The Washington herald., 1908-02-03
KAY TO MINNEAPOLIS
Reported that King Bill Will
Go to the Minors.
IN NEED OF EXPERIENCE
Big Fellow Made Great Record as
Hitter Last Season, but He Was
So sadly Lacking in Fielding that
He VIII Probably BE Given OppOr-
tunity to Work OF Rough Edges.

Although Joe Cantillon has not yet
officially sanctioned the deal. the Mime
apOlis papers have come out with the
announcement that King BIZ Kay, of
the Nationals. will play at Minneapolis
next season.
AS a hitter, Kay was one of the sensa>
tons of the American League last year.
While with the Martinsburg (W. Va
team the big fellow made a great repu-
tation, and when Cantilon's attention
was called 10 Kay's work, the manager
lost no time in getting the player within
the fold. AT that time it was Cantillons
intention 10 give him a short try-out and
then ship him to some fast minor league
TO be developed. However, from the out
set King Bill" showed wonderful ability
as hitter. and hammered out safeties
at such an alarming clip that at the
end of the season he stood second among
the batters Of the league. with an average
of .353 for twenty-five games.
As fielder, however, Kay was a fail
ure. He has considerable speed for a
big man, but was so inexperienced that
he had poor Judgment in going after fly
balls, and in base-running was equally
aS weak
Canullon figures that a season in the
American Association will wear off Kay.s
rough edges and then he Will be primed
for a career in fast company. One thing
IS assured that If Kay goes to Mime
apolis, the deal will be so arranged that
he can be brought back TO Washington
whenever he shows that he is sufficiently
experienced 10 make good in the major
league.
George Rohe. the hero Of the famous
White Sox-Cub series Of 1906. is 70 pass
out Of the big league, The man who won
fame in minute is TO join the minor
league ranks
There is no finer fellow playing ball
to-day than George Robe. but he is far
from being the favorite with the White
Sox cans that he was at the close Of the
worlds series. which ne helped 10 win
ia "a large measure. Last season Rohe
didn't have a good year He lost several
games in important series by slipping up
ON hard chances and the once Iauded
player became the object of the anvil cho-
rus. The criticism handed Rohe made
his work worse, as it always does and
the white-haired utility player appeared
10 have lost heart.
According 10 the Chicago officials RObe
is slated for q berth IN the American As
sociauon. It Is hiuted that he will sue
ceed Ed Greminger at third base for
Minneapolis Lee CULLEN is regarded as
being better PLAYER than Rohe and the
addition Of Freddy Parent makes the re-
tention Of Rohe unnecessary
II ROhe passes out OF the American
League he viii take with him a record
that VIII probably never be equaIed. AL
though supposed 20 be only utility
player, he took part Ia III games last
year, just thirteen less than the Chicago
team played He fell of badly in his hit
ting. averaging only .2l3 for the season.
Rohe played thirty-nine games at second
base and tielded 80; be worked in sew
enty-three games at third base and had
a fielding record Of .S9S. at shortstOp he
performed best, fielding s22 in twenty
nine games.
First base was the only position in the
infeld that he didn't play, due TO the
fact, no doubt, that Donohue performed
in every game. Injuries to Davis. Tame
hill, and Isbeu necessitated the playing
Of all three positions by Robe.
The practice Of nearly all the major
league clubs in taking twenty or more
players South in the spring is causing
some opposition. Frank De Hass Robi-
son, of the St Louis Nationals. one of
r-a
mates, has this to say on the subject:
Every club in the big leagues carries
too many men, and also takes too many
untried players South in the spring. In
my opinion, sixteen players are enough
for any club to carry throughout the
year, and except I'm rare instances. that
number should be enough for auv club
10 take 10 the training camp There is
no sense in taking half a dozen or more
unknowns down South. The chances are
that where three or four men are being
tried out for one position, the worst one
Of the lot will be retained. for it may be
that he Will show up a little better than
the others in the spring, while the dis
card VIII prove his superiority later on"
Baseball fans who have been living in
the White SoX team the coming season
and fill in his old place at second base |
will have cause for grief when they learn |
positively that Issy of bald-head fame
will not return TO Chicago in 1908.
In a letter to Chicago friends, he SAYS /
Il see several Of the newspapers are
limiting that I will be back in the fold /
next spring. OF course, they all. per /
haps, think I will be there because 1t is !
such a common occurrence for ball play /
crs to quit in the fail and then fight to 1
get the first uniform that is given out in /,
the spring. If I was going TO scrap for a |
uniform it would certainly be one with a /
big c on il. l am sure If were to look /
around and see myself in any kind of /
uniform except the white and blue, I /
would run from myself Ny intentions {
now are just as they were last fall. only /
a little more so, for / certainly am going /
10 stay in Wichita. Nothing short of a 4
salary higher than TyTus Cobb wants /
would tempt me, and I would not ask
my old friend COmmy for that as l am /
friend of his and am positive he would /
fall dead. ! am not working for more
money, Ny heart will always he with 1
those old boys with the White Sox and
every time they lose one game you can
bet there is an old boy in Wichita who
feels just as bad as they DO. I'll bet
Fielder Jones will miss me when coming
in from the grounds after losing a game.
as I would never allow him to be down
hearted. and I made it a point TO keep
g sHrF.F F.-.R rat.s-