Omaha daily bee., 1915-05-02
Judgments

of business before the Omaha
fans at this moment is to go
w tot the polls on Tuesday and
vote for Sunday base ball. The
majority in favor of this propo-
sltion should be made SO overwhelming
that no question can ever be raised as
to the purpose of the people. No aues-
ton exists as TO the sentiment Of the
public In favor Of the game, but this
sentiment must be registered 30 emphat-
ically as to carry conviction with 1t to
even those who are constitutionally OPP
posed TO base ball or any other form of
public amusement on Sunday. No one
questions the value of base ball as a
sport, and not many are locally OPP
posed to the game being played on Sum
day. The Importance of voting Is to get
the supporters of the proposition on
record. It's moral value win be immense.
Next to voting on Sunday base ball,
the local contingent is most concerned
with the fact that the Rourke family
has shown quite burst Of speed for
opening the season. It is too early yet
to buy the flag for 1916, but the start is
surely encouraging. 1t has been a long,
long time since Omaha stood out 30 far
in advance of the others, and 1t Is
surely comforting to look at the stand
ing table these mornings, So far as tho
affair .haa proceeded, the indications are
all in favor of the proposition that Pa
has a winning combination. His team
j has enough OF veteran players to give
Il balance and steadiness, Iand enough
! of ambitious youngsters to give 1t pep"
! and Krug has shown himself to be an
aggressive leader, fighting for every
point, and all that means the team that
beats Omaha at any stage of the race
will know It has been TO a ball game.
This coming TO life of the team has put
Omaha on the map again as good ball
town, and the public Is travelling the
way to Rourke park again. much es OF
wore. The crowds have not yet assumed
their old-time proportion but this Will
come II the Rouri<e family u true to
its start.
All, along the line the Western league
start has been full of surprises; In fact.
the standing table n Just about turned
UPSIDE down from what tt was last sea-
son, showing the effect of the "home
town start on some OF the teams. A
couple OF weeks more Will be needed TO
determine the relative strength of the or
ganizations. and It may be longer than
that before the pennant winner viii APP
pear, but it doesn't look as IL the league
were going to be strung out behind Dem
yer OF Sioux City this season
Jimmy Kane had a really sad time in
Omaha during the week. he didn't get a
hit in four games. although he swatted
the ball hard enough. and he was given
a lot Of bother chasing after nasty little
hunts on which the Rourke players de-
lighted to feed him. Jimmy is waiting
until he gets back home, where he can
knock 'em into the old Mizzoo.
Benny Kauff claimed a great deal of
public attention during the week by his
foolish jump from the Brooklyn Federals
10 the. New York Nationals. thereby
showing how little he knows about base
ball strategy and how little regard he
has for a signed contract. Benny will
have a lot OF idle time in which to rumi-
nate over the folly of his course. He Is
not the first player who has listened TO
the siren song OF John McGraw, only to
find out that ''Muggsy" was kidding him.
That johnson boy may be wild man,
all right. but he sure can pitch, and so
can Blodgett. and Crabb. and CIosman
and willis II you don't believe It. ask
Josh Clarke; he knows.
Manager Krug makes EN- hustle. too.
and keeps the game on the move all the
time. which is also an evidence of his
ability as a leader.
Benny Kauff jumped once too often
and Is now singing something about a
long. long way from home and no pay
day in sight
o. B. B. and the Feds can agree on al
least on thing. and that is when player
is not to be trusted
II we'd had that boy Kruger soon
enough last season quite another story
would have been told. And don't over
look Kafora. either when you are max
ing up your list Of hustiiug backStops.
Good old Bunk" CongAIton may b
missed, but what's the matter with
HuelsmanP He's certainly testing tbs
fences, and Brother Dave is figuring or
having them moved back about mile
Grover Cleveland Alexander is keepins
the name OF Nebraska before the Phila-
delphIa public most aeceptahiy.
Fred Glade. who Is prosperous nlil
Ter nowadays, watched Omaha put 1t al
over sioux City on opening day, and
gave il his unbiased opinion that th'
Rourkes carried on like a regular bal
team.