The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-12
coast LEAGUE MAN
NOT SMITTEN WITH
TIGER PURCHASES
Says Big Jim Wigs Had 1t All Over
Browning and Vance, Who
Were Drafted by the
Detroit Club.
NGyin Hears the News Calmly But
VIII Turn the Pair Over To
Jennings Just the Same.
nY PAUL Hale eRUsKE.


II is commonly considered good
form 10 epeak-and withholding Out
good OF the young men about to be
Tried out by the big-league baseball
clubs In the south. but a peculiar mix
flire OF the two elements has come 10
fhe writer I'm the testimonial OF vet
ornn Pacific Coast league player who
participated In all the 200 or so games
~ the 1908 season and is consequently
"a q position TO speak with intimate
knowledge OF Pitchers Browning and
Vance, drafted BY Detroit at an aggre-
!, gate expense of 81 800, from that cir
I cult.
"Tm pulling strong for The Tigers
(, and wish Mr.. Nayin JOY OF his new
I players" said the Coast Lacquer who
4 was recently in Detroit. but hardly
think that either Browning or Vance
will show Manager Jennings enough
ntuff 20 warrant retention in fast COM
4 pany.
Both OF them are a good deal be
low the blg-league average in size, IN
7 the FIRST place. Browning probably
weighed less than 40 pounds At the
close Of the season. Vance probably
scales somewhere between 80 and
100.
Looked Silly, But Won.
''Browning's pitching We all regard
ed as silly. That little kid would walk
out there and, without enough curve
To really fool you badly at any time,
or enough speed 10 drive even timid
man away from the plate. he'd keep
the other club hitting right at the
fielders or popping the ball up in the
air In the endeavor 10 lace the cover
on IT, ! think the main reason why
he won so many games was because OF
The wild, hectic swings everybody kept
taking at the easylooking stun he
handed up. When he was hit hard II
was awful. But he had champion
team behind him and won a big per
cent OF his games.
''Vance looked like lot better pitch
or than Browning To me. But he is
pretty raw yet His curve ball is
real peach and reminds me some OF
the work OF Manning. of the New
Yorks. But he's wild and untamable.
The big-leaguers will wait them out
on him and have him in the air for
sure, II he pitches as he did on the
coast. At least. we learned to wait
and walk there, and guess they don't
overlook any bets of that sort where
The fastest and wisest men in the
country are playing.
Jim Wigs Again.
You'll probably laugh when l tell
you who was the best pitcher In our
league last year, but almost any other
man who played there will agree with
me, I'm sure Ii was Jim Wigs, the
veteran Tiger.
~They said when Jim came west
that his arm was gone, but. II he ever
had anything more in the line of speed
and curves, than he had last summer.
] can't imagine how any catcher could
hold him. AS for hitting the ball, IL
simply wouldn't have been possible.
Jim was with a club that was down in
the race and he lost some tough ones
that he ought to have won
t"Old Jim has no idea of ever get
ting back into the big leagues, for he's
been tried out there so often and sent
back, that he just grins when anyone
tells him how good he is. And he
lust as lazy as ever when il comes 10
klelding his position. He would never
lake more than one step 10 get bat
ted ball and. as far as backing up was
roncerned. he simply kept the other
Fellows of the bases II he could and
left 1t to his support TO get them after
kney got on.
81 hear that Montreal has Jim for
next season Well, mark my words, II
he gets with manager who will make
him pitch often enough. the big league
clubs will be trying to buy him next
fall, just as they have been doing OF
and on for the last 10 years
" The news that Browning is one OF
(, that type OF pitchers who wins with
ont having anything did not greatly
4 dismay President Navin OF the Tigers,
X who admits that he had received sim
a liar reports himself At the same
4 time. II will be recalled that, but for
4 Pittsburg pitcher of this variety. De-
N frolt would have had walkaway for
q The last worlds series.
Buying pitchers is all a gamble"
commented the local sage. Il don't
A stand to lose much on the California
n pair, anyhow I'm fact. | know that /
= can dispose of Browning for more than
N I paid for both men. II we get one
Y llrst-class pitcher out OF the seven re.
N Fruits we are trying out this spring we
a will have no kicks coming