The Topeka state journal., 1912-06-01

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Today marks the opening of the
strong this year but have lately had
the advantage of playing largely on
their own grounds. There is no doubt
that the friendly attitude of the crowd
have been battling in the enemy S
country. They will be at home more
this month and it ought to help lit
tie. Certainly we should be acquaint-
ed with the St. Joseph team soon. The
Kaws returned here for the only SER
les at home this month to play four
games with st. Joseph. Another SER
les was finished there Friday. After
four games with the Isbells the Kaws
return for another four day contest
with the Sons of Holland.
Then the Kaws come home for sew
eral games and should boost their
percentage considerably, barring ac-
cildents. We will have with US in June
Des Moines, Sioux City, Omaha, Lin
coin and Denver. There is another
trip to Denver also scheduled during
the month.
The Kaws are home from their dis
astrous northern invasion and with
the exception of eight games will play
here during the month of June
Meanwhile it is interesting to note the
positions occupied by the various
teams on this date last year. Lin
coin led the league with a percentage
of .647. Sioux City, Pueblo and Dem
yer followed, the champions on June
1 having a percentage of .606. Pueb-
10 was tied with that team for third
place. Omaha, St. Joseph and To-
peka were next up in the order nam
ed. The locals had won 16 games and
lost 20 for a standing of .444. Des
Moines was on the bottom, having won
8 games and lost 80. The Boosters
were never headed after that for cell
lar honors.
The Kaws not content with
streng gthening the pitching staff are
now trying to secure the service of
shortStop whose work on the diamond
is said to be little short of marvellous.
This at least shows the right spirit in
the men who are trying to give To-
peka a good baseball team. And it
is only fair to lend every encourage
baseball to make money. If they were
their stay wouldn't be long. But they
want to keep this amusement here
and they are trying to make it a
highly satisfactory amusement for the
fans. With the addition of another
pitcher the Kaws should do well md
If the infield is made faster then the
team ought to do just that much bet
ter.
that surrounds the northern trip, is
that Manager Gear has got his batting
eye at work. The manager started the
season hitting poorly but since the IN
jury of Rickert, has been playing left
field and batting them out right along.
His swats have told in the score col
umn the most of the time and that is
the kind of hitting that counts.
Among other things the catching
staff is in bad shape. However, the
injuries of both the "Flying Dutch
man. and Chapman are healing slow
ly and they should both be in condition
to do their best work soon.
Jack Holland says that playing
away from home will never cost a
team a pennant. He says that if the
team is going good enough to win 1t
the home crowd. But Jack ism
ticl<led to death over the prospect of
Denver playing the last 29 games at
home.
From the present form of Denver,
she may not be contender. But Den
yer looks stronger than the last few
games indicate. And Jimmy McGill
has plenty of coin. Proper expenol-
lures have frequently won pennants
when the team was lower in the race
than Denver is now.
Among other CLUBS trying TO
strengthen for the endurance contest
is the one at Wichita. Quietly, and
without any sweeping changes, the
team is being worked over, new men
being added here and there. Ander-
son, a pitcher, is one of the latest re-
cruits. An infielder is another. The
Wichita papers refer to it as 'the pur-
chase of Alderman" Tessie has al
ready helped the Witches some and
will likely help them some more.
Probably he will come to Topeka and
take games away from us. Pitchers
released by the local management have
done this.
Now that the Manhattan club has
broken the ice a number of G. K. |
League teams are strengthening. The
Salina club, which has drawn poorly |
because it did not start as a winner. |
is the latest one to try it. Meanwhile |
SaIina claims to be ready to sell a |
couple of pitchers. the deal having |
been almost closed Anyone in the |
Western after them now?
The revival of the boosting spirit in |
the Boosters is to be commended. Tt |
should be kept up. The Boosters were |
organized to boost when it was need |
ed Then the Boosters, or rather some |
of them. quit. Now let them get back |
q AY~Y MR q ~