The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-22
BASEBALL TALK.
Cooley Begins the Task of
Signing Players.
Red" Craig is Added to the
Pitching Staff.
GETS A YOUNG ONE.
O'BannOn of Louisville Another
Twirler Secured.
Speculation About Those Who
Will Return.

Il am spending all of my time now In
trying to get together baseball team
which Will be credit to Topeka next
season." said Dick Cooley, owner of the
Topeka White Sox, to a State Journal
reporter this morning. II think that
with what have under reserve from
last season and with the deals I now
nave under way, that it will be but
short time until can announce a team
which think will eclipse anything in
the Western Association next season,
Wichita not excepted"
And just as a starter in order to show
that he had done something already.
although it is but about ten days since
he secured the exclusive control of the
team, Cooley stated that he had Sc
cured the signature Of Red Craig, a
pitcher well known in the Western As
ISOLATION, to a contract for 1908. Craig
has been in the Western Association
for several seasons. In 1905 he pitched
about two-thirds Of the season and led
the pitchers. The next season he got
away to the bad on account of. poor
health but then managed to more than
break even on the season with the Jop--
lin team. His pitching and that of
Blaine Durbin will be remembered as
the two elements that kept the inferior
Joplin team fighting Topeka up until
a few days before the end of the season
of 1906.
Craig has always been a high priced
man." says Cooley. He wants plenty
of money for his work and if he can
get it he will pitch good ball. Other
wise he isn't near the pitcher. Last
season he played on an Independent
team up north where he received all
he asked. He pitched good ball. I think
he will make winner next season He
is young and has the art of pitching
down to a fine science"
h. oil dv To- a
slice of advance salary which will in
sure his reporting here next spring.
Another young pitcher has been sign
ed in the person of O'Bannon. who
halls from Louisville. O'Bannon has
not had much experience but is big
and strong and has a world of ammuni-
ton up his salary wing. Cooley saw
him work last summer and thinks he Is
a conner. Cooley's judgment in such
matters, too, is worth a whole lot. =
The others pitchers will be Jones and
Arnold Halla may be here If he doesn't
make good at Louisville. If he does
Cooley gets a big bunch of money for
him. However If Halla stays the big
leader of the Topeka team says he VIII
be more than elated as it will round
out one of the best pitching StaHS IN
the association. -s
Cooley has several other deals on at
the present time. One, of them is for
an outfielder and this deal will proba-
bly, come to a head within a few days
The season will open in Topeka this
year March 81. There is chance for
game with the Spx for March 26.
At that time the Chicago White
Sox will be here making this
point one of their stops. on a long
tour. over this section Of the country
Denver will play here March %,
20 and possibly March 80.
Cooley is working to get good sched-
ule Of ante-season games. A trip Will
be arranged which will include tour
Of the eastern cities In the western
League, one which will be similar to
the trip taken two years ago when
Cooley was at the head
Other Western association teams
are getting busy signing up for next
season. Jay Andrews, the popular
manager of the Hutchinson team is
| working in Hutchinson this winter.
collecting for a gas company. Be-
tween times he is signing players AL
ready he has twelve pitchers. some
of them right handlers and the rest
southpaws. Among the latter are
Jimmy Cravens, formerly with Tope-
ka, Lefty Holmes, Bakule. Atchison
and Kelly. The northside wheelers
are: Arensdorf. Willis, Sizemore,
Green, Pope, Baumhart and McIn-
mis- McInnis, however, will not be
get into training and stay there. Jay
has signed three catchers, Zearfoss.
Siegle and Moore. Randolph is a
new outfielder and Stoffer new in
fielder. Jay says he isn't through
yet. A-
The Oklahoma City team Is rum
ming under different regime this
season. The stockholders of last
season have for the most part sold
out and new officers have been elect
ed this season. Charles Mcfarland,
who gave such good satisfaction as
manager last season, was not re-
| engaged for the coming season be-
cause of pecuniary reasons. Jack
| Mcconnell who managed the Terre
Haute team last season will hold the
reins next season. No new players OF
note have been signed and the press
| of the new state metropolis is pulling
| for the management to get busy. II
| they do they will probably have g
good team. Otherwise they won't be
dangerous as they lose several good
| men.
| Springfield will be under the dicta-
torship of bud Risley next season