The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1915-08-28
BY GEORGE R. HOLMES.

Ile nara times CIdL are pOpu1dA4y
supposed to be haunting baseball
magnates this year apparently have
not reached the player crop. More
pitchers came up out of the tall grass
at the close of last season and show
ed stuff enough to stick. than in
years. The Feds undoubtedly are
partly responsible, because 16 big
league managers were indefinitely
more patient with the rockies this
year than here tofore. 1t also is
possible that the requirements
weren't so great this year, but what
ever may be the reason-they're
here. ..z-
Out of a dozen classy looking
young workmen, the effervescent Mr..
Mammaux of Pittsburgh stands out
like a headlight on dark night.
Mammaux can be classed as a rookie
at the start of the present season,
as he didn't do enough work for
Fred Clark last season to get his
name in the official list of pitchers.
But he certainly is making up for
it. BY his efforts alone, almost, the
Pirates have earned serious consid-
Grafton as flag cOntenders. Take the
10 games he has won, out of the Pr
ates won column, and it'll look rather
depleted. The Pirates would be fuss
ing with G. Herzog for the cellar.
Even the great Messrs. Alexander
and Johnson lose a little of their
lustre beside Mammaux. .
Dale of the Reds and Dell of the
Dodgers are two more chuckers who
came up this season and have earned
their spurs. Both have been linger-
ing around between 1928 and $50 all
season, which is a pretty hefty mark
for rockies to make their first year
out, especially with clubs that
haven't been pennant contenders all
the time. Dale has been the steadiest
pitcher the Reds have had.
The Dodgers, with Wilbert Robin
son and his we'll known penchant
for developing young pitchers, have
been exceptionally fortunate in get
ting good pitching this season. Two
more of Robinson's proteges-Apple
ton and Smith-have been giving
him good brand of singing, and it
is to this that Brooklyn fans owe
their pennant hopes. Smith has
made good with a vengeance. Recent
averages show he has been pitching
200 ball.
Karl Adams, the long, lanky
youngster who came to the Cubs from
Jack Hendricks Indianapolis team,
also has shown stuff enough to stick
under the Big Top, though his work
hasn't been of a sensational nature.
Boland of the Tigers is another
whose curves have puzzled the slug
gers in Ban Johnson's loop. Koob
and Sisler of the St. Louis Browns
are also worthy OF mention.
Branch Hickey thinks he has a
wonder in this Sisler, and the young
ster's work certainly has been of a
nature to justify his suspicious.
Not for years has a rookie come up
who had the versatility to play three
positions and play them all we'll, as
Sisler has. The former Michigan
star has pitched some gilt-edged ball
for the Browns, played in the outfield
and handled first base like veteran.
And on top Of all of this, he's been
picking the old pill at a rate close
to 300. Truly a remarkable man.
John McGraw has not failed to
get a few likely looking minors,
either. Brainerd, who came from
Texas, has stolen Fred Merkle's job
at first and Babbington, the young
Brown university player in spite of
being "the only Phi Beta Kappa in
the big leagues is looking good in
the outfield.