Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-02
BLACKbURNE IS
At TER bERGER'S
job At SECOND
Battle Royal Expected Next Sea-
son in Fight for Position at
Keystone Sack.
By James Clarkson.


Sox infleld next spring when
'anahan puts his gang through their
preliminary workouts away out in
california. No, it will not be that
Iaques Fournier will try to Gust Hal
base from the initial corner, for
nat appears impossible Neither does
#, mean that Buck Weaver will fail
70 show tho proper stuff to cinch his
saortstop position, and neither do we
wish to give the impression that Cap
ain Harry Lord will be relieved OF
duty at the far corner.
We have now mentioned first base,
~nortstop and third base, haven't we?
Well, that quite naturally leaves sec
ond base as the scene of battle. Dur
ing the recent baseball season the Sox
used a couple of men at the keystone
.orner. Morris Rath first cavorted
around the center station, but Morris
light hitting soon resulted in his be-
ug driven back to the minors.
With the canning of Rath came an
opportunity for Joe Berger to get mot
The game as regular. Joe, accord
sng to the carefully preserved records
Ia Comiskey's office, had been regu-
ar whale out on the Pacific coast
tie played shortstop out there and
ait above the 800 mark Any man
who can hit around that mark always
ooks good to the White Sox manage
ment as 800 clouters are generally
lew and far between when you look
over the roster OF the South Side as-
sregation.
Backburne After Place.
Berger finished the season at sec
aud base for the SoX. But Berger was
not near the whale that he was out
on the coast. A pretty fielder. yes.
But as a hitter Joe fails to shine.
of course Joe was not alone in that
respect, for there were no 800 hitters
the Sox camp of 1913.
Who will battle with Berger for
second base next season? That's an
awful easy question to answer Rus
sell Blackburne, the sensational
sapTtstOp of the Milwaukee cham
oions during the past season, is the
man who will fight it out with Joe
md, furthermore, Russell says the
job Is already as good as COPIED by
nm. Berger says not
Blackburne is no stranger to these
parts He has been a Sox before, but
ne never before looked so good in ad-
vance as he does this time. In Mil
vankee they will tell you that Russ
Siackburne was the life of the Brewer
team, team that won the American
Association championship. His gin
gerry work on the paths and afleld is
sad to have done more toward keep
'ng the Brewers up top all season
'nan anything else connected with the
Hub
How did Russ hit down in Milwau-
Res: Well. he was no sensation as
inter of the pellet, but at the same
Time he finished the season hitting
.-2s. That's pretty good hitting for
an lnfielder coming from the assoCia-
uon, where some good smart pitchers
reside during the summer months.
Berger Lacks Aqqressiveness.
one of Berger's chief faults during
the past season was his lack Of ag-
EieSSlNeneSs. AggressiVeness is one OF
Russell BlaCkburne's stronger points
an You imagine more pep and ginger
around the vicinity of second base
man would be cut loose by Black
gNrne and Buck Weaver in the event
nat they play alongside each other?
ou certainly can not
of course, Mr. Blackburne will have
mo olnch in ousting Berger from the
.'FStone sack. He certainly will have
.' snow, and show a lot as Joe's
Work during the city series was of a
.Ig2 caliber The fielding of Berger
-"rlng that always thrilling clash
oora"red on the sensational He also
lll fairly well against the Cub pitch
hiackburhe passed through the city
me- other morning en- route to his
Tome IN the East and while here he
FAY several OF his old friends He
ivy" tAem he was glad that he vas
l.hIts oack TO Chicago and that this
"'ue ne was coming to STAY. That
.onclusively proves that he has made
.'5 MIND 10 earn a job on the SoX
.'''r.d' and If 1t is to be regular
" IL looks as though Joe Berger is
man he must beat out
"ase OF course, is a fixture at first
T' Tor next season And Buck
aFer-well, the stuff that Buck
lived during the last few weeks OF
American League campaign and
,S the city series assures him Of
uiS' crack at the short field po
Weaver was a wonderfully i'm
o'ra ball player when the season
-". ID, FROM me day that Callahan
n .lH up in the lead-off position
o., me batting order he commenced Ia
s'.'''''e. At the close Of the season
vas leading his team in hitting
his ieldng--well, it is not nee
~ to comment on his worl, ~ q