The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-19
Mogul Sizes Up Local Situation
and Is Pleased.
FIVE REAL TWIRLERS
Kerns and KunkIe Developing
into Real Batters.
Team Strong All Departments,
But Needs Fans Aid.

A rather stiff wind whistled over
the diamond Monday afternoon, yet
Cooley's crew was out with sphere
willow and mitt. Big Butch Kerns
slipped on the receiving mattress and
the mask and pulled home a few hot
ones just to show he felt real good.
Pennell, Abbott, and the rest of the
team walloped the ball over the lot,
ran bases and knocked few high
ones, to pass away the time.
If light work will keep baseball
players from going stale then Cool
ey's crew is safe. for it's working all
the time. Everyone of the boys show
ed he was on edge Monday. If the
locals show as much speed Friday as
they did Monday the Sioux City toss
ers are in for a licking. The team
will be out at the park every after
noon until Friday getting in shape for
the big doin's.
Cooley is we'll pleased with the
front" of the locals this season and
declared it's the best organization To-
peka has ever had. Just wait until
the fans see these boys" said the Mo-
gul, this morning they'll be tickIed
to death. OF course, 1 know every
body has seen the team in exhibition
games, but these don't amount to
much. When l say see the team I
mean see it in real action. I have not
the least doubt about the result of
Fridays contest. Wen win-that's all
there is to it. We may grab the game
by a big score. then again we may
take it with a little one, but we'll sure
take it.
Good TwirIing staff.
What pIeases me a great deal this
year is the pitching staff, our boys
have. Topeka possesses one of the
finest collection of twirlerS in the
league Wright, Fugate, Harris, Jack
son and Kaufman make up our box
workers and combination that's go
ing to do a great deal in bringing the
flag home, this Season. Fugate is a
southpaW and will work well when
needed. All are tried and true. I
venture to say that no team in any
league has staff of firing liners more
willing to work or more anxious to
win than has Topeka. Harris, Kauf-
man and in fact all of the boys know
what will be expected of them this
year and will act accordingly. One
Der of it uses his head. In tight
places pitchers often go right up in
the air. This business has lost a
team many q game and is a serious
menace to taking first place or land
ing in the first division. No balloon
ing or airship work for jackson,
Wright and the rest
Speaking of the local catching bu-
reau, Cooley said: '.Kerns and Schmidt
will manage things behind the bat.
They are a winning pair Butch
KernS has lots and lots of class.
Schmidt is a regular bear with the
mattress. These boys are fiends for
grabbing foul tips, right off the bat
and they simply eat up high ones,
coming in their territory. Kerns is
big and strong and wears like a dia-
mond I am going to use him in
most of the games if my present pro-
gram is carried out, which 1 expect
will be done.
TITS hitting that gets the games and
right here is where Topeka is mem
her of the Especially in Good Club
In Kerns, Pennell, Thomson, Kunlle
and Reilly Topeka has five stick work
ers who move in heavy weight circles
exclusively. Kunkle Is little, but he's
loud when it comes to connecting with
swift ones bound for the opposition |
catcher's mitt. When Kerns puts his |
200 or more pounds behind q sphere |
it's going to move. I do not know of a |
single team in this league that can |
boast of as strong a hitting five as we
can. Our ability to hit is not limited, |
however. to the men I have named, as |
all the boys rap the ball. |
Fielding PIeases Him.
"I am not worried in the least about |
the fielding department. All three |
gardens are well taken care of by |
Thomson, Wooley and Pennell. As |
for the infield we have three of the |