The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-26
WAS ONCE A FED
New Savage Leader Has Been
in Game 10 Years.
He PiIOted OPP. Team to See
Ond Place Two Seasons.
MUTT & JEFF.

r. j. baltimore, the new manager
of the Topeka Savages, whose signed
contract was received by John Savage
Tuesday morning, is probably better
qualified to lead a team to a pennant
than most of the local fans imagine.
Latte" came to Topeka at a time
when the whole baseball horizon look
cd like Il dark brown taste on the
morning after, and at a time when
the local fans didn't believe it possible
for Topeka to get real baseball talent.
And, as result. his coming was given
little more than passing mention. Also,
the now manager is not of the breed
that takes delight in boasting of
great personal accomplishments, and
so it happened that he spent two years
here, playing top notch ball and al
ways putting up a brilliant fight for
his club without the fans paying any
particular attention to who he was
where he came from, or what he had
done.
But along with the contract he re-
turned to Savage yesterday, he mod
estly stated a few of his accomplish
ments. and from these statements it
is gathered that he possesses more
managerial qualifications than even
his most ardent admirers and most
intimate personal friends had dreamed
of.
Ten Years Experience.
The new sachem is 80 years old, is
married and has a family. He has
been in professional baseball for the
past ten years, and has had previous
managerial experience, which no one
in Topeka except Savage seemed to
know, previous to his signing.
He first broke into the limelight in
1909 when he managed the East Liv-
erpool team of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
league and led his club to second place
in the league race. Again in 1910 he
managed the same club and again
finished second.
A part of 1911 he was with the Co
lumbus club of the American associa-
ton and in 1912 was with Nashville
in the Southern league. Then, in 1913
he cast his fortunes with the Federal
league and remained with the Outlaws
during that season. AT the beginning
of the season of 1914 Dale Gear at
tempted to get him for the old Kaw
club, but baltimore was slated for a
Federal managerial berth and re-
fused to sign a contract However,
something happened that prevented
his Federal league advancement and
he finally signed a contract and came
here in June, 1914.
Been Up Six Years.
During the past six years he has
been entirely with clubs of class A
and A standing, and during that
time the only year he has been with
vision was his first year with Topeka.
Last season he was the only infieldeT
on the Savage team who played his
position throughout the season without
a change and in addition to his 300
hitting average, the official Spaldine
records show that he was the leading
fielding second baseman of the league
In his letter of acceptance to Saw
age. baltimore stated that he expect
ed to begin at once looking out fol-
promising players, and that ht
thought his former affiliation with the
Federal league would enable him t.
line up some good players who viii
be left over from the consolidation O.
the Feds and the two major leagues
The 1915 records show that in 1917
baltimore worked in 1876 out of tn,
14O games and made a fielding aver
age of .9S7. No other second base
thing like as many games did so mucl
s-cs threaten this record.
Goodbrcad Uncertain.
Savage stated this morning tina
pitcher Goodbread. who has beef
.zpurchnsed from the Brooklyn Ma
zfional league club, was bought subjec
to his willingness to sign "A Topek;
contract and that it probably will n
several DAYS before he knows wheth
er or not he will be able to get him
In 1913 Goodbread pitched for tn
Oshkosh club of the Wisconsin, Iii
nois league with is victories and /
defeats to his credit. In 1914. witt
the same club. he won ~ and los
np1xr 4 Oshkosh won the pennan