The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-03-16

| OF MS MOik WHICH pSiha4hS W HNNi
ping the Dase-robbers.
AS CATCHERS BOTH iOOr
RIGHT NOW LIKE THE FINISHED
ARTICLE Both are chunks-stout.
hurly chaps who LOOK as IL they b.
able TO guard that home plate against
any assault. ana give as good as they
are asked 10 take. Stanage. II VIII oe
recalled. showed Detroiters he could
throw last fall. taking part several
times In the public practice of the
club. though he did not get into the
game. There is no question regarding
Beckendorf's heaving ability, when /,
is youched for by such judges as
Connie Mack. Freddie Payne and
Malachi Kittredge.
In size Stanage has slight adNant-
age, being nearly two inches taller
than Beck" The latter Is built a.
most exactly like Harry Bemis, or the
Cleveland club FacialIy he resembles
Hack" Spencer OF the Browns. as h.
looked before he got lar I'm accumulal'
ing that superhuous adipose tissue
which so hampered his work durlnS
the last two seasons.
Neither ST the catchers is much o.
batsman, and both have been tried
out in faster company than they kept
last year-Stanage with the St Louis
Nationals and Beckendorf with the
Providence and Toronto Eastern
league clubs. Both went back because
they failed 10 hit the ball often enough
for clubs that needed 10 have
catchers able To assist materially IN
this department Of the game.
Jennings figures that both the men
may have improved bit in stick WORK,
though neither accumulated much OF
an average last year. However, the
Tigers can stand some catching that
doesn't couple batting ability with the
backstopping. No other team is IA
vored with such wealth OF sluggers
in the other positions. If MESSRS.
BECKENDORF AND STANAGE CAN
THROW. CATCH AND WORK THEIR
NOODLES AS GOOD CATCHERS
SHOULD. THEIR BATTING SHORT
COMINGS WILL BE FORGOTTEN.
In speed-more particularly fieetness
Of foot-Beckendorf has IL all over the
man from the Golden West. The New
Yorker isn't any startled fawn. exact
ly. but he can leg off the distance be-
tween the plate and first at a right
rapid clip. His work on foul balls IS
also superior. Everything considered,
IL looks now as IL Beckendorf had a
shade the better Of the duel for the
premier catching Job, with Schmidt
temporarily barred.
Three new pitchers have done their
little stunts in the practice up 10 Date
in a way that gives very fair Idea or
what may be expected from each-
Works. "Bumpus' Jones and Speer
rank in that order, In what they have
shown US.
Works is sure TO be nicknamed
"Rube." He is one OF those tail, raw
boned fellows who suggest arcadlan
surroundings. even In uniform. Though
his home city Is Quincy. liL--or near
there, more likely--he has lived OF late
in the southwest, and most OF the tlme
outdoors. He is tanned To a brickreo
and gets redder yet when he becomes
we'll warmed up TO his work. Good
natured, like all OF the baseball ruoes'
he is nevertheless very careful or MS
physical well-being and Will never give
any trouble TO trainer or manager
by habits not properly deemed eu-
auette for an athlete.
SPEED is WHERE Mr.. WORKS
RESIDES. He can whirl that long.
bony whip about his head and crack
II with such vim that the ball lanos
In the catcher's mitt with report sug-
costing July and the most popular
method OF it's celebration. That fast
ball OF his has a jump at the hnlsh'
breaking in toward a right-handed pat
ter and big Ralphie can put II about
! - 40 already
| From what Works has shown us
down here IL looks as II the big CUES
ton will come with him when he faces
the taunts Of the hostile Indians on
the coaching lines. II ne succeeds IN
maintaining his aplomb and will pay
reasonable amount Of attention TO the
runners on the bases when such are
there. Works is very likely to develop
some day into something mucn more
useful than A nornine-practice pitcher,
| Though Astounding In confidence al
the start Works is not quite so cocky
since he has seen the Stun that VII
lett Summers. Mullin and Suggs nave
at their disposal. Also some ba''lhE
feats nv !. Crawford and others, per
formed in spite of that Jumping, iasl
ball ~ his. may have arected ms
serenity. At any rate ne quit Hsui-
ing when the Tigers will go round me
eastern circuit for the second time ah1
confided to one OF his newly-found
friends the fact that II he didn't sue,
coed in making the team. he would
prefer being placed in the Eastern
/ league.
WORKS is a right good fielder and
hits like bush-league regular
There isn't a particle OF change IN
"Bumpus" Jones the Oxford farmer.
BUMP" is now making his third south
ern trip with the team. and knows that
/ It's now or never so far as big
! league berth in Detroit is concerned
His arm Is in much better shape than
year ago when he really did no pitch
| ing AZ all, after the first three days.