The Washington times., 1914-01-10
OWENS MAY BECOME
REGULAR CLIMBER
,.dnager Griffith Says He Has
Chance to Stay If He Equals
1918 Record.
AL WILLIAMS MAY WORRY
Big BaCkStop May Find CON-
petition Strenuous at Char
lotteSviIIe Camp.
AL WILLIAMS MAY WORRY
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.

Frank Owens, the Minneapolis
backstop drafted by the Climbers, may
land a regular berth with Griff S
team. if he doesn't take flying leap
into the camp of the outlaws. He is
to 20 to Charlottesville, and it would
not he surprising if he beat out
"Rippy' Williams.
Il have heard pretty good things
atont him" said the Old Fox today,
and if he can do as well this year
as he did last, he may stay with lis
through the season. He may make
place for himself"
Williams held his place last wear
largely because of his pinch-hitting
ability. He failed to equal his mark
OF 1912, however, and he will have
fight on his hands this year to stay
with the Climbers.
Last wear Dutch Munich and Jack
Egan, two green boys, were the OILY
new candidates for backstop berths,
and Williams far Cutclassed either
This year he will have Frank owens
Tor competitor. Owens has had pienIE
ui experience, having been with IL"
chicago White SoX once before and
played with Southern League and
american Association teams for several
years. He was the best catcher in the
~ 10 ct
will make 4 strong effort to stay with
The Big Leagues this year.
-Four catchers Is not too manE Tor
any team" says Manager Grlitlth,
though three is generally enough. ii
owens makes good, m willing |"
carry him. IL he can hit as well as
Henry or -Ains1nith. he won't be value
less to me-
Walter johnson is the greatest pitcher
in the game today, according to eleven
sport writer's contributing TO a SYM
postum in the Boston Post Three OF
these writer's coming from strictly Ma
tional League ecities-PittsburSh, Cincin-
natl and Brooklyn-agree that the
Climbers star is the peerless finger of
them all. Those contributing to this
symposium arc Mark Roth, New York
Jaiokc: Paul II. Shannon, Boston Post;
Bill Poet, Washington Herald; L. a.
BatchcloT. Detroit Free Press; William
" l.
Henry =. Edwards, Cleveland Plain
uealer: Z. 2. Younger, Chicago Record
Herald: W. ]. O'Connor. st. Louis Post
Dispatch: Jack Ryder, Cincinnati In
ouirer. James Jerpe. Pittsburgh Gazette
Times, and Thomas 5. Rice, Brooklyn
1aEle
He has been fouaG-one baseball
player woh thinks that he can learn
something at Charlie Cars baseball
school IN san AntoniO; Tex lie is Wal
ter 9. RocsingeT, Of ROYAL Oak, Mich,
Who leaves today tor Texas. He will
pay Car SIo0 for three months tuition
and pay all his own expenses while GO
ing through the stunts he thinks will
give him a good Job in some tas- minor
league.
HUEhey Jennings will take thIriy-rour
Layers 10 GUlfpoTt. Miss, and hopes to
ind q combination that will give him q
T.erth in the first division, or at least as
high as fifth The outlook for a cham
;,ionship team in the Jungle is tar from
prepitious. but the sOrrel-topped leader
- the Tiers is going out 10 snake
night. anyway.
i.-cs Tor the coming season, contenting
imself with merely announcing that
he is going out to land the flag with
{ u he h8s. The Maps were one of the
ffSteSl teams N CdSeDdll laSl season
lacking only when the long strain had
90. 10 nervous players. But for the ut
90 iEiiurc OF the pitching staff in Sep
-cmbcT. the team might have finished
s--yud, al least.
NLen the arbitration board OF the Ma
'.5r:I association meets. the Memphis
soul hern League club Will make an at
:eIBDt 10 obtain Paul Smith, the young
,.8trelder from Adrian. Mich. signed by
AIanager Griffith for a trial with the
6 Ninbcrs. Memphis believes il has first
al or this youngster.
The Climbers infeld ranks fifth in
18th batting and fielding among the
1"aUls in the American League. The
Athletics lead at the bat with an aver
sge Ct go. The Maps and Red SoX lead
iu HI field each averaging .9G3. Here
@~o the figures Of the Climbers quartet
f1- 1915:
q IT TP STI SP PA "a