The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-15

Topeka at Sioux City.
| Maude Muller on summer day
Went out to watch the ball team play
But the maiden didn't see the game.
| Twas sWfped by an jumps whose
lamps went lame.
Maude Muller sighed and said, "Ah.
Sayi
You should have my job raking hay
Alas for Maude; alas for us all,
Who Vainly the dreams of March
recall;
For We had team that we knew
But the umpire hadn't been counted
in.
The passing of Harry Chapman is
permanent, very likely, as the back
stopper is not well liked by Gear and
Andreas, while still manager of the
Packers, expressed an admiration for
the Pride Of Severance. 1t is quite
likely that some trade will be made
before the next season rolls round,
II Harry pleaSeS his temporary en-
ployer. Chapman, good catcher. has
done mediocre work for the Kaws.
Perhaps he is not altogether to blame
for it. But with two young catchers
nent didn't see that they needed
Harry.
OF course the ultimate disposition
of Chapman depends on c. Webb
footed Murphy, the Cub boss, Murphy
has all along refused to say what he
would do with Chapman. He must
decide August 20, but it is believed he
will turn the backstopper back to To-
peka at this time. This is the natural
Tn Of eIz< vs,,cr Il hrvC I7ov
man this year.
1t was an altogether unfortunate
combination of circumstances that
caused the poor showing by Chapman
this year. First, Gear got Smith and
Schmidt to do the catching on the
promise of Murphy that the backstop-
per would not return this year. Then
Chapman was sent back. This upset
Gears plans. He felt that Chapman
was the bug that spoiled the soup. It
didn't take the catcher long to dis
cover this feeling, even though Gear
was too considerate to tell him of it.
But when Chapman returned and
the season opened he was playing
ball like a second J. King. He caught
EN- as of old, was quicker in getting
the ball to second, held the runners
close to first and hit fairly well for
a catcher, breaking up a few games
with psychologically inserted home
runs. The fans went wild over him.
Schmidt the catcher Gear depended
on, hadn't got INTO shape to show well
and this made Chapman look better.
Then some one started the hammer |
catcher did there were plenty of
knocks. The hero worried and went |
bad. He grew sore at everything and |
after Smith was farmed to Manhattan |
didn't try to catch. He didn't keep |
in condition. The result is that he
made an unenViable record.
According to information received |
here, Gear is not displeased with the |
showing of any of his c. K. L. re-
better than others. But none have
shown any marked weakness.
Chapman wasn't any good to To-
oeka this year until just before the
asst at home series ended. Then he
;aught couple of games that recalled
ormer days. He made a great hit
With Red Andreas, then managing the
Packers. Andreas told the writer that
lie would like to own Chapman, faults
md all, because he believed the back
topper could be taught to overcome
hem. He believed the northeast Kan
as athlete had bright future if prop
,rly handled. The present deal is
a result of that feeling and
S in the measure of tryout for
Harry.
Gear is trying out all of the young
tiers because he wants to see them in
.ction before the date on which he
las to decide whether or not he will
,eep them. That is one reason that
he young pitchers are being worked
low and Brandon was sent home to
est until the club returns. Mean
While the Chickering ought to be in
hape to pitch some great ball when
he team gets home next Tuesday.
AS Bashang is leading off the indi-
alton is that he is a faster man than
nd sacker- If he is speedier than
Jimmy he must do it in about nothing
lat.
There must be a different spirit on
he Kaw team. Any time a team over :
ONES a score of s, fighting up hill
art of the way, and over comes a {
andicap like IL passes, a wild pitch !
nd a hit batsmen, every one on the
Tub must be working. Sullivan, who I
nust have had his hitting arm in Y
ondition. He smashed two singles c
nd triple during the freak contest. I
'erhaps We'll have to look closer at !
his Three I wonder. S
Maggie was the only Kaw who didn't v
and safely on the pill. Lee and King t
anded four safe ones each and Sui
van 3. Billings and Mcdonald made T
wo each, while Bashang got his first I
it in the Western League. Walsh \
lso got one safe one. 1t was a two f
agger. incidentally the Kaws stole six y
asses. Guess this kind of playing \
ill not upset the averages. r
The Lincoln News suggests that if | v
a Rourke purchased Fugate to help c
i'm win the pennant the Omahog boss g
lould complain to the national COM f.
Iission that Gear flimflammed him. I
d
Gagnier, formerly with the Links, a
ut now with Indianapolis, is report Ii
to be the detective whose report b