The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-24
ShOrtstop Reilly Sends in His
Contract.
Kerns Is Still Absent From
the List.
DONE WITH KUNKLE.
Cooley Will Not Bother With
Him Amy More.
StOfer May Be Used at Third
Base.

The recent of the contract of
Tommy Reilly, the classy Cooley
shortfield player. completes the lineup
of the local squad at the beginning of
the season. Butch Kerns. the
stocky catcher, has not sent in his
promise to play on the local team as
yet, but there is little doubt that Kerns
will be on hand. He was late in ar
irving last year. but he made good in
a hurry when he came.
According to Manager Cooley, he is
ready to begin spring practice as soon
as the weather moderates. Players
will not be asked to report until In
March, but so far as the list OF play
ers to be signed is concerned, practice
might open tomorrow. Should it be
necessary to make any changes. the
spring practice will develop it and new
men, if needed, will be secured. But
this is considered unlikely, and only
actual work will show the wealxp ess
of the local team, if there Is such a
weakness.
II am through signing bali players
until the workout shows some weak
ness in my team. which do not now
know about" said Manager Cooley to-
day. 81 think I have a good team now,
right at the start. l am especially
pleased with my pitchers and the new
men 1 have come SO we'll recommend
ed that I am sure some of them,
enough to fill any holes there may be,
will stick.
"Stoffer, if he makes good, will play
third base. 1 am through fooling with
Johnny Kunkle. I'll send him trans
portation when I send it out to the rest
of the players. and he had better come
on the first train; otherwise he will
pay his own expenses. am ready now
for spring practice and wish the time
10 begin was here"
Cecil Bankhead. manager of the
Lyons State league team. is in town
arranging to take care of any casta-
ways Cooley may have during the
coming season. Bankhead is some
ball player and manager, as his record
AS leader of the Lyons last year
shows. He watched Tom Miller, the
Cooley outfield recruit, play last year
and has nothing but praise for him.
He assured Richard that the recruit
was a find" and. of course. Cooley
has dreams of a hard smashing out
fielder. Bankhead reports everything
shipshape in the Kansas league
Joplin has q story from Denver that
the Denver franchise Of the Western
league is to be transferred to that
town. There is about as much chance
that this will be done as there is that
Topeka will buy out the Chicago fran
chise in the National league In the
first place, the Denver franchise. ac-
cording to every available authority, is
not for sale McGiH has spent a lot
Of money and is spending more He
impressed the magnates at Chicago as
being 4 splendid fellow and one who
was in the game more because be liked
IT and wanted to put in a winning team
at Denver than because he wanted to
make some money. He has hired a
manager and bought players and the
receipts for the season in a town like
Topeka would not warrant such ex-
penditures. Joplin is not as good a
ball town as Topeka. According to
the story, the plot to GUST Denver has
been in preparation some time and
all the Western league club owners
were wise to it. Cooley says he knows
nothing of it. nor has he heard of such
a. thing. Denver is a long ways out,