The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-25
JOE STILL LEADS
Stolen Base List Is
the Longest.
Many Leagues VIII Be Organized
in Kansas.
TEX JONES Is RASH
Despite Leap Year Denies He
Will Wed.
Holland Signs Three More En-
bryO Wonders.

Down in New Orleans they have
some pretty fast base runners and
some pretty good players. But none
of them have reached the stolen base
record made by Joe Rickert when he
played there in 1904. The natives
there still tell of it. Rickert pilfered
total of II bases there in that year.
The nearest approach to it was in
1901. three years before, when Gil
bert of Little Rock grabbed Sc. Rick
ert has signed up his contract for the
coming season The popular outfield-
er writes to the local management
that he has kept in condition by play
ing winter baseball. He will have no
trouble with Gear. according to his
statement, and is pleased with the
prospect of playing for his old friend.
Rickert is mighty popular here de-
spite the showing of the team last
year. And there are poorer outfield-
ers.
The Central Kansas-State circuit
probably will be a first class one dur
ing the coming season. If not it will
be largely the fault of the men be-
hind baseball in the various towns. All
of the franchises are located in live,
baseball supporting localities. There
should be a good brand of ball on this
circuit during the coming season.
Beside the league which will be the
outgroWth of the old Kansas State
and Central Kansas circuits there will
probably be a number of other regu-
larly organized and protected baseball
leagues in Kansas. In fact there has
been so much professional baseball
and the national game is so strong in
Kansas that the people think they just
can't do without a league" team.
Many Kansas towns have failed to
support league teams. This is not be-
cause baseball was dead or the towns
not good baseball centers, but often
because of the fact that the town had
over bid itself. Too much expense can
not be borne by the smaller Kansas
cities. No matter how loyal the fans
they must work some of the time and
cannot afford to contribute their en-
tire salary to the support of a ball
club. Chanute, lola and other near
by towns are now planning the or
ganization of a small, but compact
district in that section of the state.
There will be little expense, compare
lively speaking, connected with such
an undertaking. If the Kansas league
promoters will not over reach them
teams and play the season out in each
case.
Texas Jones is still denying the
STORY THAT ne IS 10 marry wichita
girl. For a man who knows that 1t
is leap year Tex is awfully positive.
The sporting editor of the Wichita
Eagle wants to take $50 for every
game the Wichita team plays here
The only reason his proposition can
not be accepted is that the Wichita
sport writer does not get a guarantee
when games are played here.
There are a number of sport writ
ers in the Western who can't help but
wonder what would happen If O'Neil
should disregard the suggestions of
Jack Holland as made through St. 10
seph scribes. of course it's natural to
print everything the big boss of the
local team says, but the boys in Joe
town should watch Jack. He is given
to the same habit that some of the fell
lows trying to run Roosevelt for pres
ident have.
The Grand Island club of the Ne
braska State league has decided that
it wants Cockman of Lincoln for man
ger and may buy his release to get
him Cockman is quite popular with