Omaha daily bee., 1912-01-21
NINE HURLERS ON
R0URKE'S STAFF
Large Number of Twirlers Who
Will Be Relied on to Bring
Home the Bacon.
TWO S0UTHPAWS ARE NEEDED
Negotiations Are Under Way for the
Securing of These.
MUCH EXPECTED OF FENTRESS
Pa Thinks He Will Be Mainstay of
Team This Season.
NO NEW CONTRACTS RECEIVED
wannsr and Adams Are Only Ones
10 Have sent In signed Papers 10
Date, hut Fears of HoIdouts
Are Not Entertained.
TWO SoUTHPAws ARE NEEDED
Negotiations Are Under Way for the
Securing of These.
MUCH EXPECTED OF FENTREss
Pa Thinks He Will Be Mainstay of
Team This Season.
NO NEW CONTRACTS RECEIVED

Are Not Entertained.
To date the numerical strength OF the
Rourko pitching staff for next season is
nine great, big. husky twirlers and at
least two more ON the way. With this
outlay Of right-handers and southpaws
Pa Rourke hopes to put up the best fight
In twelve years Tor the coveted Western
league rag.
At present the southpawS ON the
Rourke squad are not in evidence, but
when the season opens on the afternoon
OF April ~ there viii be two well recon-
mended aud promising side wheelers on
the staff Last week new pitcher by
the name Of wild" Jack Ryan was adj
ded TO the list Of 1912 hurlers and by the
last Of this week another new one will
probably bring the total up TO ten. And
the best Of It il there Is not one OF the
present nine who could not go in and
pitch game and under ordinary circusn-
stances would give a good account Of
himself
Chief among this select bunch OF twirl-
ers whom Pa will rely on next season Il
Robinson the big siX-foot spitball artist.
lie Is the most reliable spitball hurler Pa
has on his staff when he is right AT
such times nothing eau beat him. but
when he goes up IN the air, which he did
few times last season. he is found
freely. and has to be retired from the
game before too much damage Is done
Rhodes TO Return.
Dusty Rhodes is another one OF next
years regular staff whom Pa will rely
on to do a great deal OF the flinging.
Dusty has been In the big league twice,
each time with the st. Louis Cardinals.
lie went TO ST Louis In the spring Of 1910
and for about a month was the sensation
Of the league. His first game with the
Cardinals he shut out the famous Cubs.
He Is the only pitcher who ever pitched
no-hit, no-run game In the .''pillbox'' at
sioux City. This he did In the fall OF 1902.
when Omaha was playing the deciding
games with the Sioux for the pennant.
The fact that the pillbox was SO con-
structed as 10 give hit on almost any
Kind OF a clout. makes Rhodes feat stu
more credible, Last year. until he con-
tracted n cold which settled In his fling
ing arm, he was going like cyclone.
Twelve straight games were won by him.
Bert Kelley is another member OF the
staff who thinks that he will have
chance to finish up the good work he
started last season and which was sud-
denly stopped when he was injured
in the lndlanolla wreck early In June.
lie Is a graduate OF Notre Dame uni
verslty and started his career as a ball
player on the town lots OF Chicago. His
first professional experience was with
the Washington club. From there he
came TO Omaha. where he has been ever
since.
JayhHwker Some Pitcher.
Roy Fentress is a product OF Kansas
and all his experience outside Of Omaha
base ball was with the Kansas State
league. Fentress last year was sent out
for little seasoning and Pa and the
critics do not hesitate to say that he will
probably make one Of the best pitchers
IN the league this season. He has every
thing good pitcher needs. A good
assortment of twisters Is one OF his best
assets, and at all times he manages 10
keep his head. When he gets in hole
he does not hesitate to put his head to
work and many times he has pulled
himself out Of bad holes by working on
the man at bat.
Joe Lotz will put in his second year
as a professional base ball player this
season. Last year was Joe's first trip
into real ball game. lie Is an Omaha
boy, having graduated from Creighton
university. Last year he was not fin
ishcd pitcher by long shot, but he WAS
n willing worker and has the PROMISE
OF becoming one OF the most promising
members Of the Rourke staff. Lott is
one Of the few pitchers who las perfect
control Of the mysterious fade-away bali,
which has been so effectively used by
Christy Mathewson. lie has a great
abundance Of steam and a full assort-
ment OF curves. lie is a great strike-out
pitcher. and 1t is thought that he viii
show up well in spring practice at Jop-
lin, which will necessitate Rourke keep
ing him on the regular staff next season.
Expect Mach of Hall.
Pa Rourke is Of the belief that Marx
Hall win be valuable asset TO the 1872
Rourke squad. Hall started his career
as a professional with Joplin. and played
with that team IN the Western assoeia-
ton in 1893 and 1910. In the fall OF 1910
he went TO the ST. Louis Browns and
finished the season with them. Last year
ne was with the Rourkes and pitched
consistent ball all season. lie is expected
to put up a good exhibition Of the ma
tional psstime this season. The other
pitchers on the staff will be Ryan, re.
Gently acquired in trade with Mobile.
Sindelar and Cook, who was secured from
Topeka in a trade.
No new contracts were received by Pa
Roarke last week. but the majority OF
them are expected to arrive this week.
Adams and wanner are the only two
players who have sent in their contracts
TO date. Rourke Is not worrying over
PLAYERS holding out this season, as tile
majority Of them will be only too gla.1
to get a berth. The majority Of the minor
league magnates are retrenching now and
there will be little tolerance with hol.i-
outs. The managers all over the country
are trying to sell at present. with no
BUYERS in sight. The reason for this is
the poor season the minors had last year.
II a player does not want to come 20
terms this year he will be in great