The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-18
CHAPTER ".
The First I,ine-IJp.

ing Johnny. besides being the regular
second baseman of the varsity. was the
chum OF Hughie Jenkins. the manager
OF the team; and his chief adviser with
Captain Larke. Johnny knew the game
from top 10 bottom and across the mid
die. They called him "a little bunch
the compliment He was small In size.
put large in brains, and many a game
had been won for the college by his quick
work at trying moments. TO say nothing
Of the fact that he was largely responsi-
BILE for the discovery and development OF
many OF the plays which had come TO be
known as Inside baseball" He had an
| aggressive chin. which seemed to be all
| ways pointing forward, and his eve was
as quick and accurate as sharpshoot-
| er's.
TO fill and 1 guess we viii find mostly
yaps to NIL them with" he went on
anyway. that's the way | felt tonight
after looking over the unpromising ma
at the cage today"
Il don't feel discouraged You can
never tell, of course. on one trial, but
watching some Of those youngsters this
afternoon made me think that with lit
| tie training some OF them will make
good" said Hughie.
Lets go over the list and mark the
fixtures we can count on. and then we
| can tell what we have to do to get Z,
real nine together" said Everson.
IAN right, at second we have YOU
said Hushie. and I guess we won't
need 10 worry about the keystone bag
and at third we have Delvin. who /
think will develop this year into "A grand
star at the near station, Captain Larke
will handle left field all right. as usual
| Miner Black VIII come back stronger than
ever this year in the box, and George
Gibbs will | think do the catching all
isn't it2''
Now. at the first sack we need some
body to take Penny's place, and must
confess that / did not notice any likely
candidate, unless it was Bill"
We are going TO have hard time.
I think. to find some one at short in
place Of our good friend. Joe Brinker.'
About the Right Field.
Did you notice the bowlegged and
awkward looking German named Hagner
| In the cage today broke In Everson.
IF he wasn't so big and awkward look
Ing he might be able to bat and we could
| play him In the outer gardens, but ]
hardly think he would ever make a short
| stop"
81 hardly think so. either" said Jen-
kins. but ! had a talk with him and
he said he would play short. I have also
had report from Texas, where he came
| from, that he is a perfect terror at bat.
I can hardly hope though that he wi'l
be able to fill Brnkers place. l think
| II we could figure out some scheme to
remodel his anatomy we might be able
TO make something out of him. / don't
think you can tell anything about any
OF them until you sec them work in the
| open air for a week or two.
Getting Ready for Battle
What do you think about right feld?"
asked Johnny
If I am not mistaken" answered
| Hughie, I'VE have the real prize package
| in that young chap from Georgia Robb
| Ga regular cracker name. isn't iD. Did
YOU notice him at.all? Did you ever see
more speed? I am Knocking on wood
when / talk about him. because I don't
want to fool myself, but II ! was a scout
for professional team and saw this
fellow Robb playing ball on some back
lot l think I'd buy him without instruc-
tions from headquarters"
Lots of them look like stars the first
few days of spring. said Johnny II
noticed Robb particularly. too. / was
looking fellow, I'd hate 10 get into fight
with him. because he looks like chap
who has no fear Of anything
BESIDES RGDh there were half dozen
made into felders," said Hughle. There
was Talkington. Mckee. Raymur Oak
ley. Lunley and Flack. II any OF them
know how to swing bat ] think we will
be able to teach them what they need
TO know about catching flies
''As usual, most Of the candidates
want TO pitch, and II Miner IS all right
this year we won't need any one TO
help him except perhaps left handler.
Did you notice anything promising along
the line? / was so busy looking over
the flelders and possible first basemen
that ! didn't pay much attention to the
pitchers. / rather liked the delivery OF
Crossley the short time he was throw
ing. He looked promising for a rich
mans son. Besides that Will bo easier
when old man Young gets here and we
get them out for coaching You can
also pick them out In batting practice
Just tell them to throw straight swift
balls over the plate and you can pick
out the poor ones anyhow. because a
pitcher who can't put straight bail
ever nine times out Of ten isn't worth
developing Then. by the time Young
gets a chance at them for a week we'll
know which ones ii Will pay him TO
coach"
u had talk" said Johnny. with
that California lad Case. He is quiet
southpaw pitcher too. and he may be
what we are looking for
A few days after this talk in Hughies
rooms the snow began TO melt. and with
in week Lowell Field which had for
months been covered with snow and ice.
suddenly took on Il sreenlsh look the
one began TO feel the spring in the air.
One day not long after there appeared
on the bulletin board the following notice.
University Baseball. Outdoor Prac-
tice. on the Field at ! p m. Feb %
Candidates must bring their own suits
'HUGH JENKINS Manager"
There was JOY in the hearts OF the
hundred, for there were about that num-
ber VINO hoped TO be picked for the var
sity Out OF the hundred at least ninety
were certain to be disappointed as far
as the varsity was concerned. for there
were only about ten places to fiji, count
ing the substitutes.
OF course there was chance that a
fellow would get on the second squad
which might help TO the varsity next
year. and then there was always the
freshman team, which was formed last
and which generally was an all-pltchcr
team so TO speak. because every man
on il had nurscd secret hopes of making
the varsity his first year pitcher.
Harold Case was out early. He was
now sitting on the steps of the clubhouse
waiting for Hagncr: who had become his
good friend. II was strange friendship
that had sprung up between these two
the tall. big -boned and awkward German
lad almost a man in looks. and this
young and exceedingly graceful western
lad-aud both were prohting by It,
While Inc was sitting there. what was
left Of last year champions trotted out
| ON the field Gibbs. second catcher las