The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-17
BEARS ARE HERE
The Grizzlies, Is Strong, Arrive
in Topeka.
Will Open Season With Kaws
Tomorrow.
OLD FACES ARE MISSING
Beall, Leonard, Lindsay, COf-
fey, HeaIy Missing.
But New Men Strong-GOssip
of Champions.
OLD FACES ARE MISSING

Sixteen strong, the DenVe- Grizzlies,
champions of the Western League in
1911 and 1912. worlds minor league
| champions during the latter season by
virtue of their decisive defeat of Min
nea polls, arrived in Topeka this
morning for the opening of the annual
| pennant play with Topeka at the ball
park tomorrow.
The squad came in from Oklahoma
! City where it has been spending the
! flag end of a long spring training trip
throughout the south. With the pos
sible exception of one man, Henry
Butcher, who was hit by a pitched ball
in the Lincoln game yesterday, the
men are in tiptop shape and ready for
gruelling season.
Aside frol-4 the active players, Presi-
dent James c. McGiH and his wife.
Manager Jack Hendricks, Secretary
Tim Flavin and Trainer Billy Nelson
are making the trip.
The Bears will present more new
faces in the lineup this year than they
have since the memorable house-clean-
ing season which followed the appear
ance of President McGill and Manager
Jack as members of the league. Six
of the veterans of the two champion
ship mines will be among the missing
while in their places will appear men
known only by their records in this
league.
Naturally, the switches make the
strength of the Cubs an unknown fac
tor this year and while the Denverites
are again looking forward to a cham
pionship season, interest around the
circuit has been increased by the dis
appearance of men whose ability was
known and the infusion of new and
comparatively untried blood.
Making the rounds, Billy Fisher will
be found at first place instead of Chris
Lindsay, captain of last years squad,
III,
While not the hitter that Chris was
on the face of official averages, Fisher
is a veritable Hal Chase in the field,
even to the left-hand part of it. He
is fast and sure, covers plenty of
ground and is expected to add to the
speed of the team
At second appears the veteran Char
ley French. who has been hitting a
savage clip in spring practice. Lee
Dublin, expected to outclaSS the third
baseman of the league, will be at his
old position, and thus far has shown
his old time FORM
Owing to the faets that he is TAX
ing a law course at Workman Jack
Coffey has not yet reported for short
stop. In his place for the first month
at least, will be Frank Matthews,
speedy youngster grabbed from the
Michigan State League. top-notcher
fieller, Mettys hitting remains an uri-
certain equation.
The outfield material which Manager
Hendricks has to work with, will bear
comparison with any trio in the Western.
Grover Gilmore is back at left, Lester
CHANNEL is in John BealPs place at CEN
ter. and Harry Cassidy is at the old stand
in right. Channel has been busting
fences regularly and is expected to be the
cleanup hitter of the nine. The other pa1i
are showing their usual, consistent form
which means that they are hitting 300 and
fielding in errorless shape.
The utility job held by Kenworthy last
year will probably be taken by Henry
Butcher for the present. regular job IN
the field depending upon the form dis
played by the vets. Butcher was secured
from Cleveland this winter. He led the
Central and Southern leagues in hitting
and was only beaten out of a place with
Cleveland by an injury to his ankle. In
exhibition games he has shown an ability
to step into them that forecasts con-
tinuation of past batting averages
The catching department of t the ebr Cubs
scheduied as first backstop with George
Block a close second. Block led TIE
league in hitting last year and promises
sure whipper and hits to the fence when
he connects. Both are well acquainted
with the opposing batters OF the western
and both are capable of developing young |
pitchers.
appear in the twirling department and It !
around the circuit have figured Denver
for slump this season. Dutch Leon !
ard, Leading w eSte1I piecheI iehoI S0oi . I
with the Boston Red Sox and apparently |
a regular fixture; Ed kinsella was sold |
to the Sacramento club last week; aud
Cliff Healy has retired
To replace Leonard, the Bears have
Casey Hagerman. Hagerman was sold
to Boston for 5000 in 1911 after winning
twelve straight for Denver: Last year ne
lost control and was finally sent to New
Jersey From that point Denver secured
him this winter. His arm has been weak
out he is gradually showing a return 20
Did form.
A Chicago White Sox recruit will hold
DOWN Kinsella's lob. This is Mel Wolf
gang. leading pitcher of the New England
eague in 1910. 1911 and 1872. and described /
as the hardest working. best fielding
D. er in minor league baseball. TrieI
out by Chicago this spring he was let go
because of a superfluity of material and
Denver bought him. He reports here or
at Wichita
o hit his old gait this season while Ben 4
Harris formerly of Topeka, is expected
o show an Improvement as he has nov !
from an attack OF maierid
which bothered him last spring: 4
i e other men are Johnny KING. Den
-er semipro recruit who holds the Colo
ado pitching record: and Ray Moran,
outhpaw from Chicago independent
anks. Both are inexperienced nut nave
plenty of stuff and look like promising
Summed ND the team seems to be as
trong in hitting, and faster on the bases
nd in fielding than in 1912 but somewhat
Uncertain in pitching.
Manager Jack predicts that 1t VIII Wuh
he championships as does President Nc
silI At the least the Bears will have
trong fighting organization. and one tEat
bove everything else is determined tn
hot the Topeka hoodoo from the map
nd win consistently from the one team
al others kept them