The Topeka state journal., 1913-08-08

Wichita is having hard luck with
pitchers. Regan is sick with tonsilitis
and Jimmy Durham has an attack OF
pleurisy. AS a result Joe Bills, who
has been playing the outfield, has been
, forced to take the mound.
Denver Times: Pa Rourke could not
seem to stem the tide of defeat. His
Sterlings were. receiving their bumps
: in spite of the guiding influence of
their portly owner, who has been pull
ing the managing stunt himself. Eight
straight defeats are enough to discour-
age almost anyone. So Pa went out
club. Babb was a former Brooklyn
+ player in the good old days when
Brooklyn did not care. Incidentally
the tailender Witches permitted Babb
to chase himself to Omaha gratis.
Sioux City News: Pa Rourke comes
out with the admission that his aggre-
CATION is sadly in the rut and that un-
less his shifting tactics produce
change it will go hard with Griswold's
pets in the scramble for position.
Sioux City Tribune: Before depart
ing for Omaha to JOIN the Topeka squad
Paul Brown declared that he was con-
fident in earning a trial in the big
leagues next year. Brown said that
his arm this week had just begun to
get into shape and he declared that he
would go well with Topeka
No longer does the Izzies support the
ancient theory that new bats purchas-
ed in the middle of the season are hoo
docs. They are not only dee-hghted
over the change but each spills the in
formation that he got at least two of
the brand new variety. But Izzy and
F'airweather are not kicking over the
slight expense incurred in the said
purchase as the Battlers are running
wild with their war clubs and hitting
everything in sight.
Wichita Beacon: The pitchers over
the Western League seem to have a
knack of going good when they are
against the Jobbers. They all have
their bad days and get pounded out of
the box but when they go against the
Jobbers they are in two or three-hit
form. If a Wichita pitcher is working
in winning form the game is Skadiga-
booed by some one mussing up a
chance to retire the side without a
run; 1913 is evidently a "hoodoo" year
for the JobbefS.
Omaha Bee: If there was a ninth
place in the Western League race, one
or the other of the Kansas teams would
be filling it. When either of them
meets up with one another, or with any
of the other teams in the league, save
Omaha. the contest is about as exciting
as tea party at an Old Ladies' home. !
But just as soon as Omaha heaves in |
sight then it's different again. Those |
Kansas ball players bristle up like real |
warriors, sharpen their spikes, ana go |
into the fray as if they existed solely |
for the purpose of beating Omaha. And |
they do it with remarkable frequency, |
too From the time the first ball is |
pitched till the last man is out, they /
fight like demons inspired and if |
Omaha ever gets anything from them,
it is taken, not given.
Umpire Jack Haskell was asked the |
other day what he thought of the rul-
ing recently made by President Lynch
Of the National League to the effect
that when a pitcher drops a ball while /
in the act of delivering it to the bats
man, it shall be called a balk UNI
pire Haskell considers the ruling a wise
one If twirlers were allowed to put
this trick over they coulG frame up
plays that would catch the base run
ners to such an extent that the effect I
1f the hit-and-run would be ruined. /
The pitcher could signal the third
oaseman and then let the ball slip from !