The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-08
GOSSIP OF THE SPORTS

(By Jake Lewis. Official Scorer.)
President Tip ONeill appears to
have met with better success in Sc
lecting his umpires this year than
usual Now if the managers will only
help these umpires hurry the games
along the fans will appreciate their
efforts. Too much time is required
in playing the games in the Western
league and this has been the fault of
the circuit a number of years
The managers and the players of
the circuit can aid the umpires short
en- up the time The manager can
hurry things along by asking the
players to use less time in changing
sides at the beginning of each half
inning and the players can help by
complying with the request.
President O'Nefu made an effort to
hasten the games last year by making
a rule which prohibited the pitchers
from warming up between innings.
The umpires enforced the rule for q
time but it was unpopular among the
players and managers, and apparent
ly by mutual consent the umpires
overlooked or forgot it. Another
practice which might shorten the
games would be to deny the in1e1d-
sides. This would not have much eff
feet if the pitcher is allowed to con-
tinue his practice of throwing three
balls to the catcher before the batter
took his place
Manager Dale Gear has appointed
Infielder baltimore field captain OF
the club in hopes of getting better
work out of the inffe1d. In doing this
he does not question the ability OF
the "oId heads but they do not have
the faculty of talking very much and
~ i1 ,f al
II baltimore will call inf1eld plays 50
the infielders will play less individual
baseball, it will help some
Kansas City Feds says there is no
chance. for him to lose. He was re-
ferring to the recent decision of the
court of Illinois which has robbed
him of the services of Pitcher Win
nebago Johnson OF course the case
will go to higher courts and If the
final decision sustains the decision of
the Illinois courts, Stovall will then
start proceedings to force Pitcher
Banding of the Cleveland American
league club to return to the Packers
that is, if the Federa1s live that
long.
At the end Of the game Thursday,
Hans Wagner needed just two safe
hits to net a total of 5000 since he
began playing professional baseball in
1896 and at no time during this long
career has he batted less than 800.
His poorest year was in 1898 when
he batted but -304 and his best year
was in 1905, when he batted 1853.
Pitcher O'Byrne of Topeka is pitch
ing good ball with the Hutchinson
club of the Kansas State league
Joe Wood, Smoky Joe pitched his
first game of the season May % with
the Boston Red Sox and won 1t by the
score of 5 to 4. He underwent an
operation for appendicitis Feb. p.
This appears to be a hurried come
back.
With Joe Wood back in the game,
the fans are now looking for the re-
turn Of Jack Coombs, the wizard of
the Athletics If Jack has sufficient
ly recovered from his long illness to
regain his old time form, interest in
the game and in the Athletics will re-
suit.
The baseball management Of the
Hutchinson club of the State league
is pinched for funds Bad weather
and interest in the big wheat crop Is
responsible. There probably will be
no stringency if the club can hold out
long enough to allow the farmers to
harvest their wheat Then they will
have time to go to the games