The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-24
Western League Schedule Meet
ing Next Month.
Effort Will Be Made to Break
Long Series Plan.
RED DOWNS ADVANCE.
Goes Back into Majors Via
Washington Next Season.
Art Griggs Keeping i'm Condition
at San Antonio.

Although the official averages for the
Western league have not yet been ali
nounced, the schedule committee will
meet next month, in Omaha. for the
purpose of drafting a 1910 ~chedule- 1t
is to be hoped that a better job of max
ing a schedule is done than was done
last year While there is nothing to
Indicate that Topeka got the worst OF
1t, and while the schedule of last year
was more to the advantage of the fans
here and the local management than it
was to those of other towns, yet there
is feeling that the long stretches of
home games last season were bad Ii
hurt the attendance. With Is games al
home early in the season the fans
actually grew tired of watching the ma
tional game. Probably some of the
scribes around the circuit will seize this
opportunity to knock, and perhaps not.
They are fairly charitable lot. And
four weeks of baseball is too much at
an early season date.
Topeka had a fairly good deal on the
mileage proposition last year, and we
were better taken care of in other ways
than number of towns. There was
more or less confusion regarding the
adoption of the schedule because of the
cry of certain towns that they had been
given the worst of t. This should be
eliminated at this meeting and the
schedule once chosen. should stick.
If however, the long stretches oil
games at home can be eli~~=~ tied it
will help the game here, and likely III
other towns. Two weeks of solid base
ball is enough. And there will be more
money in the box il action breaking ur
the long stretches of home games is
taken.
rip Zip" Hagerman, the former
pitcher of the Topeka Western associa-
ton team, who twirled brilliant bali fol-
the Chicago club of the National league
last season. is considered one of the
hest young pitchers who has broker
into the big league for many years. Al
least that is the way the Nationa
league magnates express it. Wher
Charles Murphy, the president of the
Cubs, was in New York last week, liz
spent most of his spare time turning
down offers for the pitching phenom oi
the Cub staff Nearly every magnate
in the senior organization offered Muir
ply a small fortune for the release Of
his hoy wonder" Murphy now is o.
the opinion that he has the most prom
Using youngster in the big leagues
Dick Cooley, former major league
star. now managing the Topeka team
of the Western league, put Hagermar
where he is today. The kid" pitcher
was as green as a gourd when Coole!
discovered him.-The Star.
In sizing up the conditions in Wash
ington a writer in Sporting Life men
lions Red Downs. formerly of To
peka. in a complimentary manner. TIL
Minneapolis recruit to the washington
team was nineteenth in the hitters, bat
ting .271, and fielding .924. He made 6
runs, 10 sacrifice hits, and stole 50 bases
Downs is wintering in Topeka .ant
trains out daily with Spencer Arthu
Abbott. They take long walks aroun,
fpef toll in fho ,nIx
house and by liberal use of the cue keel
their arms in good condition In tn
same article in which Downs is men
toned Washington is said to have a