The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-26

,,nIess some means is devised whereby
the national game may be made pronI-
able. The owners Of the club have ask
ed that the taxes on the ball park De
RENTED for three or four years ana
it is declared that John Byrnes, the
secretary of the club. has resigned.
Old Pa Rourke is doping it out to the
Omaha fans this year again about win
ming the pennant. Here is some OF the
dope from the northland:
Captain Fox, who last year was
bought from Lincoln. will have charge
of the team and at the same time play
second base. He is now looked upon as
one Of the best players and will do the
team some good unless he is sold too
early in the game. This selling of play
ers is habit that has become chronic
with Rourke and it is said, and unois-
puted, that during the past ten years
he has made a fortune, by taking coun-
try boys into the game, developing
them at the expense of the local pa
irons and then selling them to the
major leagues at top prices.
Instead of having been sold to one OF
the big leagues Harry WEIGH Is going
to be back on the local lot, for time,
at least, as that is the dope given out
by both himself and Rourke. Rourke
states that he could have sold WEIGH a
dozen times, but has always set price
a little higher than would-be pur-
cl1asers were willing to pay This IS UNI
doubtedly the last season that Welcn Wiii
be seen in professional ball He mas
about completed his medical course ana
after securing his sheepskin. he will de-
vote his attention to patching together
broken bones instead of breaking them
on a baseball diamond.
Last season Red Fisher and Bert
King went to the St. Louis Browns, but
they did not stick AS result, they
are back. never signed up and Will be
here until they are farmed out, or sold
at a fabulous price. it being understood
that they are for sale.
In the catcher's box Johnny Gonding,
the old time favorite, will be the star.
He has been with Omaha for years and
to lose him would be like losing near
relative Cadman, who played last sea-
son and caught good ball, is back, COM
pletely recovered from a wrenched foot
that put him to the bad late last sea-
son. Sam Agnew. another catcher,
comes from the farm, having been a
corn shucker in the vicinity Of Lyons,
Neb. He has played on the commons
for several years and has at last broken
into the profesh.
Blaine Durbin in Omaha.
Rourke has pitchers to burn, having
gathered in a bunch Of them, but he
might be induced to take on a few
more, as it is known that some who are
HoIlenbeck and Sanders of last season
will be back and will twirl. Blaine
Durbin who once played with the Cubs
of Chicago and recently was found in
Pittsburg. Pa, is here and it is said
will fill the bill. H. c. Patten, imported
from the short grass of western Kansas
and who worked during the latter por-
ton of last season, has been signed.
H. Hanson, an Omaha vacant lot play
er, who broke into the team last season,
is on deck and is likely to stay, as he
pleased the fans and was hard to hit
last year. The real thing, however,
was found in the Stanton county sand
hills last season when the Rourke team
went out to barnstorm. This individual
IS L. d. Sindecar, who is as tall as a
tree, being six feet, four inches in his
light clothing. He throws a ball with
the speed of a bullet and puts on curves
that have never been fathomed. Then
there are the following named pitchers
who are classed as unknowns: J. E.
Finch. st. Joseph. Mo-; Walt Thomas,
Shawnee, o.; Roy Bovee, Lyons, Neb.,
both farm hands, and Guy Ferry, vino
was discovered in a stone quarry at
Sidney Neb. - 81 Gtfffsfst
Pendry will play the field, the same
as last year.
Late last season Bert Kelley came in
from washington and played good ball
in the field, or at least after becoming
accustomed to the western atmosphere,
his playing was satisfactory. He will
play the same position this season.
Great things are looked for from him
after he has been around the circuit
once or twice
Young Potts, late product of last
season and who did better than fair
work at short. has been signed to the
same position.
Old Bill Shipke, who has always been
a reliable, but who stopped playing last
fall on account of an injured knee, is
as good as new and will again be seen
at third and batting out home runs
whenever they are needed to win the
game.
George Graham, the little favorite
who loosened his knee cap two years
ago, was in the hospital for months and
out of the anne last season, hopes TO
get back on short. His knee is rea-
sonably strong but it is doubtful if ne
has fully recovered.