The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-10
BIC LEAGUES COMB
SMALL CIRCUITS
Minors Not Developing Stars
as They Did Years Ago.
REAL FINDS ARE SCARCE,
Scouts Experience Difficulty In Find
ing Good Material For Major League
cIubs-Hornsby of ST. Louis Only
Star Discovered Last Year.

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clubs-Hornsby of ST. Louis Only
Star Discovered Last Year.
Minor league baseball clubs are not
developing SO many players as they did
years ago, and as a result the major
organizations are finding it difficult to
get material 10 bolster their lineups
when the veterans begin to slip.
Finds are not uuearthed with the
regularity Of former days, and If one
or two are dug up i'm one season the
big leagues are considered fortunate
Recruits are given trials, but most of
them are turned back for more season
ing soon after the spring training trip.
There has been a tremendous rush
TO the minor leagues for ball players
this season. Clubs in both major ranks
are purchasing them right and left.
but it is only cn gamble that they
Will be lucky in picking a star out OF
the lot TO be taken south for q test. 1t
would be Il good wager that not a
dozen of the many that are taken
will remain in regular berths for the
campaign Of 1917 This is because the
men bought or drafted do not qualify
and are returned for more drilling.
Hornsby Best Of 1915 Lot.
Look over the lists of the clubs in the
National league this season and not Il
half dozen finds will be found. Fewer
stars have come up this year than ever
before. Roger Iornsby is the only real
ball player who was taken from the
minor leagues i'm the fall of 1915 and
made good. He is with the st. Louis
Cardinals aud is the best youngster it
has been that teams luck to unearth.
lie stands head ana shoulders above
any of the other youngsters secured.
lie is 800 hitter. a smart base run
ner and a natural fielder
The rest can easily lie counted on one
hand. Clarence Mitchell of the Cincin-
natl Reds is an unusually efficient
twirler to be picked up, and he has
been an asset to that team because Of
his ability to hit and pitch. He has
been an in and outer this year on the
rubber, but 1t is predicted by men in
the league that he will be n star in
1917. Jimmy Johnston of the Brook
lyn Dodgers was turned back three
times before he won place as a regu-
lar on Il major league club.
Pirates Got Two Good Pitchers.
Two promising young fingers were
signed by the Pittsburgh club in Miller
and Jacobs. They did not do so well
this season. but they improved a great
deal and are due to be again as efec-
tive in the race next season. The
Cubs appear TO have found a prospect
in Mel, Carter, but his work since lie
joined the club shows that he Is in
need of considerable coaching. Chuck
Workman Is about the average player
picked from the minors, and he is play
ing steadily In the field, but his work
at the plate has not been particularly
noteworthy.
Snortstops are about as hard TO Sc
cure from the minors as heavy hitting
Outiieldcrs. Manager Tinker had scouts
search nearly every minor league in
the country, and not one reported a
"hnd' at that position. He says clever
ficlders can be obtained, but men who
can both field and hit are scarce. Tink-
er IS not the only leader having trouble
in finding a shortstop who can do both.
Brooklyn and Cincinnati have been
searching for one, but without any
luck. The Reds are trying out young
ster named Hobbs and the Dodgers
are to give Keliher from Denver n
trial
Good catchers Also Scarce.
Catchers are also a scarcity in the
minor leagues. There are few intelli-
gent backstops in the National league
today, and the clubs are having their
troubles in strengthening in that de-
partment.
Bunny" Elliott is the best young
ster to come up to the parent body in
years. and Frank Chance. who knows
receiver when he sees one, picked him
out of the Coast league for the Cubs
lie has had years of experience in the
minors and Is due to classify as a big
Lacquer. McGraw and Stallings have
promising youngsters in Kocher and
Blackburne, while Pittsburgh has a
good man In Schmidt These are the
only. promising young backstops in the
1pnuup