The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-18

| The ball game tomorrow Will be
| called at $50 p. m.
! 1t isn't a question of pitchers, Dale
Gear. manager of the Kaws, told the
| fans at the meeting OF the Boosters
club last night. They are class A with
out doubt he said But he did admit
! that he was rather puzzled over what
selection to make on the opening day.
| The old pitchers are the steady depend
| able ones usually used on such an oc-
casion. But the older men have round
| ed to form more slowly than the young
er men. Consequently the mana ger
wonders from which class he had better
choose his opening day twirler. The
youngster with plenty of stuff may be-
come nervous and fail to do himself
justice before such a crowd as the
opening day aggregation will be. Again
the older pitchers may lose out as a re-
suit of not being in the best condition.
And here you have the problem the
manager must solve before the gong
rings tomorrow afternoon. He isn't
sure how he will decide it. Today's de-
velopments at the Quigley camp may
decide him. But so far he has been I'M
able to make a selection.
President A. NJ CatIin of the base
ball association told the boosters some
thing of the work that has been done
on the park. He said that 81 500 had
been spent upon the grounds and
| bleachers. A new fence has been built
inside the old one and the space on it
all sold. The improvement in the dia-
mond has been great. All that is now
needed is good weather and good sup
port. Mr.. Catlin showed his faith, and
that of the men who are behind base
ball here, in the town, when he said
plans were being made now to build an
additional bleacher next spring, and
remodel the grandstand.
Arthur Griggs. the Topekan playing
with the Toledo Mud Hens of the
American Association, is now enjoying
a charley horse. That is one reason
the club hitting of the Mud Hens is
not as great as it might be.
Gear announced today that he would
take his regular team to St. Marys.
Two young pitchers will make the trip
as announced Tuesday in this column
and all but one of the older ones will
stay at home to workout for the last
time before hostilities begin.
The Santa Fe offices will close Fri
day afternoon for the game. Most OF
the stores will also likely close and
there will be no excuse for the lack Of
a record break king crowd in case the
weather remains pleasant And fur
ther than that, three big days should
be guaranteed. With the Friday clos
ing the half holiday on Saturday and
the Sunday game the Wichita team
will probably get more money out OF
their first trip here than it will get at
home all summer. Last year the team
played to more people the first day here
than Topeka played to in three games
there when the season opened.
The cheering news that the Santa Fe
Offices would close Friday was given
out by E. L. Copeland at the meet
ing which the Boosters club held for
Gear at the Commercial club rooms las
night There were speeches by every
one who could be prevailed upon to
talk. The committees of the Booster
club will be busy today selling boos-
ter buttons and the $40 ticket books.
There was a fine lot of enthusiasm on
display last night and it means that
the town is behind the team as never
before.
Walter Mattick has lost his regular
job with the Galatians but will be
carried as utility outfelder.
Only couple of days left for the
slaughter which IsbelI says will be made |
before the season op-ns: The Des |
Moines leader says he will have only |
IS men that fatal day. He has between |
% and 80 now and there is consider |
able uneasiness on the squad as a !
result. Isbell has already lid the fans
at the Iowa capital goodby until after |
the opening day.
The weatherman could have turned |
loose better bunch of weather for |
the last few days of training. While |
the team was in Texas Topeka en- |
joyed two weeks of splendid baseball |
weather, better than the team found |
but now that the players are here there !
is nothing too mean for the weather
makers to spring upon it. Tuesday and |
Wednesday would have helped the con- |
dition of the players had they been |
fair days. AS it was, the manager !
didn't risk the sore arm by ordering his (
men out.
Peace is said to reign in the Packer
camp and the Denver Times predicts
that the Sioux tribe will get further
along in the race this year than it did /
last year. Dissatisfaction with the /
management is blamed for last years
troubles. And then it is possible the |
players work had something to do |
with 1t.
Sun may shine or rainy weather the
fans will probably turn out and show
O'Neill what a really good baseball !
town the Kaw camp is. There are |
would have felt honored by the pres
ence of prexy at the opening game.
And unsolicited he chose Topeka.
Holland says his men are in poor |
condition. That is true and is probably |
true of five or six other teams in the |
league The weather conditions have /
been awful. The locals should be in /
the best condition for the race, al |