The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-01-18
Is Valet to Four Bovines, But
Fails to Rise Before
Seven O'clock
ENJOYING THE BACK-TO-
NATURE LIFE IN WOODS
Young Tiger Is Gaining in
Weight and Ruggedness
in the Mountains
BY RALPH L. YoNKER.


"Of course yours truly has TO do
the milking while Jimmy Lewis tends
20 the chickens and Buck Weaver
stays In bed"
This is the plaintive wall that comes
cut OF the west--out of the mountain
Businesses OF California. For there In
the wilds of the state Of the Golden
Gate abides none other than our hero
ibut, OF course, you have guessed II
ere this), Oscar WITT, Tiger!
Oscar Is peeved at Weaver. He
thinks his friend Is slipping something &
ever on him because while Oscar can
sleep only from nine o'clock In the
evening, until seven o'clock the next
morning, Buck can clutch the hand OF
Morpheus for few moments longer.
IL sleeping and milking COWS and
cieeping and hunting and sleeping and
Lreathing fresh air and sleeping and
OTIS to eat with plenty OF sleep will
nut man In condition, Oscar will be
n the pink when he gets the call TO
lnhabit an east-bound Pullman until
Ii arrives at Gulfport this spring.
Witt Is Napanee. He gets his
nail at Napa, which Is somewhere in
California. He lives out in the woods
somewhere with Buck Weaver. the
White Sox shortstop of last season.
Jimmy Lewis, of the Sacramento club,
sud the latters wife, Mrs. Lewis, Is
the cook.
Oscars purpose In remaining away
from civilization Is two-fold. First,
he wants to get in the best possible
physical shape for the 1913 campaign
with the Tigers. when he may be
needed I'm either the infield or out
field, position Second. he wants To
enjoy the life. e
Oscar has spent only two weeks in
the city. San Francisco. He was there
Tor short time during the holidays.
Before hiding himself In the wilds,
he with Oscar Stanage took part in a
came of baseball. Against the two
Tigers were Buddy Ryan Of the Maps.
Tommy Sheehan, Izzy Hoffman,
Jimmy McHale and Harry Krause.
However, the Oscars team managed
10 win out. Witt says that the fans
Jaws ached after the game from hold
ing their mouths open in rapture at
seeing Spin plug 'em out at second.
Witt feels cramped In his quarters
ON the mountains, as he and his two
men companions have only 5000 acres
over which they may wander in their
hunting, camping and fishing expedi-
tions.
Oscar has planned to cover all of
the territory before returning east
lie Is doing six miles every day In the
effort to do so.
While on tie walks, Oscar finds op-
Dortunity tofimprove his time scarce.
All there Ia to hunt on these trips are
coons, wild cats, pole cats and foxes
But this is not enough. Not con-
tent with being a huntsman and fisA,
erman, Oscar swings the ak and
buzzes the saw through the giants OF
the forest.
On Ranch de Witt, the family, be-
sides those mentioned, includes the
four COWS that Oscar milks so early
in the morning. two horses and
hundred chickens.
The life Is evidently agreeing with
Witt, for lie says he isn't going 10
leave II until the middle of February
Then he will spend few days at MS
home in San Francisco before coming
east. He says that he has gained ex-
actly ten pounds. that his stomach
trouble has disappeared and that ne
feels fine.
More than that he comes across
with some optimism about the Tigers,
breaks in luck pennants and that line
cf stuff. No fourth place for Oscar,
II he means what he says.
Witt has a glorious opportunity with
the Tigers in 1913. Last year he
started out In fine shape and was ap-
parently to be the idol OF the fans.
Then illness overlook him and he was
almost worthless to the club for sew
eral weeks.
BY the time he had rounded to the
club was going SO badly that Man
ager Jennings preferred to kiss the
bennant hopes goodbye and devote
his time to developing new men. In
doing this he didn't have to make use
OF witt. for he already was aware OF
what Oscar could do.
Witt has shown 1imself TO be so val
uable that IL will be a hard time TO
keep him on the Tigtr payroll. He
was used with success last year IN
the outfield, and In the inheld. His
hitting at first was excellent
with increased weight, which Oscar
needed badly, and with increased
ruggedness, he ought to be star for
the Tigers during the coming year.
He no doubt has his career In the
major leagues almost entirely before
him. He was often discouraged last
wear when he couldn't get back into
the running, but he will let by-gones
be bygones this coming season.
Commercial League Gets New Start
The Commercial league OF the Y
NJ. @. A. begins It's second round oi
play at the ''Y" gymnasium this even
ing.
rprr LECTURE. GARRICK THE
arrsu. SUNDAY aP. W. TOPIC. "PA.
RADIsE LOST PASTOR " CLAl
ROCKWELL. SEATS FREES NO coll
LECTIoN.-Adv.