The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-04
TURTLE PILOT HAS
TEAM FOR 1914
ALMOST |MPANELED
With a Few Exceptions
Mike Finn Has Decided
Upon Team for Next
Season

Memphis, January 3.-With a few
trivial exceptions the team that Mike
Finn will pilot In the Southern league
pennant chase next season has been
impaneled and now after several
months of strenuous labor the crafty
Turtle leader is taking a much needed
rest Since his appointment as the sue
cessor of Bill Bernhard, Finn has been
energetically at work giving the Turtle
roster a house cleaning and from pres
ent appearances he has done this in a
thorough and conscientious manner. As
a consequence few of the old fellows
will return. George Merritt, Jack Love-
Glen Leibhardt, Harry. Stanley and
Mike Harrell will be back. But that
lets the old guard out. Not one de-
partment will be returned intact ard
as a matter of fact one or two Will
be completely changed.
Next season will doubtless find
Bemis of Toronto and Reynolds Of
Macon, Ga, behind the bat. Finn has
a third man in Lutterell, a raw re-
cruit from up the state, and will prob
ably land a fourth backstop to assist
ficult to establish the merits of his
prospective pitching staff at this early
date. Ten hurlers are on the list for
tryouts. This includes Leibhardt Har-
rell and the veteran Merritt. Also
Bugs" Smith and Lefty" Merritt. two
rockies who received trials here on pre-
vious occasions.
Hawkins and Lee Promising
OF the newcomers Hawkins and Lee,
the latter a protege of the University
of North Carolina, and later star on
the championship Winston Salem club,
looms up as the most promising. Last
season was his first in the profess
sicnal ranks; he pitched we'll, and
was highly touted by several scouts
of recognized ability. In the draft
Finn was fortunate. Needless to add
he is well pleased, and also that he
expects to see the collegiate curver
show something in the line of higher
athletic training on the home lot next
season.
Hawkins is left-hander and halls
from Hull, Ten. He pitched five
games in the Central association last
season, winning two and dorpping
three. The opposition managed to aver
age only four hits a contest off his
delivery, which speaks well for his
assortment of benders. The Tennessean
is considered an excellent prospect, de-
spite his lack of professional training
Mcmillan and Morrison are right hand
ers, new at the game, and natives OF
the southland. Mcmillan comes from
Greenfield, Mo-. and was recommended
to Colonel Coleman and Doc Seabough.
Morrison Pickup
Morrison halls from Heildelsburg,
Miss, and is one of Finn's pick-ups.
Morrison went against Mobile in an eX-
hibition game last summer and Finn
was deeply impressed with the pitch
er's work. Hence the order to report
here for practice next spring. Johnson,
a right handler was with Fall River
in the New England league last season.
lie worked in SO games, waltzed away
with Is trlumphs and deposited a total
of 21 in the lost department. Incidental
ly, his hitting was a point or so above
par for pitchers, his seasons average
being .267.
The addition of Dolly Stark to the
infield further confuses that depart
ment. Dunchle hit PIT, fielded 1888 and
stole 81 bases in bush circuit last
season, yet the manager considers him
a most likely prospect for first base.
1t may be stated with a certain de-
gree of certainty that first base is the
only doubtful infeld position, unless
it is shortstop, where Stark may be
pitted against the skill of the impetu-
Gus Stanley. Captain Mullen is con-
conceded second base, and as has been
stated before in this column, a former
American Lacquer has been obtained
for third base in the place of Ward
For certain reasons Manager Finn de-
clines to publish the third basers
name at the present penning. 1t is said
that he is a capable man and one who
will prove a tower of strength to the
Turtles in their campaign next season.