Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-21
Judgments

wv bail team, and when the flai
raising goes on year from
now in token OF the pennan
winning Of the preceding autumn. W,
would not be vastly surprised. barrin,
accidents. that the said Pa will have I
hand in the ceremonies. But, understand
we are not making that as a fiat predlc
ton, content to rest our case on this
That Omaha is from 80 TO Is per cen
stronger than it was in 1911, when, by q
prodigious season-end squirt II mad,
fourth place. Some OF our sapient sage:
over the circuit have gone on record witt
the proposition that Omaha will be q
second division team, Well, only
prejudice or ignorance could aciuate tina,
assertion. Here is the situation: Las;
year. as everybody who knows the fact.
knows. Omaha was about as badly disor.
ganized-until the last few weeks-as q
team could be. 1t flddled along with no.
body at third base, little more at short
weak at second. decidedly weak In Tic
outfield until late. This year we star,
more formidably in both in and out.
field than we have been for many years
IL not in the history Of the team. Added
TO this is staff OF pitchers who are
away ahead, both the old and new ones,
OF last years bunch. and the catchlng
department Is as strong. OF course, we
realize that Omaha Is not tho only team
that has strengthened itself this year
we think all have. but We are not fool.
ish enough TO imagine that the others
have strengthened themselves so much
more than Omaha as to make Omaha a
second division team, considering relative
merits last year and the fact that under
the greatest handicap We ever suffered,
We stu finished In first division, All
things considered. II looks TO our calm,
ripe and unbiased judgment az IL the
race OF 1872 would be the bert the West.
ern league has seen in many year. Let
Z the best team win.
President Rourke did great thing
when he landed Billy DAVIDSON from
Brooklyn. Billy Davidson, gentlemen,
was one OF the premier fieiders OF this
league when he played with Lincoln. and
he Is better now than he was then, for
he has had two seasons Of experience m
the majors, where he will be seen again
some day, Ills addition makes omaha's
outfield nvihcible-Davidson, Thomason,
coyle. Where do you beat lit All are
batters, runners. fselders; all are hesdy,
all are tractible. all are ball players.
Davy's last season with Lincoln was
measured in these figures: At bat, oS;
runs. IS: hits. isl; total bases, 9s4; dou-
hles. D. triples. 10; home runs, 8; saeri-
flee hits, 10: stolen bases, 20. His bat.
ting average was 10. But these figures
do not tell 1t all. Those loyal Omaha
fans who have seen an Omaha runner
on third base when fly went to Davy
in center know that; they know with
what trepidation they viewed the anx-
ious runner at third as he attempted %
beat that deadly throw OF Lncoln's tall
center fielder TO the plate, with the pos-
sible exception OF old Ira Bslden. who
had anything on Davidson with the wing.
Cadman still operates his thinking ma
ehinery as he did when wearing an
dead TO rights on the third base line. He
tossed the ball back to Reilly at third
and then stepped squarely in front OF
Bert effectuaily blocking his passage
toward home. OF course. the umpire gave
Niehoff the run. And right there was
the time to nip that sort Of thing in
the bud. and Umpire Carter did a good
job OF II. sounding q warning TO all pls y
ers for the season. II was the only pos
sible way Niehoff could have scored and
Cadman gave 1t to him. There was no
occasion whatever for Cadmsn's ivory
act, except that that 10 the way Goldman
has OF acting.
Red Andreas seemingly has a good
team. Red. himself. looks like the right
man for the right place as manager. He
has the ginger and the head for a leader
and he is fighting every inch OF the way.
In Fridays game he showed that. He
came TO the front three times with hits
when his team needed hits, runs and
courage. He has Babe ToWne so far out
elassed as manager as to leave him tied
to the post. Andreas cannot only tell the
others what 10 do. he can execute.
Omaha had good opening for Rourke
park, even If the weather was not ideal.
Sioux City and the home team put up a
splendid game Of ball. Just the kind a
real fan likes-a zigzsg back and forth
from start to finish The liberal number
Of runs boots nothing 50 far as the
quality Of playing went. The preliminary
exercises we're novel and interesting and
altogether 1t was a good getaway.
Jimmy Kane starts cut playing first
better than ever. Twice he saved Friday $
game with difficult ons-hsnd ssahs and
once he won it with his vicious bat, soak
ing the first ball pitched for a double
scoring two runs ahead Of him.
Pa has at last got shortstop. Jusucs
is the boy. Il would do your achins
heart good TO see that chicken run Up
and get 'em and whip EN- over to old
Jim Oh. men. he's daisy.
Empires Kisssne and Carter started
well, anyway. Here's luck, gentlemen
and let's forget the recall in the bleach