Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-03-21
ALL SET TO OPEN
TRAINING SEASON
Camps Open in Each City in the
Circuit Except Sioux City by
the End of the Week.
DICK BREEN SIGNS CONTRACT

Despite the fact that the well-known
weather prognosticator seems to have a
full-sized crouch on the national pastime
and Is taking advantage of his power to
vent his spleen in an entirely discourteous
manner, there is no stopping the enthusi-
astic Western league mogul and training
season will be on in life size in every
town I'm the loop except Sioux City by the
end of the week. Our own Rourkovinians
are waiting gaily into town each day now
and the full flock should be among us by
Tuesday or Wednesday. Sioux City will
not start training until April 1. Hanlon
seems to think his pennant grabbers need
no practice, and from the looks of the
weather thing he pulled a bright stunt.
He will save hotel and board bills for
about ten days.
The fourth Rourke blew into town Sat
urday He was none other than Arthur
Thomson. cute little center fielder from
Liberty, Mo, where he works for the city
when nothing better offers. Artie walked
through the portals of the Burlington
depot yesterday. encountered gust of
Mr.. Welsh's near-blizzard and shrieked
dismally. However, Tommy, who belongs
TO the American Order of Spiritualistic
Mediums, figures on trimming MIR. Welsh
on the weather He has in his posses
sion one of the latest models of crystal
balls used by the Hindoos in India and
n mail order course in how to work 1t.
He has ordered the crystal to change the
weather and declares Tuesday will find
Omaha as bright and balmy as Palm
Beach,
Breen signs Contract.
The incoming mail was an inspiration
for considerable merriment around base
ball headquarters yesterday. Richard
Breen sent in his signed contract with
the news that wiley is willing to come
out here in the west. providing Dick
furnishes sufficient protection from the
Indians Breens better three-quarters
didn't cherish Omaha as a place to abide,
but Dick summoned all his persuasive
powers and she has promised to come.
AS Rourke has been depending on ,Breen
to hold down the second sack la Eddie
Collins, the merriment can be under
stood.
Win Moves, the long. lean, lanlSy HEAVIER
from Spokane, also sent in his signed
parchment yesterday with the news that
he would DC among the arrivals about
three DAYS hence. Win was a bit slow
in signing his piece of paper but nothing
matters now that it has been signed.
There are four Omaha athletes i'm town
now ready TO practice any old place,
snowdriftss at Rourke park or the Young
Mems Christian association, They are
Thomson, ConIey. new outflelder; Red
Styles and Ralph Willis.
Rourke has booked an exhibition game
with the Storz for March 2S. That is one
week from today.
Chance to Get Thomas Back.
There Is a good chance that Rourke
will get Fred Thomas back from scleveS
land The newly christened IndfAns have
a large gang OF .infield. candidates and
some of them are Of big league eallner
and of more experience than Fredf
Thomas is stili a kid, not yet past y
years cid, and is still bit light (. Biz
mingham Is quoted as saying that
Thomas needs another years experience
in the minors and another year to fiji
out to his full weight. Reports from
Cleveland state that Birmingham is'con-
sidering sending the lad back to Omaha
on an optional agreement. Thomas would
be greeted with some welcome here IN
Omaha and would be tower of strength
on the Rourke squad. He could be placed
at third base and Krug could go into tho
outfieid 1t would be quite an infield
With schiic ner. Breen. Whalen and
Thoma5.
Matty .IcIntyre, new manager OF the
Lincoln club. has already reported at the
capital village and is prepared to do or
die. Mcintyre Is veteran ball player
and is said to be a wise old head, Sue
cess for him at Lincoln is predicted by
all who know him and surely all Western
league fans wish him well. Lincoln has
signed a catching recruit named Frank
Kelly from the Canadian league, He Is
said to be a coming youth. Unconditional
releases were handed Pitcher Count>Des-
sau and Outfielder Joe Collins, both mem
bers of the Links last year.
Joe Bills, former Rourke, has declared
in most scornful tone that he will have
NONE Of the Western league. Joe vouch-
safes the information he would not play
ball for a salary a Western league club
could afford to pay. Thus Frank Isbell,
who bought Bills from Wichita, has
notified Wichita he wants his mony back.
Bills is evidently determined to refuse
any Western league offers. He wants
to play on the Pacific coast
n n