South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-01-09
KAUFF RATED AS
AMONG THE BEST
IN ANY LEAGUE
Otto FIoto Says HoOSier is One
of the BrainieSt, TriCkieSt
Men He Has Ever Seen on a
Ball Ground.
Frank G.. Menke.

NEW YORK, Jan. Benny
Kauff of the Indianapolis Feds is one
of the brainiest trickies. players that
I've seen in my career as a sporting
writer" says Otto Floto, one of the
best known sporting experts in the
west
Floto's statement fatty contradicts
that OF Davey Jones, one-t time Detroit
outfielder who rose up TO say, when
Kauff was acclaimed a second Ty
Cobb:
"Kauff IS a fine mechanical player
but he hasn't any brains"
Jones, by the way. gained the repu-
tatiOn while with the Detroit Tigers
for not being able TO see anything
wonderful in anybody but himself,
and for being the type Of man who
IS prone to take the negative side Of
any statement.
"Kauff pulled the same stunts on
bases. He would tell the opposing
pitchers just when he planned to
steal. And he would go down on that
pitch and usually make the base.
Sometimes, OF course, he would cross
the opposition. He would establish a
reputation for making good his
threats to steal second on the second
pitch or 10 hit the second offering
while he was at bat and the pitchers
would be expecting him TO do it.
Kauff would cross the other team by
stealing on the first pitch, or hitting
at an offering which he had not
named.
Kauff. by his trickery, had the
opposition players up in the air at
all times, and Kauff, more than any
other individual on the Indianapolis
team was responsible for the fact that
indianapolis team won the pennant."
i'm ho
for an average Of 1856. He played in
154 games. made 21O hits and stole
rs bases. During the season he made
eight home runs, II triples and As
two baggers.
Quite a fellow this Kauff, Ell?
1--WE seen Ty Cobb in action and
I've seen most Of the other great play
ers of both big leagues in action dur
ing the past 10 years, but l don't
Kauff," says Floto, who has seen the
Indianapolis phenom perform in a
large flock Of games.
"Kauff's mind is always alert"
continued Floto "One day in Indi-
annapolis, Kauff was on third. 1t was
tight game. Kauff was jumping up
and down the third base line but no
one ever figured that he would steal
home. That's exactly what he did.
DuI do AlC olAu lAAAO lAAC bel5 AAC beiANCA
fouled off the ball. Kauff's steal of
home was in vain, and he was sent
back to third.
Kauff Shows His Brains.
Then it was that Kauff showed
why he is called a brainy player, for,
on the next swing of the pitchers
arm, he was off for home again. The
play was so unexpected that Kauff
stole home easily and his steal scored
the run that won the game. If that
second steal of home didn't show that
Kauff is a brainy boy, / wonder what
a man must do in baseball TO show
that he is ready to pull the unexpect-
ed?
"Kauff's confidence in his own bat
ting ability is superb It's a treat to
watch him step to the plate. He
ambles up there with the same air of
determination and confidence as Ty
Cobb. Very often the catchers tried
to josh him in an attempt to get his
goat. But Kauff hands il back to
them as good as they give it-and a
bit stronger.
"Oftimes I have seen Kauff walk
to the plate at a critical moment dur
ing the game, and as he took his
place in the batter's box. make little
bow to the pitcher, and then shoot
some remark at the pitcher about:
Well, old fellow, ] like you and
all that, but the occasion demands
that l lam one Of your shoots 10 the