The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-27

cluD, signed up the TWO ughtWetghtS.
The winner of the bout will meet
can be brought over here.
GOSSIP OF THE sPoRTz
Jack Holland claims to have sold
three players to the Pittsburgh Nation
al league club. They are Schang.
catcher; Sterzer and Dazzy Vance,
pitchers. We might suggest that he
pull the blanket over the entire club
and then he would have all of the men
Hugh Jones. owner of the Lincoln
club. admits that he failed to produce
q pennant contender for this year, and
according to the Lincoln News, he Is
making arrangements for next seasons
year. he is reported to have secured a
catcher and pitcher from the Kitty
league. Both have excellent reputa-
tons. Jones also says that q number
of old heads will not be on the pay roll.
The Players Fraternity and Organ
lied baseball will probably have an
Will come up in the demands of Player
Alcock. utility man with the White
Sox who was sold to the Oakland club
of the Coast league. Alcock claims to
have had q two year non-reserve con-
tract and has demanded the pay for
the full time from Comiskey. In as
much as 100 players in the Majors
claim to have similar contracts and all
are personally interested, it begins to
look like Organized baseball will be
forced to consider the players de-
mands.
War may be all that General Sher-
man claimed but that is nothing COM
pared with tho job the sport writer's
Of st. Joseph have In trying to print
salve that will please Jack Holland.
Joe Bell. a pitcher with Omaha last
spring, has been recalled from the Ra-
cine club of tho Wisconsin, Illinois
league and will report in about q week.
According to the American league
averages Charlie Mullen sold to the
Yankees. is batting $50.
George Graham, the veteran second
baseman who has been trying a come
back stunt with this Omaha clubs, ap-
pears to have failed as Martin Krug
Is playing in this position now.
Omaha Bee: Twice in the last five
years Omaha has finished in first d.
vision. third in 1909 and fourth In
1912. In 1910. 1911 and 1913 it I'm
ished fifth. This year, at the present
rate. 1t has no license to finish above
seventh at the very best. The cry IL
and has been for pitchers, not more
"a" pitcher. Give us right now one
man who can be relied on to go out
and stop any team in the league and
we will hobble along, even though ia
tally lame at short and second. We
go nothing on the argument that q
| q hi ev - rf nit ~
the contrary. it has always been our
belief, born of close and long observa-
ton, that no team needs this and that
many q team suffers from a surplus
of pitching material, even though often
of excellent quality.
George Stallings, manager Of the
Braves. is famed for having a sharp
tongue, but he plays no favorites and
fires his broadsides without discrim-
nation. Almost every man on the
team has been called at some time
came evident that a pinch hitter might
be needed in the ninth inning. Three
balls had been called against Hank
Gowdy, the catcher. and StaIihgs re-
marked: IF Hank gets on guess I'll
let old ivory head take q crack" Ball
four!" shouted the umpire, and before
Stallings could name his pinch hitter
five of the Braves. each armed with q
bat. were marching toward the plate.
The European war threatens to raise
the price of baseballs. All of the base
balls used in the larger leagues are
covered by Russian horsehide and
. should commercial activities between
this country and Russia be hampered
in any way the importation Of leather
would cease and what would be done
for baseballs7 1t Is explained that the
Rnaefan nYnnmad centuries
in the coolest weather, has developed
q hide that cannot be eQualed for all
round toughness. Leather from this
hide IL the only kind that viii stand
| the hard use that most baseballs re-
ceive. A similar brand of horses might
be raised in this country If owners
would take care to leave them out in
the coolest winter days. However
that would take too long. It Is to be
hoped that nothing will cut off oul
supply of horsehide from Russia
Something new in the way of a ball
player has been picked up by the st
Louis Cardinals. They've signed q
pitcher who wears glasses. This IL re-
garded by many as another evidence
OF the alarming scarcity of ball play
ers since the advent Of the Feds. II
is getting to be harder and harder, II
| would seem, to sign a player who IL all
| there, sound in wind and able to run
bases without clutches. In spite off his
poor eyesight, however. Lee Meadows
which is the new pitchers name, had
been pitching mighty good ball for the
Durham team of the North Carolina
League and the Cards seem to think
they have landed q real find. It's easy
to see that Meadows upon his appear
ance in big league circles WIN be the
recipient Of many q rude Jest from
leather-lunged fans. And should he b.
/! 30 unlucky as to give mora than q pass
or two In an inning lots OF unlkind
things win be said about his specs.