The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-15
(ByRobert e. Dundon.)

Louisville's Colonies began the
schedule OF exhibition games at the
fair grounds this afternoon, meeting
Connie Mack's Athletics in the first
game of two which will be played
here.
The Colonies were on the field at
$3.50 o'clock, having thorough
fungo, bunting, base running and
batting practice. Most attention was
paid today by Manager Hayden to
the detail of perfecting the "hit and
run" signals and other elements
needful to team work.
On the other hand the Athletics
took a rest. Harry Davis, the vet
eran first baseman. who now acts as
coach Of the team, and is Connie
Mack's chief lieutenant, is in
charge Of the division of the team
playing in western Florida. He and
Assistant Secretary Won Oil. with
one or two other members of the
squad, are ardent disciples of old
Izaak walton, and the first question
they asked on their arrival yester
day afternoon was: "Where is the
best fishing?" They were advised to
try Lake Parker, which they did
this morning, with the result that a
good catch was negotiated.
Games Should Be Interesting
The fact that there is a warm
scramble for at least three positions
on the Athletics regular team, made
vacant by the sale of Collins, the re .
tirement of Baker, and Oldring's de :
parture. makes the showing of every
recruit in every game a matter of
vital moment. Some fast young ma
terial will be seen in action here at
Lakeland. and the showing of the
players here will have much to do
with their chances to retain a reg
ular place in the league contests.
Larry Lajoie, the king Of second
basemen. is being given a tremen
dous run for his job by the young
ster Bostick, who will play at the
keystone position in the local
games.
While Lajoie is smashing hit
ter, he is a veteran Of many long
campaign. He is playing for the first
time with the Athletics since the
Pennsylvania court decision prevent
ed him, AL Orth, Elmer Flick, Ed
Delehanty and others from playing
in that State after they had
jumped the Philadelphia Nation
ais. Connie Mack developed three
second basemen after the loss Of La
joie. they being Charley Mullen,
Danny Murphy. and Eddie Collins.
Mack discovered such talent az Bar :.
ry, Baker, Collins, McInnes, Eddie
Murphy and Joe Bush, and he can
count on landing several good play
ers by his methods of getting reports
on promising amateurs all over the
at which he is unexcelled
in baseball.
Eddie Murphy, who plays right
field for the Athletics in the local
series, and also in the regular sea.
son. formerly was bat boy for the
team. Mack sent him to Baltimore
for a trifie of seasoning. He came
back finished ball player. Murphy
is a left handed batter, but right
handed thrower. He is quick as
fash in the field and on the bases,
and makes an ideal lead of man.
Walsh. who plays center field, has
been with the Athletics OF and on
for several years. He is a right
handed sticker. Walsh played in
most Of the worlds series games
against Boston last fall, going In
after Strunk was injured.
They Play Like Machine
1t has been the writer's good for
tune to see the Athletics in numer
ous worlds series, and. while they
were crushingly defeated last fall by
the Braves, not winning a game, we
have also seen them tear through
heir opposition, as they did against