Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-06
COM|SKEY HAS BIC
GAPS TO FILL
White Sox Veterans Talk OF
Retiring, and Task
Will Be Hard.


complies change and alteration nc mad
T., thu. organization" How manr az them
ere going to quit" And if they como
back nov Ear viii They have rstrogrsded
through = winters layoT aud the. advanc'
80 age Mud II Toy don't com" hack
vno ,.au Hu thcr p,lc"s. aud how vii
tho hid players make ont in the shoes al
the veterans"
In all tn" hiS circuits there IL not an
ether team "f the sixteen So dubious sno
uncertain as the White Son "f i:@n. II j.
at this time of writing impossible I" even
make - guess Ut the makeup OF the cum
No other team contains s" many veterans
who say they are GUinS III giv" up INC
same. M other team contains 80 inaIN
old warriors who are right on the NerS'
uf HaSbeen lane aud just about IL Siid,
over into the down grad The whole
team is u mystery. So is its future
Makeup of Team Uncertain.
The Sox may come up 20" nc 1909 cam
paigu in splendid alapc. AMI INT In stay
on top Of the procession all through the
season. OR they may turn UP 50 badly
Iiddled that they can only fight Eamsi>
To the END, with small hope of gaining
any flags, ONE thing has always helped
the team-it has been made UP OF the
gameSt puCkiest kind of players. Nerve
aud game fighting have carried the club
when il seemed to have no chance at all
and nervg may do the trick again.
The absolute uncertainty that prevails
as tn tho personnel of the team makes
tho fans tidget agonizingly, and also
makes tomiskey's task a doubly hard
one. Here is how the older players of the
club stack UP right now:
Sullivan. catcher Backbone or the
team. and one Of its most important fac
tors. Most probable. manager in case of
retirement of Jones. Has recently come
irto - fortune, and is doubtful about re-
turning TO duty. Is a fairly safe asset
however.
NHrock pitcher Seems to have reached
tho end. Has A few brilliant flashes, but
can n" longer work as often as in the
past His place is hard to FILL rough.
game Ieft-handcrs of his pattern are
scarce.
Owen. pitcher Excepting that he is
rjght-handed, the observations on Altrock
fit his case exactly. Has been of great
value. but seems to be All through.
White. pitcher. Is showing no signs or
r"troCradinc. and can be counted on for
next season.
Smith. pitcher Is most valuable
hurler. but of a strange sulky DISPOSE
ton. and anxious to get away from the
team. May be traded.
Walsh. pitcher Is not only a king of
pitchers but is just blooming into his
grandest form, and should be better next
YEAR than this
did performer on the base and good
hatsman. his health appears to have de-
serted him. Should he fail to regain his
strength, he will be of little value next
season.
Good Any Old Place.
Isbeli. first or second baseman. Is still
a most valuable al-round player. and a
cngery fellow who keeps the fighting up
L the gamest pitch. Izzy is most anX-
ious 10 get out of fast company. as he
thjnfs he can make his Wichita team a
gold raine His return is most doubtful.
Davis. second baseman. Has been in
the big leagues nineteen years. and is
slowing up. p aged some fine ball, WITH
timely hits and good headwork. during
past season, but is almost done He also
has a ch snce to manage minor league
team ard his return is therefore uncer-
tain.
Parent. shortstop. Did his best this
year. bat has weakened a great deal at
the bat. and. his legs are always apt to
20 back on him. Will return to duty,
but must have a handy understudE al
WAYS available.
Tannehil third baseman. Is still d
marvel at ground covering, and has even
improved his batting Of late. but IS -anx-
ious TO get a minor league team and To
dcpart from Chicago. Will probably ba
back in the spring.
Hahn, right fielder Is at his best these
daya. showing great Improvement in the
field, and some lever batting VIII be
back all right.
Dougherty. left fielder. Played his best
game in several years last season, show
ing better work in all departments. Talks
some of retiring, but will no doubt re-
turn.
Jones. manager captain and center
fielder. His return is more than dubious.
and those who know him best say that
mis- time he will actually quit for good.
IL y yA1.,n he. out
field. while his batting and baserunning
were better this year than usual
IL derson. extra fielder and first base
man. Hardest lons-range hitter on the
team. but beginning to slow up some
with years. VIII presumably De back all
right.
Some May Not Return.
II can be seen. by reviewing these vet
o.aus that some of them are not likely
!" come back; others. if they return. are
about all in. and that The team is al
most sure 10 bc disabled. How about
rhe young undersiudics o. the club and
live men who sat on the bench during
tIr-s campaign?
bs"C S,.nrcck. catcher. a seasoned vet
rrau. added To the team at tne close is a
V.;luahie relief man for sullivan. and the
club IL stronger in the catching depart
mert than since Ed Mcfarland was with
them Shaw and Weaver. though vet
Grams AND well on in years proved dis
appointments in 1905
Louis fieuc. pitcher. who comes hack
Ia the SoX every year for Il little while,
ha> had lot of trials. but does not seem
reach the big league quality.
.iakcy AtZ. utility. though "A great hitter
ga the minors, did not bat up TO the 200
mark FOR the SoX. Ills fielding very
capable and he looks good enough to keep.
Fat the SoX must have another man, and
better one if possible, ready for emer-
CenCies
Billy furtell. utility, a whale in the
little leagues. but couldn't bat a lick IN
tie few games he played for the SoX. lie
died very well. See remarks on AtZ-
they nt him. too.
How about the new men. in whom seems
rest more hope and more responsibility
than III former Years? Has Commy ac-
h" chronicles"
Good New Men Signed
From records aud the opinions of critics
wro have seen them, Commy has really
obtained some good, lively boys. He has
quite a shoal OF unknowns, but those W Inc
seem most attractive are Owens, catcher
base. and Zeidler. infield
Owens is "A hard -hitting fast working
catcher. who looks Ike real winner and
may fit in finely third catcher for 1900
Such youngster is assureoly needed
Lang and Miller are Wisconsin League
pitchers. Although the class of their it'll.