Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-16
w estern League
Players Gossip
Managers Are Wedding Out the Chaff
and strengthening Their
Teams.

A report from Lincoln says that buule
Gagnier, the Antelope shortstOp, is in bet
ter physical condition han he has been in
years. He is full Of ginger, says the report,
and he is hitting the ball hard. A successful
year Is predicted for him.
Arrangements are being made by the
fans Of st. Joseph for an excursion to be
run to the first Sunday game that will be
played in Topeka between the Drummers
and the Cooleyites, and the st. Joe
scrlbes predict that there will be a larger
attendance OF Drummer fans at the game
than Topeka fans. Is this a press-agent
gag thrown out as a sort of roast by the
st. Joe bunch to bring out a big bunch of
Topeka bugs7.
Raftis, the new infielder procured by Des
Moines wants to get away from the Boost
ers. He has a desire to play with Bing-
hamton, N. Y, and inasmuch as Nlehoff
has reported for work his desires are liable
to be gratified, although he may have to
report to Des Moines.
owen. the new pitcher, recently obtained
by Des Molnes, looks pretty good to the
fans who nave watched him work and the
general feeling is that he will be a great
help to the Boosters this year.
Manager Babe Towne of the Sioux says
that the practice of stealing balls by boys
after they are batted over the fence has
to be stopped and the first offender who
is caught attempting to make away with a
sphere will be arrested.
Manager Towne closed a deal with Joe
Cantlllon by which he came into posses
sion Of Lee Dublin and "Kiddo' Wilson.
Lee will be a great help to the Sioux game
at short and as Wilson did good work on
the slab for the Indians in the last days
Of the 1909 season. the fans OF the city up
north feel highly elated over the deal.
First Baseman ozee Of the Sioux City
team has been turned over to Lew Drill.
manager of the Monmouth team of the
Minnesota wisconsin league. Manager
Babe" Towne farmed him. but on account
Of the good showing he made in the spring
try-out wants him where he can get him
II needed. He also farmed Heinie Rossback
to the Winnipeg club Of the Northern
league. Rosback looked mighty good to
the Sioux City fans and 1t is expected he
will shine as a star in the Northern league.
Des Moines still hopes to land Frank
LANCE fora member OF its pitching staff.
Announcement was made this week that
one Of the White Sox pitchers would rave
to be released and the dope indicates that
LANCE would be the one to go. When at
Des Moines last week, Frank remarked
that the atmosphere. OF the Iowa capital
looked good to him. and that II he was to
be pushed off the Sox staff there, was no
place that would suit him better than Des
Moines. This announcement on his part
comes in the face of a rumor that he did
not care to go back to the Boosters.
Cooley says he only fears two clubs in
the league this year, and they are Des
Moines and Omaha. He believes Denver
will be weaker than his club, and does not
rate Lincoln and Sioux City much above
Denver. He does not comment on Wichita.
That Daniel Boone boy who was picked
up off the back lots Of Wichita by lizzie
Is certainly getting the grapes early in
the season. II he can make it stick he
will doubtless develop into a phenom, He
handed a cold bunch to the white Sox
and the st. Louis Browns. and on the
Oklahoma trip he has been doing things.
The Grizzlies were wailoped by a pickup
team Sunday and the Denver fans are
stepping on. their lower lips as a result.
At that, the pick-ups were not amateurs
by any means, but numbered some stars
from the Pacific Coast league. ex-western
league players and others who know the
professional game.
AANSHSl0 JOISbdui lounB anu huVWlSS
were released this week by Manager Hen
bricks of the Grizzlies, They did not APP
pear heavy enough and Manager Jack is
now looking around for material to take
their places. The slogan Of the Denver
menager seems TO be to get the best OBJ
tainable. The release Of these three leaves
Denver with olmstead. schreiber. Gillen.
Adams. Herbert and Mitchell.
An enthusiastic report comes from ST.
Joseph regarding the predicted success OF
the Drummers this season. The fans Of
the city are showing a spirit of loyalty to
their team that indicates that as far as
the financial end Of the game is concerned
there WILL be nothing lacking. The at
tendance at the exhibition games has been
exceedingly gratifying to the management.
II looks like some OF the other cities OF
the Western league will have 10 get into
the game TO run st Joe a race for the at
tendance mark.