Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-15
REMINIS. FOR STOVE LEAGUE
Mention Of Dad Roach Pitches VVter-
ans Headlong Into Antiquity.
ANDY Prick GETS THE FLOOR
Tells a Good One AbOut old Chris,
His FavOrite, and McGinnis of
the FamOu st. Louis


Did Dad" Roach, one Of Dick Cooley's
Topeka pitchers, bids fair to become an
idol in Omaha this season. Dad is IS years
Of age. Like Farmer Burns, he has the
faculty Of remaining tied to that mllepOst,
while tempus keeps right on fighting.
Dad has played ball ever since his
mamma took off his dresses and he knows
the game from every conceivable stand
point. He has played with every player of
note since A Spalding. the Wright brothers
and Cal Mcvey were stars in the game.
That is just the reason why he is going to
be an idol in Omaha. Omaha perhaps has
more OF the real old-time fans than any
other western city. Here you can find,
every day in the season at Vinton street
park, men who have been reared in the
bleachers and grandstands. For Instance,
there is Dad Wallace and there Is Andy
Friek, Jim English and Bob Hunter, to say
nothing of Charley Lane, the youngest old
man in town. These are the sort Of men
you have to fight to keep out Of a ball
park.
Dad Wallace has instituted a movement
to give Dad Roach a great ovation on his
first appearance in Omaha.
W want to make the old man feel at
home from the jump-off." says the veteran
conductor on the Union Pacific. I'VE will
give him such a send-off out there at that
old park as will make him think he is back
in the days of the '70s twirling on his old
home diamond"
Each of these old-timers has his favor
ties back through the vista of years. For
instance. Andy Frick picks old Chris Won
Der Abe, der poss' manager of the old
st. Louis Browns, as his choice.
81 kinder felt az ~ base hall had list IT'S
real charm when old Chris passed off the
diamond" says Colonel Frick. "Of course,
Chris never played, but no player was bet
ter known or more popular.
II shall never forget one day how excited
Chris got. You know the Browns used to
have a style of marching two by two from
their dressing rooms, which were over by
rightfield, down onto the diamond. First
would come Comiskey out in the lead, and
then others, two abreast. They would
march this way to first base, then sepa-
rate for their respective places to practice.
t We'll, this day 1 speak of old George
[ McGinnis. who was to pitch. didn't come
on the field with the others. He didn't
come on until about time to go into the
box. l noticed old Chris, who was sitting
3 In the stands just over the players bench.
? getting nervous. He would bob UP and
down every little while and call out to
= Comiskey: Charley. where is he, McGin-
/ Miss. YETI
Directly we saw big George heave in
1 sight. As he emerged from the dressing
9 rooms and came onto the grounds 1 saw
! Comiskey cycling him at the distance and
i as Mac got nearer Comiskey fixed his gaze
: the faster. 1 looked down at Chris and he
y was nearly frantic.
q q Charley, mine Godt. Charley, watts der
- -oatfarof ~ -h-Aa - -.
Q lad got his eye full. too.
, "Comiskey stood as IL transfixed, all the
!, while gazing at what seemed to us McGin-
MIS- feet. McGinnis' huge form swept past
Commy at first and out to the box. He
!; called for the ball, but the umpire, at
d Comiskey's motion, hesitated. Comiskey
Il walked over to the box, reached down,
y scratched his leg and motioned with his
: thumb over his shoulder to the dressers.
"McGinnls had forgotten one sock, but
the generous coating of black beard he
! wore on that shspely calf prevented some
of us in the stands from distinguishing the
bare leg from the one with the brown sock.
He was not in condition. as was often the
case"
l3 Yes. I remember old George NrcGinnI,
lie mighty we'll" put in Dad Wallace, after
the Smoke House had reverberated with
the resounding laugh of the Stove league
Is And Dad Roach knew old George. III
also knew the rest Of that old crowd-Tor
n Dofan, Tom Deasley, Tony Mullane, Strict
Quest and the later generation-ONei
le the original Tip Curt WEIGH, little Nicol
Arlie Latham and, OF course, Comiskey.'
Whoa, whoaup, back up. you are for
II. getting your arithmetic" commanded Boil
Hunter. Don't leave cut OF that galax,
30 the Gleason brothers. old Bill and Jack
90 | Mani axaF anonL of - 1Il.- a. - o.
s6 Louis without mentioning these men"
o. whereat Pa, having called to Dick Croft
not to fetch in any more cobs, spake:
A. Bob Hunter is quite right"
w At its Saturday right meeting the STOW
ia league will take up for informal discussio
ls1 some OF the players OF the Western leagu
,Sz and, in addition to this, an experienc
: Teeting will be held.
Four American league clubs will hay
gle new field captains next season. They a,
n6 Detroit, Washington. New York and Bo!
ton,
Bobby Wallace, Harry Davis, Larry Il
al joie and Fielder Jones have anchors G
S7 their jobs. Every member OF the quart,
45l has accomplished things.
- Herman Schaefer, who acted part of II
W. time last year. will be Detroit's captai
al schaefer happily fills every requiremei
423 and is the logical successor of Coughlin.
46 Other changes win come with the dl
80 possession OF Bob Ganley in washingtc
.S5l and Kid Elberfeld IN New York, and Wa
ner's elevation 70 the position in Boston.
by Whether or not Ganley remains with Il
DIS. Nationals in Washington will in no wa
My affect Manager Cantillon's plan to have
II new man at the head Of his team on Il
IS, field. Ganley showed lack of diploma,
ar. this season, most glaring at times, on,
Use. going TO the extent Of swinging a h
ig- against a pitchers ribs.
Manager Stallings has as yet given Il
- matter no consideration. He believes tn
it will be time to appoint EIberfeld's su
cessor next spring. In Boston, howeye