The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-23
DIAMOND FLASHES

Practically all of the circuits in or ganized baseball are now in opera tion, although a few Class D leagues won't start for a few days yet. Nine teen-siXteen promises to be g, highly successful year for the minors, but even in the best of years a certain percentage do not last much longer than the Fourth of July. A good year for the little leagues is haled with joy by the magnates of the big circuits for it always means the un- covering of new talent.
 Evidently the Giants were dissatis- fed with their trip south for the training season, for they had no soon CT got back than they started another southern trip.
 Carl Sawyer, the Washington in fielder, is out after the laurels of Ger many Schaefer, Charlie Faust, Nick AItrock, Arlie Latham and other famous baseball humorists of the past. Sawyer's comedy stunts sound silly when set down in black and white, but he always gets a hand from the fans. The newest major league clown was a, Western 1eaguer last year, cOv- ering second base for IsbelPs pennant- winning Des Moines club, with which he batted .256.
 
 kee Brewers, has had more than his share of ups and downs, but in the main he has been a lucky dog. Joshu- way landed in the main show with the Giants seven years ago, and after several seasons in the McGraw livery was sold to Cincinnati. From the Ohio city he went to Philadelphia, and thence to Boston, landing with the Braves in time to get a share of the worlds series lswag. Last year he was a manager in the Ohio State League.
 F. Otto Knabe, who pulled such a flivver as manager of the Baltimore Feds, had hard time getting back in to the game after the Gilmore circuit blew up, but the Pirates a, tlast gave him a chance. Knabe has been play ing ball for eleven years, starting with Colorado. Springs and Pueblo in the Western league back in 1905. Later he was with Toledo and he broke into the big top with the Phil lies in 1907.
 Toledo's return to the American As sociation fold has greatly strengthen ed that circuit. Cleveland fans. didn't take kindly to the brand of baseball served up by the big monor league, although at that the leading AssO- ciatfen clubs could play rings around the '15 Indians Roger Bresnahan is very popular in Toledo, and he has got together club that looks to have a lot of class.
 Joe Corbett, the old veteran of the nineteenth century, has been trying to do a comeback with Harry Vol verton's San Francisco Seals. Joe, as everybody knows, is a, brother of the distinguished Thespian, James J. Corbett. In his youth Joe'S great am bition was to become champion pugilist, while "GentIeman Jfn' was equally anxious to shine on the dia- mond. Fate switched thee ards on 'em, however, and it was Joseph who became the diamond star while Jim won pIaudits in the ring. Joe was coach of the Santa Clara College team when Hal Chase was a student there, and he fired Prince Hal Chase from the nine because he insisted on mak- ing one-hand catches.
 Neal Ball, the Bridgeport pilot, is a veteran of long standing in the game. Away back in 1903 he started as a shortstop with Grand Rapids and To- ledo, and later played with Montgom- cry, in the Southern Association The New York Americans got him from Waterbury in 1908 and used him as shortstop, selling him to Cleveland the following year. In 1912 he went to the Red Sox and dipped into tke got him from the Toronto Interna- tionals. Neal played second base for Richmond and Toronto last year. He is now in his thirty-third year.
 George Gibson, the Pirate back stop, began the present season in bet ter condition than he has been in sew era1 years. George is one of the real veterans of the game, this is his twelfth season with the Pirates He is one of a very few players of long standing who have played with only one major league club. The Pirates got Gibson from Montreal in 1905. George is a Canadian by birth and broke into the game with King ston, N. Y.. in 1908. going to Buffa-