The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-03

Mote: This is the third of series of
articles outlining the baseball situation in
the big league cities.
Detroit, Mich. March 3-Hughey
Jennings is going to stand very near
" pat on his 1914 team. There is a
hole at second, left vacant by the
collapse of Marty Kavanugh, the
Jersey cave man, and good pitchers
always can be used, but that will be
the extent of the Jungletown patch
ing. This was the dope handed out
by the prophets today.
Some thousands of fans who believe
the Tigers would have beaten the Red
Sox out of second place in the Ameri
can league race last season had Cobb
been able to remain in the game
throughout the summer. are conf
IDENTIFY predicting a pennant for the
Bengals in 1915. Most of the others
believe there's a fighting chnce."
George Burns, who was more or less
of a sensation last year, undoubtedly
will be seen at first base again this
season. DOME Bush will be at short,
and George Moriarty, the veteran,
who had one of his best seasons last
year, at third. Cobb. Crawford and
Veach will continue at their outpost
stations unless jacobson, the Mobile
swatster, succeeds in supplanting
Veach in left field, in which case the
best outfield in baseball will be bet
tered. Strange again will be the first
string catcher, with Red" Mckee and
Del Baker continuing first Heuten-
ants in the mask and shin guards de-
partment.
Keystone Candidates.
There are three persons of promise
who are yearning to cavOrt around
the keystone sack for Jennings this
year. Two of them, Pep Young of
Sacramento, and frankie Fuller
native son of Detroit, who achieved
local fame as a sandlotter, are re-
cruits. The third is Oscar Witt, the
diminutive utility infielder, who can
play better baseball than many regu-
lars, but who never has been able to
last long at stretch because of boils,
indigestion, an unlucky series of
broken bones and other ills.
Young and Fuller are hera1ded as
crack infielders, but are said to be
weak with the bludgeon. Witt is for
midable both in the field and at bat.
good winter league guess would
give Witt the job. The possibility of
Burns on second, and Walter Pipp,
who recently refused to sign one of
Manager Bill Donovan's Yankee con-
tracts, on first is worth mentioning
because of the added batting strength
such a combination would give the
team.
The Pitching Staff.
The pennant prospects of the Tigers
really depend on the ability of the
pitching staff to perform as it has
shown itself capable of performing in
seasons past. OF recent years, the
Tiger moundSmen have been noted
for having great years-one pitcher at
a time. In 1912, it was Jean Dubuc
who proved to be a. world beaten. The
next year George Dauss came through.
Last season, it was Harry Coveleskie.
If these men should chance to get
right at the same time, and Reynolds
and Covey continue the stride they
struck last fall, Jennings would ask
nothing more.
Then, there is George Boehler, who
has more stuff than Walter johnson,
but who has never shown any sane
comprehension of the purpose for
which white rubber is placed in the
vicinity of the batter. If George
should ever grasp the fundamental
principles of that art known as con-
troll he would prove the sensation of
the year. But that isn't probable.
Oldham, a southpaw garnered from
Providence, looked good in some
games and may be able to break into
the first string mound staff. He
pitched some 80 odd innings for De-
troit last fall and did not pass a man.
He wasn't bombarded vigorously,
either.
OF the pitching recruits. there is
little to be said. They were picked
from deep in the bush by scouts who
profeSSed to see future for them. If
one of the quintet develops into the
real thing, there will be cause for
manifestations of extreme joy by Jen-
ningS.