The Detroit times., 1909-12-07
CUBAN TOURISTS
lSIGNING Up At
GREAT RATE
Manager Mcintyre Latest To Come
Into the Fold With NOISY"
Beckendorf Following After,
a Close Second.
Bill Donovan and Sam Crawford
Somewhat Skeptical Over Alleged
Causes for Cuban Reverses
BY PAUL Il. sRusKE.

Pausing for a few moments i'm his
mad career OF explaining how II had
all happened in Cuba, Manager Matty
Mcintyre, impresario OF ball playing
talent from "The States affixed his
famous name to a Detroit contract for
1910 at the baseball headquarters
Tuesday morning. Matty was shortly
followed by Henry. better known IS
"Noisy" Beckendorf. Beck" was sign
ed as a catcher. not first baseman.
This he and President Navin establish
ed as the basis OF their agreement.
To be sure. Beck" has never paraded
as anything but a backstop In his
native land. In Cuba, however, Beck
was forced TO essay the initial sack.
He admits that he holds one or the
records for the trip-nothing less than
sfx-errurs I'm six minutes.
Behind the bat Mr.. Beckendorf still
sconsiders himself amply capable or
sdelivering the. goods. His employers
shold like view, as well as the Local
.bugs.
."Before the. War"
. The day developed the frst real
explanation party since the return
sof the temporarily expatriated Tiges
TO Bill Donovan. sam. Crawford and
sother stay-at-homes. Mcintyre, ID.
Jones and Beckendorf extended their
tale OF woe. Apparently II fell on
1ncredulous ears. Donovan remarked
that, in the days he used TO barnstorm
Cuba. the prevailing wager was based
eon the assumption that the invaders
would or would not score 40 runs more
than the Almendares bunch--a wager
which. by the way. usually resulted IN
"A win for the hackers of the Ameri'
scans.
But that was before the war re-
s1oined Mcintyre; things have
changed a great deal Ask Willett
: Indeed no" replied Donovan. III
.Pd have been along il would have
been the same old story. No colored
man can connect with what | have 10
offer when my blood Is up
Sam Crawford seemed quite peeved
over the way the other Tiges had been
chased off the island he showed 4
marked change of mental bias. how
ever when Mcintyre presented MN
with a bat made OF "mahowa' wood
-The spelling on this is not guarantee
hut the hitting qualities are warranted
Inv the Tigers who saw the STICKS
lin use by the Cubans. In fact "Mucho
.mahowa" was the prevailing remark
made by the crowds as they fled OUT
Aof the park. $780,
The bat is light and not turned TO
Mr.. Crawford's model as yet but ne
will remedy this defect and try IT out
in the spring trip that is now not SO
.yery far away. faint shade OF
green is manifest in the wood whicA
seems radically different from any
thing before seen in the big leagues
Pete Listers Chance.
Aside from the signing OF the twC
tourists the most important piece ol
information current at the local once
was the announcement that, contrary
TO first idea, the Tigers will take Pete
lister. the former Cleveland nTst
sacker. south for trial in the spring
Lister is lefthanded thro~ins
and hitting first sacker aud LED the
Tri-State league with batting aver
age OF 1856, a fielding Performance
that was virtually perfection, and a
general display of excellence that was
simply shocking. Lister was drafted
at an expenditure OF $500 and was NOT
greatly thought OF on account or ms
being discarded by the Maps and
Toledo. In each case. however. ex'
tenuating circumstances have come 10
light. Charlie Carr says that he be-
lieves Lister amply able 10 make good
in the big feague and his opinion is
considered of great weight by Pres'