The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-14

ing third in last years league race, hope to do as well in 1914, but the team s future is problematical <, 5 Pitcher Fred Fa1kenburg, star right handler last year, has jumped to the Federal League. One of the three youngsters, Hagerman, from the Pa, cif1c Coast. League, Collamore. from the American Association, and Bow
 man, from the Central League, must sRe developed to take his place. Pitch CTS Fred Banding and George Kah- Ter, also right handlers, jumped to the Federals and then back to Cleveland The courts may enJoin them from playing with Cleveland
 In addition to the youngsters named above he will have aCullop and James, experiment. last year, to help out Gregg. Mitchell and Steen. Gregg and Mitchell are star left flanders, and Steen is gcod righthander, but it is generally agreed that they cannot pi- lot the team to a high position witIs out aid.
 Outside of the box, the team is prac- tically the same as last year. Short stop Chapman, because of a. broken June, but Infielder Olson will fill his place acceptab1y.
 With three star players recovering from illness, the Boston Red Sox will be handicapped during the opening stages of the pennant race. Iris Speak Ter has been suffering from a cold since hissreturn from the world tour. He will probably be able stog start the sea- son., however. Recovering from an operation for appendicitis, Joe Wood will not be able to pitch until after May l.. Captain Wagner, the short stop, has been unable to take part in spring practice because of rheunna- stism and will not get into the game for two or three weeks.
 Opening the season, Everett Scott. perhaps the most promising recruit in the American League, will play at short in place of Wagner. EngIe. at first, Yerkes, at second, and Gardner at third, will be in their old positions.
 The outieId composed of Speaker, Hooper and Lewis should be- onesfof the best in the game, and with Hem riksen and Rehg as substitute illnesss so of one or two members will not ser-s iously affect the teams efficiency.
 J Manager Carrigan will head the same veteran catching staff of four, sker- Four veteran pitchers remain besides Wood. in Collins, Bedient Leonard and Poster, with Johnson, formerly of Syracuse, Kelly. of last years Seattle team. and Zeiser, Of Low ell. as candidates for permanent pitch ing positions.
 AdQGu5 a. of batting power and little more speed on the baselines, theyxare likely to prove factors in the race. Even without Ia return to old time form by Ed Walsh. the pitching staff is one reckoned on to damage batting aver ages, with Russell. Scott, Cicotte, Benz Lathrop and Roth in shape, Ray sSchaIk is expected to do most of the catching for Manager Callahan, as he did last year but the back stop de- partnaent has been materially strengthened, it is believed, by the ad-s dition of Daily, whose good hitting is an additional factor that makes him valuable.
 Detroit.
 For the first time in four years, the Detroit Tigers will open the American League playing season without big George Mullin on the pitching mound. Mullin, dropped from the major. lea gues of organized baseball last sea- son is now with the Federals and John Dubuc, the ranking member of the l pitching staff, is expected to send the A-st ball flashing across the plate, in the first game of the 1914 season. 1 New York.
 The New York American League Club under the leadership of Frank Chance, makes its 1914 debut with a virtually new lineup. With the ex- ception of Roy Hartzell, second base: Ed. Sweeney, catcher and several pitchers, the personnel consists of I players who joined the club late last | season or this spring. I Chance appears to have a fairly sat isfactory and consistent pitching staff with King Cole, Warhop, Caldwell. l McHaIe and Heating as the most promising twirlers at this tinne. Be- hind the bat Sweeney and Gossett will ibe the Rmainstays.
 The in1e1d, consisting at present of 1 Williams. HartzeIl. Peckinpaugh and | Maisel, is far superior to that of last year. Williams, under Chances s coaching, has developed into a fast, clever first baseman. Peckinpaugh at tshort and Maisel at third promise to be an exceptional pair in the field and I on the bases. Considerable experi- l naenting is likely before the final out field combination is selected but in l Walsh, Gi1hooley. Cooks and Holden
 the club has four outf1elders of more
 than average ability
 St. Louis.
 The St. Louis Americans this year
 will be a right hand club, twenty e of the Browns swinging from the right side and eight from the left. Four | Of the batters can. hit from either side | of the plate. Of the pitchers but three-Weilman, Hamilton and Lever I ,enz-are south hpaws, the other seven l twirling with right arms.
 lCLAINIS AGAINST GEORGE 4 I SMITH ESTATE HEARD