Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-03-01
HARRY OSTDIEk
ON PACIFIC COAST
FORMER oTTuMWA ATHLETE As
cENDs TO PROMINENCE IN
WESTERN BASEBALL
ON s PokANE TEAM
Is Slated for Captaincy OF the Indians
for the Coming Season--colver
Tells Of Players
Worth.

News Of anything that Harry Ost
dick does in the national game is al
ways received with q relish by his le-
gion Of friends and acquaintances In
this city, but the latest boost given
the former Ottumwa athlete Is indeed
just cause for elation Ostdiek Is slat-
ed for the captaincy of the Spokane.
Wash, baseball club this coming sea-
son, and in special article by j.
Newton Colver in the sporting section
of the Spokesman-Review of the vest
err METROPOLIS, an article is used which
shows the popularity of the former
Ottumwa resident. While Ostdiek has
not lived in Ottumwa for number of
years, he still maintains that he halls
from here, and the article gives OF
tumwa credit for his residence in the
first paragraph.
Ostdiek will best be remembered for
his talent as hand ball and baskets
ball player on the Y. M. G. A. teams OF
long ago. and his prowess In football
and tennis and amateur baseball. Since
leaving here he has gained prominence
in BASEBALL having played with the
Central league for number of years
and later was drafted by the Pitts
burg National league club, from which
he went to the far western club.
Salary Was Not Cut.
1.-THE article by Mr.. Colver In the
Spokane paper, which was accompan.
led by two column likeness OF Ost
dick, Is complete as follows;
Harry Ostdiek, catcher, Of Ottum-
wa, Iowa, will be the field captain OF
the Indians for the coming season.
This is nothing more nor less than
a tip without the official confederation
Of President Joseph r. Cohn. who is
in Seattle at this time, but 80 many
things have happened lately to back
up advice from several of Mr.. Coins
closest friends all winter, that there
seems to be no longer any doubt but
that the big, handsome backstop OF
that 1909 Indians will direct the 1910
| team on the field
"Ostdiek's great personal friendship
| for Mr.. and Mrs. Cohn Is advanced
by some as an argument. but perhaps
the most significant thing about the
whole matter is that Ostdiek is prac-
tically the only member of the 1903
Indians who was rendered the same
contract for salary as received dur
ing the season of 1909. Owing to the
shortened season all others received a
slight cut.
Wanted ostdiek From First.
1T is believed that right from \
| first day he bought out the interest
Bob Brown, President Cohn has
Ostdiek in mind as his field
tain. The fact that he has refused Q
treat with Nordyke on anything like
a salary that satisfactory to the
latter indicates that he has never had
much of notion of making the ex.
Beaver captain his leader"
"Ostdiek showed flashes Of form last
year not approached by any other
Northwestern league catcher No back
stop ever put up the wonderful game
that the Iowan showed in that open
| ing week with Aberdeen last spring
when he was tossing out the speedy
Black Cats in their attempted steals
before they had chance to slide and
catching them asleep OF the bases by
quick, snap throws. This Is advanced
| by Ostdiek's friends as an argument
that If given the captaincy and an in
centive to put forth his best efforts
at all times he might be the most SEN
sationa catcher this country has ever
known"
Rated a Good Hitter.
"Ostdiek was rated as something OF
O. hitter before. coming to the North
western last year. In SO fast an or
ganization as the Eastern (Class AZ
league. he batted ESQ in 1908. His
average In the Northwestern last year
was 1913. He is an exceptional base
runner for catcher. He Is spending
the winter in Youngstown, O., where
/ he formerly captained team In the
Ohio State league, refereeing polo
games"