Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-15
Nebraska, 2, Haskell. 5, Errors: Ne
braska, 2; Haskell. 4. Umpire: Howell
AUBREY MAY COME BACK
Pa Rourke Goes TO Cincinnati Go
Try His Pull with Clark
Grimth.

Pa Rourke, president and owner OF the
Omaha Western league team, left Tues
day night for Cincinnati to try to get
Aubrey to I'LL out the hole in the Omaha
team. The Chicken made a gallant fight
for the position Of first base on the Reds,
but was nosed out by Hoblitzel. who is
Of about the same caliber as Chicken. but
who had the advantage of having played
with Cinci last fall and making good.
While Pa Rourke has had no encourage
ment from Clark Griffith. manager of the
Reds. he has taken the trip in the hope
OF securing Aubrey for this year at least.
The first base position on the Omaha
team is up In the air. LeBrand, a sub.
catcher. is now filling the job. but he
lacks the experience of Chick and cannot
hit as well. Chick was the best hitter
in the western league last year and spent
most of the season at the top OF the
Western league batting list.
The case of. Aubrey is a most peculiar
one. He has made good in CINCINNATI. in
fact he has more than made good. but the
proposition does not end there. Hoblitzel
was last years first baseman. He. too,
had made good, and while not a higher
grade player than Aubrey. is as high.
Why. then, should Clark Griffith throw
off an older man for a newer when the
two were about on par SO far as their
playing goes?
other Big Teams Need Him.
But Griffith may never let Rourke have
Aubrey back. Other big league teams
would undoubtedly give snug sums for the
Chicken. Several of them have first base
men not anywhere near as good as Aubrey.
So far as Aubrey personally is concerned,
II was unfortunate for him that he was
not bought by one Of these other teams
that needed a first baseman and not Gin
cinnati. which had "a corking good one.
Pas chief claim lies in the fact that
Cincinnati, which bought him, was to pay
over a certain sum of money by May
or return the player. He thinks that claim
will take precedence over any demand
made by an outside team. Yet Griffith
may simply hand Pa the money and keep
Aubrey.
In that case Pa will depart for other
big league cities in search of a big league
first baseman. He has the promise of
Roger Bresnahan that he can have a
chance at any surplus material that might
be available from the st. Louis Nationals,
and he also has the promise of Murphy,
president of the Chicago Nationals, that
he may have a player or two from that
team. This trip of the president Of the
Omaha team may in a way seal the fate
of Omaha in the base, ball world this
year.
In the first place, Pa relied upon the
magnificent record Hobby made last fall
and fully expected to get Aubrey back.
Aubrey, however, surprised them all and
for a time It loo&d as though he would
crowd the crack first baseman Of the Gin
cinnsti team out Of his job. Clark Grif-
fifth wrote Rourke not to expect Aubrey.
Several Tried Out.
Eberleln was signed and he was touted
as one of the best prospects of the year.
Eberlein. however. is an ambitious youth
and preferred to finish his term at school
than to play ball for $500 a month, and
wired Pa that he could not report until
late in June.
Claire was tried, and while he fielded
well. he could not hit quite fast enough,
and to cap 1t all turned an ankle, which
put him out of the running.
Captain Frank returned with REPORTS of
a wonderful first baseman in California
who had hit ali all winter against all the
crack pitchers of the west. Long Bath
was sent for. He cost Pa over 500, but
proved a failure. While he could hit, he
was about the most awkward player ever
seen on Vinton street park.
Graham is back in the game and the
pitching staff is working fine, with San
ders yet to report; but first base is open.
If Pa can get Aubrey back the fans will
take heart and expect Omaha to start at
the top and stay there.