The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-18
COLUMBUS CAST OFFS
Will Materially Strengthen
the Lima Team.
Manager 0'Day Has Four Big Holes
to Fill up but He is Pretty Sure
to Turn the Trick.

pOI anu HbulO Oub NhS wv" N'0
the Ohio state league 1t looks as
though Marions chances are about
as good or better than any others.
Last year, it will be remembered, the
sport writer's over the circuit could
not see the Diggers for the trees.
Somewhere in the second division,
perhaps last, is about the Jspot
selected for the Diggers last year but
ODay spilled some of the dope when
he got away good and led the league
for the greater part of the journey.
Il was not the fault OF the man
ager that his players did not stand
up under the furious pace in the Ohio
state league Playing every day and
doubling up many times during the
season was pretty strenuous for sea-
soned veterans as well as young
bloods. Several Of the most reliable
of the Diggers fell by the wayside
during that hot race and down went
Marion as a result. Try as hard as
he could, once the Diggers got onto
the toboggan, they were not feared
as of old and the manager could not
bring them back into their former
stride. Had he been able to do so
there would be a different tale to tell
at the close. But Marion fans were
pretty we'll satisfied. The club fin
ished third and was only passed by
Lima and Lancaster. Limas margin
was a small one and had not AL
Wilmot failed during the last six
weeks and quit the team, Lima would
have taken Marion's dust.
But all that happened last year and
is history. The fan occasionally
likes to delve into the past for old
disappointments and old honors won
and laid aside. He would rather,
especially at this time of the year,
delve a bit into the mystic future and
seek to bring forth little light on
what's to be and what's not to be.
Marion does look good for the COM
ing year, better in fact than at the
start OF last season. Tate, Ketter,
LaRue and Burk will be missed. Four
classy players like those would be
missed from any minor league team,
but there have been some additions
TO the team which may in a measure
make us forget those heroes of the
past. Then other Ohio state league
teams lost men fully as valuable as
the Marion quartet. Take the
Lanks, for instance. White, Justus
and Heller all gone to better COM
pany. The Lank's loss Is greater than
that of the Diggers. Other Staters
have suffered too, and the manager
who proves to be the best builder,
seems to have the pennant call.
That is true with perhaps one ex-
ception, Lima. Almost intact the
Lima club will commence the new
season. Lee FohI will strengthen
the club behind the bat. Jimmy
Jackson will not be with the team,
Out It Is quite likely that most OF the
Columbus players, taken back last
fall will be again sent to the Stogies.
With Parsons, Garyey, Pickett, Linke
and the others, the Stogies will have
a strong pitching staff. 1t Is probable
that any weak spots will be bolstered
by Columbus cast-ofis. Lima looks
better than most Of the Staters.
lancaster cannot possibly repeat
this year unless George Fox proves
himself a more resourceful manager
than he ever has before. The vet
eran has some hard work before him
and he will be lucky to land the
champs in better than third or
fourth place.
Portsmouth is no longer to be a
job club. They are eerious down
there now, and Billy Doyle is being
given every help in getting together
fast team. Mansfield will not be
as strong a batting club as last year
but the Tigers are always danger
Gus, and should the hitters left on
the team get to swiping the pill con
slstently instead of in punches. Tim
Floods crowd will be hard to head
off.
Newark has given Homer Davidson
a fought proposition. Lelly WepD
Gygll, Kaler and one OF two Others
will not be with the team. Even
with those men, Newark had its trou
bles last season, and now with the
best ones gone, the Molders ask for
championship club. Homer'll have tC
hurry He has good outhelc
though without half trying Snyder
Abbott and Bob Quinn, providing thu
latter gets into shape, will make {
speedy trio and dangerous in The
field as we'll as on the bases.
But It's an even bet that MarioI
with It's big squad win uncover
good one or two, and with Genera
Harmony In control and good stead!
work, the Diggers should romp homl