New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-01-24
rONTR4CTS COMING IN.
Baseball Wakes Up and Fans and
PIouers Are Sh0zoing Life.

r,.,, marks the turning point in the athletic
year for the coming month baseball players ana
followers alike crawl out OF their winter quarters
ond the great national game takes a new lease on
No. E,xarvtbing buzzes and huns and rainbow
forecasts are made by every one who has ever
seen Mike Donin steal home with the score ted'
or Hal Chase tag a man out at first base or Inn
Jordan knock a hole in the Brooklyn right field
fence The teams go South next month Hope runs
hish In the breasts of all, and there Will he No
LET IN in the interest until the final game Is played
next October.
Already the players. who spread out all over
the country are coming to life The New YORK
Baseball Club is receiving signed contracts from
the Giants Fred Tenney, the veteran first base
man who played remarkable ball last year. has
returned his contract with a letter. in which he
SAYS he is IN good condition and ready to do his
part to help win the pennant this year Fred
Nerkle who failed touch second base in a
game last year. which made baseball history and
lost the Giants the pennant has signed his con-
tract, which gave him boost In salary and
brought a letter from John McGraw telling him
that he deserved the raise
Christopher Mathewson. the best pitcher Of them
all who has been writing insurance during the
winter, has turned in his contract and will earn
even more money than he did last year Big Six
will teach the Harvard pitchers some of the mystic
ries the fadeaway and other twtrling receptions
during the spring. Last year he was az west
Point
Joe McGiniity. "the iron man" the hero OF many
a desperate battle. will be missing from the Polo
Grounds this The veteran with his odd
SAL has struck the Inevitable chute. and the
of his days will be spent among the minors In
his prime 1.-The iron man. had superior, and
many time he did than his share of work
Luther Taylor, known tic every man "the
Dummy" and the clown Of the New York team. got
no contract this year. AS a pitcher he failed 20
help much last season, but side attraction he
was second to none THE Dummy always the
first man pointed out by the casual attendant at
the Polo Grounds.
Captain Mike is still out the road stealing
home" he'll get there in plenty of time for the
opening game. His debut in vaudeville has been
profitable venture. Mike is big attraction the
diamond and before the footlights. But he realizes
that his bat brings him in the money and he doesn't
intend to desert baseball for the stage
been transferred to st. Louis. He will head the
Cardinals. Roger will undoubtedly be a big loss
before the season is over, for he is OF iron
and did the. work of catchers las year In his
place the fans will Schlei. Cincinnati back
stop, who is not the type of player as Roger.
He is steady but not brilliant man.
The contracts will keep pouring into the New
York Baseball Club headquarters all during this
week, and before next Sunday most of the men will
have signed up. Final arrangements for the South
ern trip are about completed and by the end Of
February all the Giants will be down in Texas