma City is weary
| of the continuous annoyances which
come to baseball teams and is anxious
| to sell. Leavenworth is also reported
for sale as is Springfield, both of
which have deteriorated in value be-
cause of poor teams. Whoever buys
| Springfield or Leavenworth wants to
| be careful. as those teams may not be
In the Western association next sea-
| son.
From Oklahoma City comes the re-
| port that Warren Gill, Johnny Pendry
| and Robert Bandy have all been sold
| to the Detroit team in the American
| League. They are all good men in
this league but will have their troubles
| when they get higher. Even Bandy
! may lose his smile.
The Bartlesville management offer
| ed the sale Of Pitcher Cheney to the
| dollars but the Joplin management
| turned the offer down. Cheney was
considered a good enough pitcher by
Joplin but was not worth that much.
The Joplin team has changed man
agement. A. J. Baker has bought out
| the interest of Howard Murphy and
will run the team in the future as he
now owns practically all of the stock
| of the team. 1t is stated that a shake
up in the team will be made which
will eliminate in the release of Man
ager Armstrong who is the handspring
of the whole team. If Army is let out
the management will likely be given
to Dick>Rohn. Four players are to be.
released although their names have
not been made public as yet.
Harvey Witt, local amateur
pitcher in the northeastern part of the
state, has been signed by Burlington
in the Iowa State league and is to get
a trial with Des Moines this fall, He