El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-22
FORT WORTH TEAM
IS SURPRISE
OF LEAGUE
Small Crowds Make Long
Faces Among Ball En-
thusiasts Of Texas.

San Antonio, Tex. April 22.-The first
rem days of the Texas baseball league
have developed some rather startling
surprises and have knocked into a
cooked hat the preseason predictions
Of the relative strength of the teams.
Enough has already developed to show
that IL some Of the supposed strong
teams are to stay in the front ranks as
league leaders, there will have to be
4 strengthening all along the line.
The real surprise of the season is Fort
Worth. The team whose chances for the
pennant last year were spoiled by In
ternal dissensiOns, has got together and
has practically as many victories to its
credit as any other team in the league
There has been added enough new ma
terial to leaven the whole and unless
there is a bad fall down, it looks as If
the team was fighter for the pennant
from the first.
Houston, touted more highly than
any other team in the league with the
possible exception Of Dallas has shown
the poorest form. The pitchers have
proved easy marks for the batters
OF the other terms and the general team
play has been poor. The team is in the
second division and unless there is i'm
provement shown soon the Houston ag-
gregation may be fighting hard for eel
lar honors with Waco.
Austin and Dallas.
Austin and Dallas are showing about
he expected form. Austin has more
veterans than any other team and that
tact is enabling the team to lead the
league at present. The pitchers are in
fine form and the batters Of other teams
are being moved down by them. I'm
less there is some bad break the early
indications are that Dale Gears men
will set the pennant race III the Texas
league this year. Gear has been noted
for his ability to pick youngsters and
has sent more men to the major leagues
than any other lower league team man
ager in the United States. He has now
on his string a number of very likely |
ones.
I'allas is showing up as strongly ~
could well be expected as there is a \
goodly number Of recruits who have yet |
to be whipped into form before they |
will be free. from stage fright in front |
Of yelling and wildly cheering grand i
stand The team will have to strengthen /
one or two weak points but in the carry |
rounds the pennant fight viii most GER
tainly be between that team and Aus
tin.
San Antonio has already demonstrated |
that the aggregation is only mediocre I
Cheap methods, which have always pre- /
vailed, are preventing players of any |
great ability connecting with the team
The games won so far have been the !
result Of the heavy hitting of one or /
two of the men and not by any su-
perior work of the team as a whole. |
The twirling staff seems exceptionally |
weak, with Rogers as the only man who /
ran be depended upon to do steady, re-
liable work.
Galveston, Oklahoma City and Waco.
of which little was expected early in
the season, are showing up just about
as expected.
Heavy Batting.
To date the Texas league has wit
messed the heaviest batting in the his
tory Of the league. Either the teams
have signed better sluggers than ever
before or the pitchers are weak. Sew
eral men are batting over the 400
mark and few under the 800 mark. Two |
baggers, three baggers, and home runs
have been common. Big scores have
been piled up, Oklahoma City making !
Is runs off Dallas in nine innings Six
to nine scores are common. This hit !
and run game is giving the fielders
plenty Of exercise and developing the
best that is in them.
The patronage in the Texas league so
far has been very discouraging. None
Of the grandstands were filled on the
first Sunday and the daily attendance is
hardly enough to pay expenses The
Of the league has been ad-
the salary limit increased and
the expenses much heavier The mag
mates have long faces and the news
papers Of the state are everywhere urg-
ing better patronage. The indications
are that the highest grade baseball
must be given if the support OF the
ans is to be expected.