The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-07
through wlldness. Maybe this is the


reason.
Dick Cooley must have stopped off at
wellington on his way to Enid. Any
| how the Wellington News has a big
long story about his being there which
concludes with the following biography
of the Topeka chief: "Cooley's last
visit to Wellington was in 1892 the
year of the cyclone. when the yelling
ton independent team played behind a
hedge fence just west of the old gas
house He brought a semiprofessional
team from Topeka and the local team.
strengthened by the addition of A
pitcher and catcher from Fort sin,
trimmed him to 0. The pitcher was
albright, but the catcher was wooden
and Walt Frantz had to catch. Orville
Frantz played first base and Frank
Frantz center field. Booth a soldier,
played third. Fred Clark was on sec
ond. Walt and Orville Frantz got home
runs off the Topeka pitcher during the
game. Cooley played shortstop for his
team and his catcher was McManus,
afterward with the New York Ma
tionals. Cooley himself went to the
National league after that and played
with Philadelphia, Pittsburg and other
teams Walt Frantz went up to the
majors and back. Orville made a rec
ord in college at Harvard and their
brother Frank went with Roosevelt to
Cuba as a Rough Rider. returning with
the rank of captain. He was afterward
appointed governor of Oklahom' by
Roosevelt Fred Clark, then of VIM
field, is now the pilot of the PittsburE
Pirates and his team is now running
away with the rag in the chase for
the National league pennant for 1910.'
At this time of the season when the
fans over the entire country are scan
ming the sport pages regarding the
games in the two major circuits. To-
peka fans take no small amount of
pride in reading Of former Topeka and
Western association players. Scarcely
a day goes by but what some of the
fans find an old familiar name, even
though the box scores are not printed.
Scarcely a day goes by but what some
one, well known here, figures in the
battery of some game. For example.
now pitching for the New York High
landers. Joe Wood, the Hutchinson
youthful prodigy, is taking his turn
finging for Boston. Kid Speer and
Farmer Willett. two ex-Wichita favor
ties, are pitching good ball for the
Tigers. Jack Rowan. who was ONE
with Leaven worth, is recognized as one
of the regulars at Cincinnati. Bobby
Springfield, is working a plenty for the
Cantillon crew at Washington. Rip
Hagerman outside of his spell of sick
ness, has done good work for the Cubs.
Then there is Germany Schmidt, the
regular Detroit catcher, an old
Springfield player. Art Griggs is adj
vertising his native city pretty well by
breaking into the summary nearly
every day with an extra base drive.
Then there are a number of lesser
lights among the big league players,
such as Milan with Washington. Beck
er with Boston, Welday who was with
+he Chicago White Sox until a few days
ago. In the minor class A leagues
there are also lots of former Western
players. Nearly every day
in the big leagues there are Western
associationers in nearly every game.
Tba old Western association may have
been roasted brown by the fans. but
there were some mighty classy players
in 1t just the same.