Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-06

SIGNS TWO
SULLIVAN AND STANLEY JOIN
RANKS FOR 1908
other Midwinter Chat About the Big
Leaeuers and the Prospects for
tho Coming Diamond
Season

signed contracts of suter Sullivan and
Joe Stanley recently.
Sullivan reports that he has been spend
ing the time quietly in his Baltimore
home and that he Is enjoying the best
Of health. He also expressed the hope
that the players world all be on hand
when the practice season begins in the
spring, as he believes that lack OF con-
dition of some of the men had much to
do with the bad start the team made last
season. Sullivan will probably play first
base. In 1906 he was the leading first
baseman of the association, and is recog
nized as one of the best guardians of the
initial bag in minor league company.
He is not fast man. but he has re-
markable reach, and this enables him
ITO cover lot of ground. In addition to
this he has rare Judgment in anticlpat-
ing plays, making him a valuable man
on any team
Stanley says he is pleased to play in
Louisville another season, as last season
was the most enjoyable he has ever had
in baseball. He reports that he is TAX
ing OH weight, which is most desirable in
his case Stanley was too fine when he
reported for practice last spring, and
during the month of May he was sick
most of the time.
He played in nearly every game, but it
was simply because his team did not have
anyone to put in his place. Naturally,
his hitting took a sudden slump, and but
for his illness he would have been higher
up in the averages without doubt. The
Washington outfelder is one Of the great
est fielders in the business, and he will
no doubt prove bettr man for the team
next season than he did last.
81
the liveliest featpfe of the spring train
ing trip of the Giants will be the strug'
gle between Youth and Experience, with
Fred Merkle and the veteran Fred Tenny
as the contending factors Both of these
men want the position of first baseman,
and both will have to work for 1t. Nc
Graw says the man who makes the best
showing will have the job, regardless OF
race, religion or previous condition OF
servitude.
Tenny has the advantage over MeriSle
in every particular save one, and that is
ambition. The old Bostonian has faced
the fire of fourteen years, and is neither
gun-shy nor afraid OF his ability. And.
to tell the truth, Merkle is not much
afraid, at that.
ut is almost a pity to keep Merkie OIL
the bench" said Manager McGraw, for
he has in him all the elements OF a great
ball player, and he is anxious to make
good Still, will give him all the chance
he needs. Later developments will tell.
will make Merkle work hard In the
early months to bring him out. for l can
always rely on Tenney. He is always in
shape"
The Giants manager says Merkle will
have to go through a lot OF training be-
fore he is a first baseman OF big caliber.
He has been playing in the high schools
Of Toledo and has had but little ex-
perience in major league ball He is only
10 years old. In the fine points of the
game he is very green and raw, but Nc
Graw will attend to that. because tho
young fellow seems so determined to
learn.
Merl1le is six feet tall and a perfect
specimen of manhood In fact, the crit
les have adjudged him so perfect that a
noted sculptor is trying to engage him
to pose for a statue to be made Of a
representative of the diamond to be used
in conjunction with those Of other kinds
of athletes being placed on exhibition at
the University of Pennsylvania.
lone of Merkle's greatest points" says
McGraw, is his ability to throw to bases,
and maybe you think he can't shoot a
ball down there in a hurry. He whipped
them into Dahlen and Doyle so swiftly
last fall that many perfect throws were
dropped. He hits well. too"
j
Dave Altizer, the most popular player
on the Washington team, recently fell
victim to a pickpocket and was relieved
of his years savings.
In a letter to a friend Altizer narrates
the incident, which almost made him PEN
niless.
Aitizer, who had spent severals months
in Oklahoma, was on train going TO his
home in Ontario Cal. In his inside vest
pocket he carried $147O in large bills 1t
appears that he went to sleep In the Pull
man and when he awoke discovered that
he had been robbed. The alarm was
given, but several persons had left the
train at various stations where stops
had been made, and 1t is believed that the
thief, after getting Altizer's roll, left the
train.
Ever since the financial stringency be-
came evident Altizer has carried his saw
ings on his person, not wanting to take
any chances of having them tied up in a
bank. It was his intention to invest the
money in real estate at his home, but
when he arrived there he had nothing left
but some small change.
He SAYS the time he intended to spend
taking things easy he will now have to
put in at work, for he is DESTROYS to re-
trieve his loss.
The signed contracts for 1908 OF Cy
Young and Jesse Tannehill have been re-
ceived by Hugh McBreen OF the Boston
Americans.
The grand old man among the box art
lists mailed his contract from Paoli, o.,
whore he is spending the winter on his
farm. with {. contract was letter in
which he said he never felt better since
he began playing baseball, and that ne
would be ready for the real business when
the time comes.
Jesse Tannehill is spending most OF his
time this winter in Newport. Ky.
-
President George Dewey has about de-
cided to take the Boston National league
team to Augusta, Ga, for the spring
training.
Nearly every minor league club from
washington to Macon has asked for
spring dates with Soston, but President
Doyey will save all the railroad travel
possible as he returns north.
President Dovey, anticipating big
crowds, says that the bleacher in center
field win probably be erected on the Co
Iumbus avenue grounds In Boston mex