The Detroit times., 1912-01-06
WILL DONOVAN MAKE OF
YOUNG MIKE MAURER A
WILD BILL THE SECOND?
Smiler Taught Pitching Recruit
His First Curves Six
Years Ago.
HOPES TO DEVELOP HIM.
Detroit Boy Is Confident That
He Will Make Good With
Big Leaguers.
BY RALPH /. YoNkER.

OF NALPH L. NONNEH'
When Bill Donovan is ready 10 re-
4 tire from active work as Tiger pitch
er and step into some managerial job,
Will he have left in his place Wild
Bill the Second? 49,
He will, IL Mike Maurer, the De
troit semi-pro southpaw who signed
mp az Jungle pitcher, this winter
before he was out OF his teens. ac-
complishes what Bill hopes he will.
Donovan taught Mike his first two
curves. an out and drop, Donovan
later discovered him pitching great
ball for sandlot team in Detroit, ana
Donovan will, IL is understood, teach
him all the fine points OF pitching as
II Ii done In the big show.
The recruit has the build that ought
to make good. He is one OF these big
lanky fellows with plenty OF arm and
shoulder Besides being star pitch
er, he is a good basketball man, play
ing a forward position on the 7. NJ.
c. five. His ranginess gets him past
many a guard and his left-handed
shots are confusing TO opponents VINO
are not used 10 southpaw basketeers.
Maurer expects TO 90 south In the
spring with the Tigers and he Is con-
fident of making good. He admits that
IL Is a pretty big thing for young
ster OF the sandlots to go in with the
runners-up in a big league without
minor league experience and come
through unscathed, but he says he
wouldn't try IL il he didn't feel sure
that he could stick.
Mike gives much OF the credit for
III NA.,a Naw % No MIL In o.
friend and adviser
II was kid about fourteen years
DID, Mike said today. when Dono-
van taught me the first two curves |
throw. | used to live near Bennett
park and used to go over and work
In the mornings for Bill Kline, when
he kept the park.
Playing around there. We kids used
TO throw for the Tigers. made
friends with Donovan and he showed
me how TO place my fingers to throw
curves
NATURALLY | am going to try to imi-
tate Donovan in every way that L
can OF course hs- il my faEeFite pitch
er and III follow his advice in every
thing"
Maurer has lived in Detroit all his
life. That Is, all up to date. He pitch
ed great ball for, the Y. NJ. c. during
the past four years. which brought
him to the attention OF Donovan and
DR.. Keane, the Tiger physician; who
recommended him to Mr.. Navin.
The Tigers won't have 10 fear this
Spokane Jack" Killilay who helped
the Red Sox put crimp in them at
times last year, for the youthful won
der from the Pacific coast will not
cavort In a Boston uniform this com
ing year.
Denver. OF the Western league
whence came Buck O'Brien, will have
the services OF Killilay, and II Is ex-
pected that he will be as big a sensa-
ton In that company as was O'Brien.
For many weeks last year Killilay
ranked at the head OF the American
league pitchers, as he won FIVE games
without losing a contest Then he be-
came less effective and the runners be-
gan TO take advantage OF his queer
delivery and took big leads of the
bases, with the result that stolen
bases were plentiful in the games in
which Jack oficiated
Hugh Duffy, the new Milwaukee
manager, formerly with the White
Sox. does not intend TO be handed any
lemons" for the 1912 Brewers, is the
report from the Beer City. Duffy will
so TO Hot Springs, Ark, March 10 to
look over the major league recruits
tn training there.
No less than five clubs will work out
az that famous resort and DUFFY, by
being on the ground, hopes TO land a
couple Of young players to strengthen
his Brewers. The big league teams
usually take an army Of colts south
Tor trial, and DUFFY hopes to pick up
real Jewel IN the wild scramble for
the kids To make good. In fact. he
has his eye on couple OF youngsters
whom he tried TO get for the White
Sox last year, and be wants TO be
right on the ground to complete a deal
4 II deal can be made
While President Nayin has aband.
oned the Yannigan stunt. Griffith. OF
the Nationals has taken up with II.
Grimth VIII have material enough for
two teams and several games for the
regulars and the Yannies are contem-
clate,l. =.
The regular team, II is expected
III be made up OF Flynn, first base /:
Cunningham, second; Mcbride, short |:
Foster, third: Milan, Moeller and
Schhefer, outfield
The second team will have Spencer
on FIRST. Sheer at second, Scott, short I:
Morgan. third; Gessler, Shank. Long
and Walker will alternate in the out.
Geld. u
A Chicago report that at first looks
ike news sums itself up I'm the state