The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-20
Manager Cooley Secures Harris
a Young Pitcher.
Latest Addition Has the Goods
in Large Quantities.
MAY PROVE A MARVEL
Is But a YOungster Though and
Lacks Experience.
Worked for Topeka in One
Game at Kansas City.

A little more than a year ago z. Y.
Hagerman drifted into town unher-
aided and unnoticed. Tomorrow
morning another young pitcher will
drift into town under the same con-
ditions and environments Today
Hagerman is known all over America
as the most promising young pitcher
in the major leagues. Where the new
recruit will be a year from now-time
alone can tell
This youngsters name is Harris.
His home is in Kansas City. He has
not pitched baseball more than a year
or two and then only in amateur cir
cles. What he can do in professional
circles remains to be seen.
The young man, whom Cooley
thinks will develop into one of the
pitching freaks of the present day, is
about 20 years old. He stands six
feet and one inch in his stocking feet,
and when trained down ready for
good hard work, will weigh about 200
pounds There is nothing lacking
about his physical makeup which is
necessary for a good pitcher. And
when it comes to his pitching arm and
his assortment of merchandise he GER
tainly has it. He has speed, plethora
of curves, a change of pace, splitter,
an overland and side arm delivery,
and in fact everything that any other
pitcher ever had.
That he has the goods in his arm is
evident to all those who have seen
him work He has more than Walter
johnson, the great pitching phenom,
who broke into the big leagues via
the Washington team, two seasons
ago. He has never played profess
sional ball nor consequently pitched
for any club in regularly scheduled
game. Neither had Walter Johnson.
This youngster will probably not do
much at first. He doesn't know how
to pitch, as he never had any one to
tell him anything about it. All he
knows is what he has picked up
through observation during the past
two seasons.
Cooley has seen Harris in action and
so have many of the other Topeka
players, and all agree that he has the
making of wonder, providing he is
subject to development. The atten-
ton of the local bunch was attracted
to him in the early part of the month
while the team was in Kansas City.
The local manager was on the lookout
for few pitchers at the time. Monte
Cross told him of this youngster, and
as a result Cooley worked him during
one OF the games. His name appeared
I'm the Topeka papers at the time, but
his identity was not disclosed as he
was not tnen IN the nOLlOn OF TAKING
up the national game, and he has fire.
quently asserted that if he ever did
play, he would want to play under a
different name.
His showing in that game was fair.
He worked for three innings, and
threw no ball twice. Everytime he
seemed to have something different
up his sleeve. He didn't make sur
prising record in this game, but just
the variety of stuff and the possibili-
ties which he showed attracted the at
tention of Cooley. Dick has been in
correspondence with the youngster
since and it was only this morning
that he received word from Harris
that everything was satisfactory and
that he would report in the morning.
His work will be watched with in
terest. He will be given every oppor-
tunity to display himself, and will be
under the efficient tutelege of Cooley
and his two catchers McManus and
I<erns, both of whom are great at de-
Veloping youngsters. And it can be
said to the young mans credit that
he is very apt pupil, and is willing
and anxious to learn. Kern caught
him at Kansas City, and declares that
he is a conner.
"I have a great opinion of the
youngster," said Cooley this morn
ing. "and If he looks as good under
fire as he did at Kansas City. he will
in time make great pitcher. I am