Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-27
TIGER PLAYERS WORKOUT
ON SNOW COVERED FIELD
Bengals Just Toss Ball Around,
4 Not Trying Any Hard
Work.
10'ROURKE SHOWS UP WELL
Harry Smith Likes His Style,
and He Ought to
Know.
tRrom Stan Correspondent Of the New
ark Evening Starr

tBrom a Stan Correspondent Of the New
ark Evening Starr
COLUMBUS, Ga, Feb. 27.-Though
the diamond at Driving Park (the Of
fetal name for the local ball Yard
was still partially obscured by
snow, the Newark International
Eeague champions were able to pick
out enough dried spots on the race
track surrounding the field and the
first practise of the season took place
today. The boys could do nothing
but heave the ball back and forth,
hut Manager Smith ordered the bats
10 be brought out and the Bengal re-
cruits picked out their favorite pieces
of furniture The evaporation process
begun by Old Sol yesterday worked
wonders, and had there been a proper
draining system at the local park it
would have been possible to play a
game here today. On the main
streets of the town there was not a
sign of the recent storm.
Players Glad TO Get Out.
; The boys were glad to get out of
the hotel corridors today and handle
the pill for the first time. One thing
which has impressed everybody so
far is the marvellous wing of Jack
O'Rourke, the only catcher on the
club outside of Smith. O'Rourke, in
throwing snowbals, cut loose yester-
day and some of his heaves were
marvels. They say that the youngster
from the New York and New Jersey
circuit is some pumpkins with the
hitting furniture, too.
O'Rourke's Chances Very Good.
The chances of O'Rourke staying
with the team appear exceedingly
played yet to test the ability of new
corners. Manager Smith was very
much impressed last fall in a barn
storming game in which O'Rourke
played against Smith. While in the
Twin State league O'Rourlle was
shifted about SO much that he never
knew in the morning whether to take
D fielder's mitt, a catcher's glove or a
first sacker's paw-protector when he
started for the ball park. They say
that Jack was shifted about so much
that he nearly lost his bearings at
times and had to pilot his shot" as
Soldier Dion would call it, before
making a play. Plotting a shot" is
a term used by the United States
army regulars who operate the big
CT RI OF
where Dion served for three years. 1t
consists of getting the focus before
, making shot, by which the proper
angle is obtained through the use of
an ingenious arranged instrument
built of telescopes. Leaving Dion and
getting back to O'Rourke, however,
recalls the point that Jack shapes up
as much better catcher than in
fielder or outfielder. Manager Smith
likes his style and says he is built to
be a catcher. AS Harry has been be-
hand the mask for some few years his
Judgment on catchers and future
catchers is worth repeating.
Three Places to Be Filled.
While the team has not yet started
real work and the ring of the bat
against the ball is still a novelty, it
would seem to the naked eye that
three positions must be filled in the
ranks of the Tigers to perfect the
team this season. Besides the requi-
sition for another catcher, third
man to don the windpad, a pitcher
must be recruited from the ranks to
fill in Cy Barger's place.
The experienced twirlers now as
sembled here are Holmes, Donnelly,
Enzmann, Schacht, Bell and Britton.
Lee will be here next yeek, and so
will Sherrod Smith. Praises for the
new southpaw are heard on every
side. Placing Bell, Holmes, Lee and
Enzmann in the seasoned material
class, Smith has Schacht, Donnelly,
Britton, S. Smith and Hall to pick
from. Britton showed to good adj
vantage last fall in the game he won
from Jersey City, and is about ready
to stick in Glass AA company. He
was with Atlanta few seasons back,
but the hot weather there did not
agree with him, and he says he would
rather quit than come back to the
: Dixie organization.
Three After Utility InHeIder Job.
There are three candidates for the
position of utility infielder, besides
the two first sackers, trying for the
first base job Erhardt, Dion and
Paynter all have hopes of getting the
job as understudy for the infielders.
The boys took look over the park
today, many of them seeing it for the
first time. The outfield is surrounded
}. by signs, so far out that it will be
impossible for any batter to slug one
over the top, but the speed merchants
of the club are already arguing