Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-04-08
HARD TO CINCH JOBS
BUSTERS HAVE TROUBLE TRY
ING TO LAND IN MINORS.
Ogden Player Tosses Away Glove in
Disgust After His Debut-Te
Got Two Home Runs and
Then Famed z Times.

Recruits trying to burst into the ma
ior leagues have fairly hard times
in their tryouts. But they can't COM
pare with the initiation of busher
trying to get job for the first time
with minor league club.
This one was told at Salt Lake
City of a youngster who had an idea
he would like to play with the Ogden
team. His name was Lathers and
his only experience prior to his try
out was with sandlot teams at Salem,
Ore. The Ogden manager told him to
play left field during one of the spring
games and Lathers took his place.
Somebody knocked high easy fly
which Lathers got in his hands, but
let drop to the ground. Two scores
came in. A couple of innings later
he muffed liner in murderous fash
ion and the climax came in the eighth
when a tall fly bounced off his head
and lost the game for Ogden.
All this time he had been panned
to the limit by the fans and he was
getting so nervous he could scarcely
walk without tripping. It was his
turn to bat in the final round and he
whitfield miserably. A gang of man and
BOYS followed him from the park
ieering and laughing. Finally, in des-
peration, Lathers turned on them ana
said
eff any of youse guys want to play
left field there's my glove" and he
threw a $3.50 mitt in the road. he
was never heard of again in the Titan
regions.
Another case was noted at San An
tonic last spring while the second
team of the White Sox was playing a
series of exhibition games there The
Athletics had been training there ana
the enthusiasm of the Broncho adher-
ents had been stirred up because OF
the numerous victories of their team
over the world champs.
All that the Broncho manager want
ed to make his team strong, ac-
cording to his own notions, was a
right fielder. He had been trying out
his star catcher, Belts, at the place.
but didn't want to weaken MS DacK-
stopping department by the switch. so
he welcomed a youth named Bogus
who strolled into his Office the day
the Sox arrived, and applied Tor
job.
Bogus had played in one OF the
smaller leagues in the great Soutn-
west. and claimed to be a right field
er. He was tried out in the nrsC
game.
Toe Benz the butcher boy pitcher
of the Sox was in the box and Bogus
was the first man to face him In the
second inning. He lifted a terrlhc
homer over the short right held renee
and the small crowd of fans went
wild with glee. At San Antonio all
home batters are trained to aim for
! that short fence, and Bogus seemed
| to have the range right OFF the reel.
/ "He's a wonder and conner, the
| Broncho players exulted. And they
| could scarce contain their JOY Wnen
! Bogus hit another homer over the
! same fence in the fourth round, bring
ing Metz, the big first baseman, IN
home ahead of him. This made the
/ score 8 to 2 in favor Of San Antonio.
Bogus certainly looked like a find
and Acting Manager Doc White of the
Sox looked him over carefully with a
view of recommending him to Comls-
key and Manager Callahan.
In the fifth, seventh and ninth IN
nings Bogus struck out, missing the
ball by a. mile. But this didn't dampen
the iubilation of San Antonio players
or fans. "Wait till tomorrow" they
said. "The kid'll show 'em again,
For the Bronchos had won that 1nlt1ai
| combat, 10 to 6, and felt great.
Tomorrow came and Doc White de-
cided to do a little pitching himself.
He desired to see how Bogus would
hit against southpaw who had a
change Of pace 1t might be men
toned Bogus was a left-handed hitter
Bogus struck out as starter, mol
coming within foot of Whites tan
tilizing slow ball. The same thing
| happened in the fourth.