Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-01-17
JEWS PICKING UP
In ROURKEYILLE
Peevish Bug No Longer Need Fume
Over War Dope, but Can Dream
Of 1915 Hopes.
RoURKE CAPTURES PLAYERS

In these turbulent days of intunctions
hearings. conferences. summonses, con-
tracts and subpoenas. the base ball bug
is&prone to eye all activities base baltic
Ih disfavor. but the last week has
pught about a change or two and the
ofhaha fan is perking up bit, ready to
stoke up the Stove league and start the
GOSSIP flowing thick and fast. For at
last an inkling of what Mr.. william
Rourke has been doing and is going to do
hes escaped. and the nature OF said ink
Hing fills the Omaha bug with keen de-
light
Last year finishes~ the season with
fourteen athletes. Some of these players
ehgill be back. others will depart for for
y eign chimes the whereabouts of which is
not Of vital interest. 1t has been known
that Rourke must obtain several new
players. but despite frantic searches and
Investigations nothing could be learned
of the gum-shoe work of the crafty Pa.
But that he has been busy all winter is
evidenced by the fact that four new
players are on his list, and negotiations
are under way for one more. How many
more Pa has lined up to psstime on his
Vinton street lot is unknown, but 1t is
nifty performers who should show con-
siderable speed around the Western loop
Picks Up Dick Breen.
The first player who comes to Omaha
I - Dick Breen, late second sacker of the
Utica, IN. " State league club. Mr.
\ Breen is heralded as considerable key
stoner Reports say he fields a la b
Collins aSd is rapidly learning to WELD
the war club In the same manner He is
youngster in age, but has bad sufficient
experience to handle the second station
like veteran.
Finton Whalen. who gobbled up ground
ers for Harrisburg in the Tri-state cir
cult, is a new shortstop. Whalen is
said to be flashy fielder who takes a
keen delight in starting double plays
around second, and is also reputed TO be
IA pinch sticker of ability.
After First Stacker.
Rourke is declared to have negotia-
tons on for George Boyle of Allentown,
Pa. The Philadelphia Nationals want
Boyle to try for the first sack on their
team. but Boyle doesn't feel inclined that
way. He has crouch on Philadelphia,
las he reported there last fall only to re-
ceive no opportunity to show his worth.
Pat Moran Is working hard to convince
Boyle he will get a good trial with the
Phillies this spring, and that is enough
to satisfy Omaha fans that he Is the
man for first base for this town.
New Battery a Beaut.
Omaha has procured a mighty nifty
battery in Tom Blodgett and Frank Ask
land. say Central association critics
That duo was purchased from Jay An
drews Of Waterloo at price said to be
$1,000, which is considerable price in
these times.s Andrews boosts Blodgett to
the skies. He declares the lad has as
much stuff as Jack Pfeister had in his
best days If such Is the case a few
Western league batters will grieve, while
Omaha fans will gurgle their delight
Blodgett won sixteen trays last year and
dropped only five. which is not so lad
Blodgett is six feet in the air and weighs
175 pounds. Ashland is said to be as
promising a catcher as Blodgett is a
pitcher,
The outfield should be among the best
y in the circuit with Artie Thomson, Joe
lBell and Marty Krug. Krug is said to
be slated for managerial reigns. and n
+, such is the case 1t looks on the surface
/ as If Pa has made a wise move. Krug is
a gaod heady player and he should make
as good and heady a manager.
Payne May He at Third.
y With Boyle, Breen and Whalen in the
ihfield, and With plenty of men to choose
from for a selection of an athlete to
occupy the hot corner at third, the
Rourke inner works look pretty good on
paper Doc Payne, of course, will be
back to take crack at third and Doc
may be able to handle the job with sue
cess
Roy Crabb, the cross-fir expert; Red
Styles and Ralph Willis. all of whom
past med in the box for Omaha last
year, will be back, but all will have to
show something to hold their jobs. In
addition, Rourke has Guy Hoffman and
SBurney Everdon, who burned up the
a state league out at Grand Island last
Y year to try out.
Has Three Catchers.
Behind the bat Rourke still has Ernie
KRUGER and Doc Seabaugh, in addition
20 Ashland. Seabaugh is an old head,
while Kruger is an ambitious youth who
Jan hit.
The team will do its training at home.
The season was punk last year. but in
previous years II was just as punk in
the southland, so Pa is convinced it Is
no use to squander coin away from home
for no purpose when Omaha merchants
need it.