The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-29
GOSSIP OF THE SPORTS.


western league have been wanting to
know the reason for the recent show
ing made by the Topeka baseball
club. A glance at the averages should
De sufficient. With four regular men
batting .S13 or better and every man
on the club. excepting the pitchers,
hitting 1855 or better it is only reas-
enable to suppose that a club will get
a lot of runs. In addition to these
batting records. the Cooleyites have
just as good a pitching staff, collect
lively, as there is on the circuit. The
Topeka club has a fielding average of
1853. This is considered an excellent
record and with such an array of bat
tiers and pitchers, any club should win
at least half or more of the games
played.
In addition to the natural ability
which is shown in the averages, Dick
Cooley, manager of the club is rec0g
nized as one of the smartest men in
baseball and combining all features. it
is only reasonable to expect the club
to break even. Cooley always has had
a good baseball club and former rec
ords show that his clubs won about
as great a number of games when in
foreign territory as when playing in
it's home grounds.
Cooley took the club at a time when
it was making mighty poor showing.
He was unfamiliar with the ability
and every peculiar trait of every man
to learn these facts and Cooley did not
make a very good showing for two or
three weeks. The Topeka club started
on it's winning career during the lat
ter part of July. To be exact, it was
in the last game of a long road trip
which ended July "a at Wichita The
club came home and has won more
than half its games ever since.
1t is too late in the season for the
club to make much OF a showing to-
hut 10
sible for the Cooleyites to work their
way up to the first place in the second
division. 1t is even possible. but not
probable, to get the last place in the
first division.
Phil Koerner is leading the club
with a batting average of .343 while
Whelan, Rapps. baltimore and For
sythe are all within the 800 class and
.313 or better. Among the other
regulars on the club are Tallion with
an average Of .276. Cochran with an
average Of .271 and La Flambois, the
lowest regular man on the club now,
who has an average of .266. All 9TH
ers batting below this figure are pitch
ere.
Koerner is leading the league in run
getting with a total of 112. Britton
of the st. Joe club is the only other
man in the league who has passed the
century mark. He has scored 1O2
times and has played In 10 games.
Koerner has played in Isl or every
game on the schedule.
Dalton of the Brooklyn club, is
leading the National league batters: 1t
will be remembered that but few
years ago he was a member OF the
Des Moines club and played In the
outfield. The weekly averages show
Tex Erwin with a greater batting aver
age but he was released several weeks
ago and now Is playing in the minors.
Beals Becker, another well known
player in the section is among the
leading batters of the National league.
Becker was first known in 1907 as
pitcher on the Wichita club. The fol
lowing year he played in the outfield
and made such a good showing that
he was sold to the New York Nation
ais. He remained with this club un-
til 1918 when he went to the Phila-
delphia Nationals in a three-cornered
trade He is now batting 1925 and il
the third man on the circuit.