The Detroit times., 1914-12-29
So Declares Groundkeeper Emil
Haisman, Just Back From J
\ South
SPENT DECEMBER IN
RENOVATING CAMP
Saws New Orleans Is Packed
With Visitors For Races
and Fights
ny HAROLD y. WILCOX.

Emil Haisman, who Is absolutely
neutral despite his name, is again IN
Detroit with a message OF vital I'M.
port 10 every man, woman ana Chllu
I'm the city who can record thrlii on
a summers day at the crack oil pal
and coacher's bark at Nayin held'
Emil is the genial groundkeeper al
the Tiger homestead, and he has Just
returned from Gulfport, where ne
spent December renovating the Ben
gal spring training camp. HIS JOY
Gus message is to the effect that the
diamond at Gulfport Will be In better
shane next March than II has ever
been. AS IL was the finest OF It's KIND
in the south last year, that means
that no one will have any better
lchance for speedy work on the spring
limbering up plot than Hughey Jen-
nings' boys.
Haisman is full of interesting gos-
sip about affairs at the little Missis-
.sippi coast city, which regards the
Tigers as affectionately as does De
ltroit. itself. The threatened fore
lclosure and sale OF the fair grounds,
where the training camp Is located,
has taken place. and gentleman
known to Gulfport as Shorty, Gates
is now owner OF the grounds. 1t vas
feared last spring that the sale would
take place and that the plot would
not again be available for the Nayin
squad. Mr.. Gates, however, is dyed
in-the-wool fan, and as far as he Is
concerned, the Tigers are welcome TO
20 as far as they like. incidentally
Gates is known in the south as one
OF the best football players who ever
played on southern college team. II
memory is not treacherous, he starred
on the Mississippi Aggie eleven
few years ago.
Haisman found the diamond, fence
and buildings in bad repair. The
fence was largely down, and football
games and roaming stock had sadly
marred the polished surface that the
groundkeeper had laboriously created
year ago. The diamond has been
thoroughly repaired during the past
month. however, and will be in per
feet shape by March. The rebuilding
of the fence was started today by
Gulfportians, according TO agreement.
and the handball courts and club
house In the old grandstand will be
ready when the players arrive.
Weather has been perfect all win.
ter. Haisman can recall but one
chilly day while he was south. Ty
Cobb and Hughey Jennings will be
interested to know that the golf links
are still in fine shape at Gulfport, and
that new course is being laid at
Pass Christian. but nine miles dis
tant. down the coast. and will be ready
for play by the time they arrive.
Jack Daray. the Grand Rapids profess
sional, who played in Detroit tourna-
ments last summer is again the golf
tutor at Gulfport.
Haisman paid visit TO New Or.
leans while south, taking in the Wills
Mcvea fight. He reports that New
Orleans is wild over the prospect OF
championship ring battles and racing
this winter. and that the hotels at the
Louisiana city are packed with tour.
lists. He says that nowhere did he
hear predictions that the races would
fizzle out before the meet had run
It's full time. or that the authorities
were planning to step In and stop
them. Such rumors have been cur.
rent In the north for several weeks.