The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-02-12
LOU NORDYKE
BA[KS ABOUT
SIGNING
JOE COIN, OWNER OF SPOKANE
CLUB, FORTIFIES HIMSELF
AND WILL NOT COAX CHELAN
COUNTY MAN.

OodLllc, F0U. lA.-JOo conn, LuC
good natured, storytelling Spokane
magnate, who is to have active
charge of his club this year is just
beginning to find out some of the
worries of the man who comes into
actual contact with the ball players.
Cohn had figured on having Lou Nor
dyke act as captain of his team, and
he offered the first baseman a con-
tract calling for what he considered
very comfortable salary. Nordyke
turned it down, claiming he ought to
get more money because of the wor-
ries he would have to endure during
the summer.
Cohn had figured on playing Nor
dyke at first, Cartwright at second,
Granville at short and Flood at third,
but when Nordyke baked Joe began
to hustle for a second baseman, so
that he could use Cartwright at first
in pinch. While he was east Cohn
bought the release of Pendry, a sec
ond baseman, whom many considered
the best ball player in the Western
league last year. Pen Try was with
Omaha last year and hit for .279,
which is a mighty healthy average for
an infielder. The batting averages
of the Western league last year,
though, were a joke. Certain play
ers were boosted for the sole purpose
Of selling them, and the averages are
SO unreliable that the sport writer's
in that league pay no attention to
them. So Cohn is not banking on
Pendry as a .279 hitter as much as
he is on the dope that the young fell
low can play the second bag right up
to the handle and that he is a fight
ing, hustling ball player.
1t looks like poor time for Nor
dyke to strike for more pay now. es-
pecially as this league has been cut
to four clubs, thus throwing out of
employment a number Of players;
the Coast league, Southern league
and a number of others are reducing
salaries, and ball player with a Job
had better hang on to it. If Nor
dyke joins the hold-out club, Cohn
says he can put either Cartwright or
Weed on first base and take the field
with strong team. He got Keener,
a young outfielder, from the Chicago
Cubs, who will give some of the men
who consider their jobs cinched a bad
scare if the dope on him comes true
Keener was a demon hitter in the
Michigan league last year He is still
too green for a swift machine like
the Chicago Cubs, but when he was
turned over to Spokane it was with
the understanding that the Cubs were
to get first chance at him next fall.
Weed played first base for the Sioux
City club in the Western league the
year that team won the pennant, so
Spokane could get it's greatest bat
ting strength by using Weed on first
and Keener in the outfield, always
providing, of course, that Keener can
hammer the horsehide here like he
did in Michigan If Keener proves to
be only an ordinary performer, Cart
wright can play first base right up
to the handle, even IL he is not much
of a hitter, and Weed can go back
to right field.
Cohn says he has chance to trade |
Nordyke to Oakland for Cameron, a
first baseman who led his league in
errors last year, but who also was
away up in the number of chances. |
Cameron is pretty fair hitter, ac-
cording to all accounts. Nordyke has
played in Oakland before. In fact,
he helped that club win a pennant
years ago. and through his connec-
ton with the Tacoma club, also a |
pennant winner, he is we'll and IA
vorably. known in the Coast league.
Nordyke has a nice orchard near
Wenatchee, and he would rather stay
in the Northwestern league than go
elsewhere, so he can be near his
business interests. Having fortified
himself by buying Pendry, Joe Cohn
says he does not care now what Nor
dyke does He feels that Nordyke in
baking made him spend money for
the purchase of Pendry, and he is
feeling none too kindly toward the
first baseman.