Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-11
TOPEKA HAS TWENTY MEN
Dick Cooley is Collecting Big Bunch
for New Team.
JAY ANDREWS WANTS TO STICK
old B~OstOnisn ~ Securing the Country
In an Effort 20 Put I'D Good
Fight In the western
League.

NpIu VlllN1 AVhNhA NhaN 49,
Cooley. manager of the Topeka Western
league team. at the present writing, has
twenty men under contract for next sea-
son. Cooley has been extremely busy dur
ing the last few days and has secured the
signatures Of many new men. who should,
from their dope, make a good showing fn
the Western league.
The best looking addition Is Volz. a
pitcher whom Cooley secured from the Gin
clnnatl team. Jake Volz was with Sioux
city under Carney in 1906 and was mighty
effective. Volz was carried by the Reds
during the greater portion OF last season
but was hardly ripe for the majors, and
Cooley's bid for his services was accepted.
He pitched in the South Atlantic league in
1907 and was a winner. At Cincinnati he
showed symptoms OF wildness. and this Is
his only fault. He IL a Highlander and
has good curves and a world Of speed.
wichita almost landed him, but he signed
with Cooley while communicating with
Manager Holland.
Another player OF whom Cooley is ex-
pectinR a lot is Bob Corkill. an outfielder.
who played with Joplin awhile last season.
CorHjh quit the Joplin team because ne
couldn't, get a salary to his liking. and
played Independent bail for the rest of the
season. He played forty-eight games with
Joplin and had a perfect fielding average.
His batting average was .24S and he was
noted for his timely hitting. He will do
II he can be induced 20 discard the amber
brew.
Cooley's other late acquisitions are an
outfielder and two inflelders, Harry Curtis
who played with the Dallas team in the
Texas, league, was secured. Curtis was
the premier outfielder of that circuit last
season and his hitting was sufficient to In
sure good work next season. Mike Jacobs
mot the old third baseman by that name,
but a promising youngster) played with
the wilkesbarre team in the Tri-state last
season, and comes highly touted to Cooley
Cullen is another young infielder, whom
Cooley secured from the Winiamsport team
OF the Tri-state league.
Dornp, the veteran Boston catcher, and
Kern. the star of the Texas league last
season, look the best at present. Tn
other catchers. BARLEY and Brennan, wer,
good catchers in the Western association
and will be given a good workout mex
spring Volz is the best highlander OF
the Topeka team at present. Cooley
however. is trying to get Selby back from
Louisville. He was one of the stronges
pitchers in the league last season anC
helped Topeka materially in winning tn,
DOtndnl. 1tenuIlNs u NpunksNtIt ~ VI
the reserve list and ought to do well, a.
he was q winner in the association. oil,
DAD" Roach. who is as years old, ranked
second in the association last season an
he will be retained, despite his age. H
is a Bouthpaw and a spitball artist. Bur
mum and Beltz, both s~outhpaws. wer
drafted from the Western association
Jack Holland of the. Wichita team sen
his draft money for these tive player
to Secretary Farrell. but Cooley's none
got there first. is a promis
ing young ~Iefthander. whom Cooley pur
chased from Bartlesvtlle last season III
is a hard hitter and should he fail I
make good in the box Cooley will shit
him TO the outfield.
on tho infield Cooley will play frs
From last seasons team. Kahl, n secon
baseman. s. Olson, a brother of f. OlsoI
drafted by Louisville, is a rafting goo
shortstop. Jay Andrews, the veteran, wi
try for his Job at third base. In addition
Bell, Jacobs, Nagel and Cullen will tr
for positions. and this quartet contain
some strong talent.
There are but three outfielders on tn
team at present. Cole will be retaine'
Corkill and Curtis are the other two wit
a possibility OF Thomson being shifte,
One OF the real sweet treats, or posslD
treats, in store for Western league far
this year has all but been overlooked.
is the opportunity that will be afforde
by the addition Of the two Kansas towr
OF seeing once in action that popular o.
anteiluvian. Jay Andrews. Omaha spor
will welcome the opportunity and vi
embrace Jay with a fond and affectiona
hug-so will they in Sioux City. But
isn't a cineh that Jay will stick 1t gu
for half a dozen impudent young chal
arc going TO be given a try-out for h
third corner. Jay says they'll have to
some, though. II they beat him out. 4
he's been getting younger every year f
the last twenty. II this process keeps
he's liable to be a boy tgaln within Il
Lext decade.
Pa Rourke says IL Jack Frost doesr
let up he is going to need at least fourte'
wagon loads more OF corn cobs. Broth
Dave has bought an underfeed stove tn