Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-27
NEW CATCHERFOR
SMITHS BENGALS
Jack 0'ROurke, of MiddletOWn
Club, Signs With
Newark.
KENT TO REPORT IN JUNE

A new catcher was added to the
Newark clubs roster yesterday when
Manager Harry Smith got the Sig
nature of Jack ORourke, a young
backstop who played with Middle
town in the Eastern Association last
summer. O'Rourke made an apph-
cation for job with the Tigers last
December at the annual meeting of
the International League as told ex-
clusive1y in the columns of the Eve
ming Star. Manager Smith, however,
did not care to do any business with
ORourke until he got his uncondi-
tional release from Jack Lawlor, who
managed the Middletown team.
Lawlor had promised O'Rourke
that he would give him his release
at the close of the season if O'Rourke
had chance to better himself.
Smith saw the new Bengal catch a
couple of games and declares that
the recruit looks like a conner.
He shapes up well at the plate
youngster ever saw" said Harry.
The trouble was that O'Rourke
wanted to catch all the time last
season, but the minor leagues have
player limits and a man lie often
switched around to many positions
O'Rourke filled in in the outfield and
at third base most of the time. In
fact he played every position on the
team but pitcher. He told me he
likes to catch and I believe that he
will make a good man behind the
bat"
O'Rourke is twenty-five years old
and has had quite some experience.
He worked with Kansas City two
seasons ago besides playing in the
American Association and other
leagues. His height is five feet ten
and one-half inches and he weighs
lI5 pounds. His batting average last
year was .267.
Kent Won't Report Till June.
According to ballplayers who have
been teammates of Maurice Kent,
the new Tiger pitcher, he never re-
ports until June. This is not very
pleasing news to Bengal fans, but
perhaps the Newark club will not
need him until that time. Kent, like
Ray Fisher of the New York Amer
leans, is schoolmaster and he has
a clause inserted in his contract an
nually exempting him from reporting
until the term closes in the month
or roses" 1t is expected that "Rube''
Hall has signed his contract with
the Tigers and that it will be receiv-
ed at headquarters in day or two
With good club behind him, ]
think Maurice Kent should be one
of the International Leagues top
notch pitchers" declares Harry
Smith, manager of the Tigers, in
discussing the merits of the newest
acquisition to the champions twirl-
ing staff. Kent won four games and
lost four contests for Toronto last
season, allowing on an average OF
three runs and seven hits per game
What pleases Manager Smith most
is Kent's batting average. Harry al
ways likes to have a pitcher who. can
produce hit now and then to help
win his own game. Kent stung the
pill for .270 last season for Joe
Kelley's clan.
Other members of the Newark club,
| including Jack Dalton, who played
with Kent, praise the new finger
Dalton asserts that Kent has one of
the best curve-balls he ever batted
against, and he insists that with
Smith handling Kent, the Tigers will
have a most valuable twirler.
| The Newark team last year had
one of the best stats of batting
pitchers in the International League
The seven regulars who did most OF
the twirling had a general average
of .179. Cy Barger was high man
with .290, while Wyatt Lee hit for
| pa
| Leaves 1t to Smith.
President Charles H. Ebbets, jr.,
declared today that Harry Smith
would select the uniforms to be worn
by the Tigers. Ebbets has been kept
busy in the Brooklyn offices, and as
everything is quiet in Newark just
| now the local offices are locked up.
Eddie Gagnier. it became known to-
day, viii be taken South with the
first batch of Brooklyn players, who
will sail with the Tigers on Saturday,
February 81. Gagnier declared in
1913 that it would be his last season
in baseball. Doubtless Ed had
changed his mind since that time.