The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-17

| taken to ST. Marys. Gear is noncom-
initial but with the season opening
next day it seems only fair to decide
that the men who make the trip will
| probably be the ones who will be cho-
sen as stars of the first magnitude. II
| would seem that they would be given
| this last game in order to get team
work perfected. Don't bet any money
on this dope but it seems to reason
well.
The one man who likes to play base
ball better probably, than anyone else
| on the squad is Joe Rickert, upon
| whom the management was forced last
| season. Rickert fairly lives in the
| national game. When the season closes
| in the north he goes south and plays
winter ball. AS a result he is nearly
always in condition. Another thing
about Rickert is his enthusiasm. AL
ways working and working fast, is the
| former leader who will cavort in the
| left green this season for Manager
Gear. Joseph has been playing ball
| for quite a while, so long, in fact
| that it isn't polite any more, to say
| that he needs experience, or to even
tell how long. But he's there, just the
same as when he stole more bases
| than anyone on earth, that time down
| in Louisiana. And he's trying just az
hard as he did then.
Diagram to the catching staff: Chap
man is a Jayhawker. Smith is the In
dian and idt-sh-keep-it-dark, il
the Dutchman.
Lincoln and Omaha have been play
ing exhibition games for the purpose
of getting work for the players. The
OmahOgs have won four games anC
the Lincoln writer's are making ex-
cuses. 1t shouldn't be necessary to dc
this. Everyone knows. or should, that
managers who are wise will lose such
contests rather than have players ex-
tend themselves to win. What would
the winning of an exhibition game do
towards replacing a player crippled
through extending himself too early IN
the season? The contests have already
resulted in Manager Dwyer acquiring
a sore shoulder.
AS a matter of fact few teams ara
in trim. This goes. for the big fellows
as we'll as the Western class If the
players are in condition in two weeks
they will be doing we'll Spring training
trips help put them in condition put
there is as yet no instance of where
athletes opened the season this early
in the year without some sore arms
or some cripples on the squad
Dale Gear in Topeka may be the
surprise of the race. The willy leader
of the Kaws is certainly going to bring
his entry up to the barrier in better
shape for the first furlong dash than
any other jockey in the race.-Danel
Dillon, Jr.. in the Denver Times.
The same writer says that the WITCH
tia team is overlooked this year by the
wise ones. He says Isbell will be miss
ed and that much depends on the hand
ling of the men on the team. Inc
witches can smash the ball, all right,
&c iET9 X a a
but what will be the result of Dog
gie' Hughes management? There Is
a growing suspicion among some Of
the western magnates and writers that
Isben turned lose bunch of men
who are mighty hard to handle and In
charge of them is a man who has had
little experience as a leader. OF course
the new manager may surprise us all
but the looks of the thing are against
Wichita being as strong this year as
the team was when wichita declined
to support IT,
Talk about nerve, Lincoln is conf
dent of beating the other teams In
the league out in this year race
And that is the feeling that wins pen
nants The Lincoln club has had
enough hard luck to discourage Bryan
himself. but it seems they don't know
what it means to lose commence:
And Despair deserves just that kind
of a feeling
Ri11 Maxev is in town. Kahl wants
wi1iiam to catch for his Manhattan
team, in the c. K. League and 1t IS
likely that he will do TINS. Maxey
recently bet a fan that a ball which
was hit foul and rolled into the oia,
nond between first and home or third
and home was fair. The fan got a
decision from a local expert decid-
ing against Maxey and to prove that
he was a good sport Maxey gave up
the cash. When Mr.. Maxey again
wants to give away cash VIII nc pAeose
call at this office.
Manager Gear believes in his pitch
ing staff as strongly as in any other
department of the team He says the
pitchers need more time to get going
nroDerly but you can't show him a
hing in the league he will admit can
Quitting his mound artists
In signing F'rantz, Gear is securing
an old love. Gear gave the lanky fell
low his first contract with the Kan
COS Citv club in 1904 or Whereabouts.
And while Frantz has been out of
baseball some time he purchased his
release and was free agent. This
g1,rinZ the first warm days awakened
+ha longing for the recreation with
in his bosom. He talked with Gear
about his business fellow didn't
make as much as he should in the
business, he said, when
the amount of money invested was
cnosidered. One word led to another
and then came letters. AS a result,
Frantz has signed his name to To-
neIa contract when he is really big
league caliber
Tonelxa fans will have as their guest
on the opening day of the season Tip
O,Neiu. president of the league. A
message received last night announced,
at will open the season in Topeka
Prexy has long been interested in the
showing the Kaws will make in the
coming pennant fight and will open