The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-17
JAkE'S JUNK.

W cS llIdl u1l 1AOCIIcT was
q holdout. Although we announced his
signed contract sometime ago. and In
justice to the big first baseman we
wish to impress upon the minds Of ev-
| erybody that Koerner never was a
holdout. The holdout story was caused
by the newspapers Of Pueblo, who as
serted that Koerner has received an
offer of $500 a month with the Federals.
Koerner did get an offer from the Fed
erals but we have no knowledge OF
the amount of salary offered him. A
recent letter from Manager Dale Gear
| in which he explained the situation, has
set us right and also enclosed a recent
letter from Koerner. The ex-Wfchitan
did not mention holdout in this letter
but appeared anxious to sign the con-
tract and go to DenisOn on the train
ing trip. In previous correspondence
he had asked Manager Gear for an
increase in salary. The financial agree
ment between Manager Gear and Koer-
ner is none of eur business and we
don't care to know anything about
1t but we take this chance to show
Koerner in the right light 50 that
none of the fans will unjustly criticize
him after he reports at Topeka
Koerner in the letter to Manager Gear
which the latter sent US. promises to
give his best services to the Topeka
club and he thinks that he will be bet
ter this season than ever before.
The Kaws, or Manager Gear. as one
might take it, appear to have been
mighty successful in filing the vacan-
cy cause by the sale of Polly McLarry.
In securing the services of Infielder
Dowd, 1t appears that this position will
be guarded by the recruit fully as well
IL not better than last ar. Manager
Gear drafted the youngster upon the
recommendation Of major league scouts
who pronounced him to be one OF the
best in class "B'' company. The local
| management has received two offers
for this youngster but will not sell him.
at least not for q while. Both offers
came from clubs in the Pacific Coast
| League, and II these clubs think him
good enough the Kaws in one class
| lower should consider his contract with
unusual luck.
With the schedule for 1914 a closed
| incident and every player on the
| clubs roster signed, the bosses OF the
Kaw aggregation have nothing to do
but sit back and wait for time to col
lect the players and go south on the
training trip. Manager Gear is the
| only manager on the circuit who can
do this as all others are having con-
siderable trouble. Inasmuch as a
schedule OF 168 games was adopted,
it is probable that signed contracts
will be rushed to headquarters in Jig
time, as this means two weeks more
salary than the players would have
received had a short schedule been
adopted. This two weeks pay looks
| good to the players and will be a val
liable stimulant to all, even though
their contracts have been signed.
Jack Coffey, manager of the Denver
club, will probably never know how
y. >In~v Ia
the direction of Dale Gear. and the
players of the Kaw team may never
know that they might have played
| baseball this season under new
manager. Dale Gear was recently
| offered the position as manager OF the
Denver club and refused 1t. He pre-
ferred to remain with the Kaws for
the reason that he has spent two
years in building up. a club according
| to his own ideas and selected to stay
at least another year to reap the mar
YES. for his untiring efforts He has
signed his Topeka contract before get
| ting the Denver offer and perhaps 1t Is
good luck for the Topeka team that
he did.
Manager Dale Gear has what ne
| calls q major league schedule for the
Texas training trip. The kaws VIII
meet teams of the Texas-oklahoma
| league Texas league. Oklahoma state
university. teams of both major
leagues and Of the American Associa-
| ton A number of games will be play
ed on the home lot and two major
| league teams will appear here. This
| should enable Manager Gear to get .
| line on the strength Of the aggrega-
| ton before the curtain rises Apri! 10.
| The Kaws are not due to return from
! Texas until April s, which is just eight
| days before the schedule season opens.
| Under the new ruling of organized
baseball. teams can recall dra1teo
i pIayers-the team which made the
draft being allowed to turn the player
back at the draft price. The Topeka
management has taken advantage OF
l this and has put in . call for Polly