The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-03-10
Digger Followers Believe
0'Day Has Great Club.
THIS, DESPITE LOSSES
Few Managers Losing Stars,
Would get Back old Strength
Wilson's Coming Back to the Fold
Pleases Fans--A DOpefest on the
DigGerS.

~-
Things are looking pretty sweet TO
the DiggeIs fans these days, or at
least, Jney should he. The club
looks far stronger than It was last
year In spite Of the fact that several
OF the good ones are no longer In
our midst.
players as Tate. Ketter, LaRue,
Brown and Burk. might be expected
TO hit the tobOggan from the start
and cinch cellar championship ere
the chase is wen started But not
The Diggers, IL you please.
Last year the club had Luskey
and Anderson behind the bat. Now
there are In addition to 'hese two
clever men William Johnston,
rlesllmed to be superior to either OF
the other two and Emmett Reilly,
who is at least as good as either
Anderson or Luskey in receiving and
is a stronger hitter. Manager O'Day
rannot be charged with allowing hts
club to be weak in the back of the
plate.
When II comes to pitchers, the Dig
gers are There again with vim. Mer-
Ger, Miler, Lucas, Lewis, Wilmot
and probably Mcclure make pret-
~ strong outfit for a starter. Then
there are at least eight others, most
ly youngsters, vino viii have a chance
10 show what they can do i'm the
spring. O'Day wants left handler
and he expects 10 get one among
the giants he has signed. Marion
is hardly likely to carry more than
i've pitchers, but II necessary. the
manager may be able TO place two OF
them where he can lay his hands
regulars should fall down. At least
ne can play safe and be certain to
have sweet looking bunch Of
singers during the whole year That
will help some.
THE inheld may or may not be
quite as good as last year. Still,
either Tuttle or Roberts should play
the sack as we'll as either Tate, Dayy
Crockett or Windy Lotshaw did la /
year. II is not likely though that
either will hit like the Cumberland
boy O'Day with a team more to
his liking will have less worry and
De abel to play his own position bet
ter than last year when he did re-
mhrkably we'll considering that he
had the entire work Of directing the
Tilay of the team on his shoulders
WoRe, erratic at times, should
steady down n great deal, and be
more valuable as a shortstop and as
a batter. Therell picbaibly be a
difference around third base, but II
must be remembered that last year
dARue was with the club for only
aibout halt Of the season A sue
ceasor, who is as good a fielder and
ibaserunner as he win probably be
hard to find. The manager. however.
hopes to find man who will make
iAp In his batting for what he lacks
I'm fielding.
When It comes to fielding and base
running the Digger outheld will be
better than II was last year. Farrell
and Wilson are almost certain 10 be
fixtures there and Williams. the new
comer. will add lot with his won
derful throwing and fielding. He Is
expected to do about as well with the
stick as did Ketter. Then as out
field possibilities Marion has r. Reil-
ly and Ben Concklin. The latter
played with Cree and McIlvain on
the Penn State college team and II
was the work of these three men that
brought victory to the college in en-
counters with most of the profes-
sional clubs in Pennsylvania. His
former pals are now with the New
York Highlanders and Il has been
tlrped of to the Marion management
that ConIcklin Is about as good as
either OF the others. It may he nee
essary for o'Day to carry four out
flelders. II could probably be done
and stlll have the club within the
salary limit after the team has been
rid of all surplus talent and near
ielent In that event Wilson con'd
10 substitute dntv on the infeld and
the team would be protected from
weakness bv iniury or sictnAss.
II develoNs that one Of the rea-
SONS for the Dlavers demanding moro
money per month from tbe club 4
il,aNansc of the shortening ~ the
ai'aving season from 150 10 t2O
games. As the playing time is short