The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-09
BASEBALL GOSSIP.


1t may be true. as we are informed.
that the Western League is going to
be SlOW-mule race this year, but
frankly we don't believe it. Anyway
it's too early for that much wisdom
to be placed on exhibition. Not a team
in the league has completed its roster,
and until this is done how are you go
ing to know the caliber of the league?
Instead of jumping to this pessimistic
conclusion in midwinter, We are dis
posed to take the other end of the ar
gument and predict that we shall have
fairly fast league. There are some
reasons that seem to suggest the safe
ty of this position. In the first place
every team owner is out for the best
material he can get and most of them
are getting some good men, In the next
place the rule that cuts off so much
of the fotsam and jetsam OF the big
leagues is bound to have a beneficial
reaction for the minors and the West
ern may expect to share in this bene-
fit. Again-and this is no small con-
sideration--we will have one more old
time, big league ball players. In the
league at the head of a team is Frank
Isbell. OF course we have lost Holmes
but the way relations between Holmes
and other managers stood his loss is
rot vital. And the new ownership and
management at Denver certainly is
hopeful sign of renewed vigor and
strength There is vet this one fact
to be considered-scarcely a team in
the league but has young material
which last year was raw, but this year
will be valuable. This ought not to be
ignored in a general view of the stu
alton. All in all the statement at this
time that the Western League will not
be much faster than it has been for
period of years does not seem to be
warranted.-Omaha Bee.
Two interesting exchanges of players
NKynY ode act
Cubs purchase of Beaumont and the
other the exchange by Cincinnati to
ST. Louis of Higgins. Cakes and Cor
ridon for Beebe and Storke. The Beau
mont deal is another illustration OF the
Importance the best teams attach to the
weight of a veteran as balancing
power. Beaumont was let go by Pitts
burg to Boston when it was thought he
had passed his zenith. Yet Chance and
Murphy see in him enough to make
Boston a good offer. AS a matter or
fact, the Pirates, realizing they made
d mistake in parting with Beaumont
had been dickering for him back. Beau
mont's addition to the Cubs means that
Messrs. Sheckard, Holman and Schultz
will have to outplay him or he will get
one of their places as regular. AS
to the Cincinnati-St. Louis deal, there
is a belief that Chicago, too, has a
hand in that. Chicago has been anxi-
Gus to get Beebe and the belief is that
it will now get him by deal that Will
involve Zimmerman's transfer to Gin
| cinnati. 1t would appear on the face of
| it that this deal is more in favor of
| st. Louis than Cincinnati
You have Cy Young's word for it that
| the spit ball has seen its last season.
| The Grand Old Man of the box, in his
| forty-fourth year and about his twenty
| fifth as a premier pitcher, ought to be
! entitled to an opinion. and he says that
| the man with the spit ball is a back.
number, because batters have come to
| know that he hasn't anything else, or
i he would not resort to that article. The
spit ball never was more than a tenn
| porary expedient and baseball would
| have been richer today had it never
! been invented. Many a good man has
| gone wrong because of it. If, as Young
| says, it has reached it's end we may
word of a respectful farewell for a good
| radiance of bad rubbish.
We are told there is good ground for
| hoping that George Graham will be
| able for his utility role this season. He
| will scarcely be strong enough to take
| his place regularly and he does not
| care to essay that after his two dis
| astrous experiences with that knee. But
/ il Graham can only come back for ir-
regular service it will mean much to
| Omaha.
Already Cleveland is out with its cry
of ''pennant for 1907 But that's like
the cry of the wolf, coming from Cleve-
land. The Buckeyes will simply have to
win the pennant to arouse any enthusi-
II asn.
Manager Jack Holland is a fairly
busy boy these days, building a new
western League team and a new park
at the same time. But Jack is doing