The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-01
GEAR AGAINST IT
Doesn't Want to Use Players
EARNED Out.
This VIII Probably Keep Chap
man Away From Here.
DENVER SCRIBES ARE WRONG
O'NeiI Is Not Trying to Give
Town Bad Deal.
Two Good Story TelIers in
Western League.

Two GOOd story TellerS in
Western League.
Because the Western league meeting
IS to be held in Chicago instead of
Denver as originally planned, the
Denver scribes. and there are some
/ clever, ikable fellows among them. are
jumping onto O'Nei1 with both feet
This is not fair to the Hon. Tip.
anyone any bad deals. He is working
for the good of his circuit His job
is worth some money to Tipperary
and he works to keep it and make the
league stronger. It's only natural. And
We fail to see any reason that he
should want to cause Denver trouble
| Denver is the best ball town in the
league. MagnateS do not usually go
out of the way to make trouble for
such towns. To be sure, many a ques-
ton is so decided as to give the weak
er towns chance at what looks to be
! the expense of the larger ones. It's
a way baseball men have and it's
pretty good way. But to take the
schedule meeting away from Denver,
just to be doing it, looks unreasonable
on the face of 1t. Magill is a square,
fair sportsman and if he has a kick it
would be listened to with respect by
every writer in the league. But the
onto O'Neil for something else. He
kept the meeting out of Colorado to
avoid service should an injunction suit
! be brought by Pueb1oans in their eff
fort to prevent the team being moved
to Wichita. Be square with Prexy.
In view of the suggestions of some
of the men who get out dope on the
Western circuit, that Comiskey is be-
coming the owner of the Western
league, statement of Dale Gear to the
Topeka fans may not be amiss Gear
declares he was against the farm idea
/ in hoe nIeo1 q aIax Il 11a
doesn't belong to your club he viii
work for himself and not for the club
Gear declares. ''It is the fellow who
knows you have the say about him
who tries It's up to him to please
you" Gears sentiment is what will
probably prevent Chapman from COM
ing back to Topeka in case he is not
used by the Cubs this summer. Chap
man is a good catcher but will likely
not be available for the Cubs the pres
ent season. Another summer of min
or baseball will likely be melted out to
him. The Topeka club has a contract
til this club has been given a chance
at him. He will still remain the prop
erty of the Cubs and will be subject,
according to this agreement, to recall
by them. And Gear has said NO
No such deal for him. His players, he
announces. must be free from entan-
clements with other clubs. And so
some one else will probably give Chap
man his training this summer.
Eddie Gagnier led the shortstops in
all minor leagues last year, playing
156 games with percentage of 957.
The players signed by Gear are be-
ginning to cause some comment around
the circuit. So also has his method
of preparing for the season. While
some of the scribes call attention to
the heaviness on the youngster side of
the team most of them acknowledge
that the new Kaw manager is likely
to cause some trouble with those who
hope for pennants.
Contracts have been mailed to il
Wichita players and the new manage
ment is hopeful on the holdout propO-
sitiOn. The officers feel that they have
been as liberal with the salary propo
sition as the condition of the club will
warrant and say they have treated the
players fairly in the matter of pay.
Those who will receive contracts are:
AL Shaw, Uhlrichville, Ohio; Danny
Claire, Ludnigh, Mich; B. NJ. Weller,
Rochester, N. Y; Phil Koerner. Pueb-
10, Colo; Samuel Wright. Cesedo. w.
Va; Garlic Jackson, Scotsbluff, Neb-;
Russell Routt, Omaha, Neb.; Ralph
Craig, Trinidad. Colo; ~ nk" Davis,
Neosho, Mo-; Clyde Middleton, Flat
Rock, Ill; Ira Belden, Denver, Colo;
Paul Wacob. Pasadena, Cal: W. E.
Ellis, Piggot, Ark; Jimmie Durham,
Douglass Kan; Gordon Harm on On
4oAc~ n Wei, IN d 1CSAAtO4Ns 49,
Louis, Mo.
Anyhow, they ought to settle that Lin
coin row in time to allow the fans there
to become enthusiastic over the team this
year. Lincoln supports a team so royal |
ly that the bugs there do not deserve this |
sort of a squabble.
Maybe Wichita is behind the ball team. |
If you say anything mean enough about |
the town you can get a Rise occasion !
ally out of one of the sport scribes there. |
Up at Des Moines the Register and |
Leader is running a daily dope story by |
Frank Isbell. Pretty good way to work |
up interest in the leader of the team |
and IsbelI tells good stories. Beside that /
he is good for unlimited supply. Jay |
Anderson is also breaking into print reg |
ularly in the Western league papers now /
and Jay plays a good second to IsbeI IN |
the Reminiscence stunt.
The White sox will play a couple of /
spring. Two men. Matticks and Benz /
who were former Des Moines players, |
will be with the squad.
The Western league had five of the
in organized baseball last year, according |
to w. A. Phelon, who has made a. study 1
Of the number of games participated in
by individuals. The Coast league with its
202- game schedule, is excepted. The West
erns leaders are Jim Kane of Omaha
fire. lr~o ~ fSa-r--n Inches Of