The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-08
PELICAN MATERIAL.
 INSPIRES FANS 10
 HOPE FOR TENANT
Massey Most Promising Man Among New Faces. Scribes Pick Pels to
 Cop Bunting

New Orleans papers are already unanimous in the belief that the ma. terial allotted Johnny Dobbs, pilot o1 the Pelicans should be sufficient tc cop sanother Southern leagne pennant Althugh the scribes have seen the Pels in action but once it is being gen orally predicted that they have the strongest team in the circuit.
 The Pels made a fairly good showing Sunday against the Cleveland Indians in the first exhibition game of the season, but did not loom up as pen nant contenders on the initial appear ance, The team is incomplete but the players are in the camp, but Johnny has not put them into action yet.
 The Pels must have some material to get this publicity this early in the year The Daily States regards the Pels' prospects as follows:
 When Pelican fans started home ward after giving dawn Dobb' 1916 squad a hurried slant Sunday, op1n ion prevailed that Dobbs has sufficient material to make his club factor in the Southern league pennant race.
 "Only part of the IS players the Pels may carry under the salary and player limits were seen in action, and as the training campaign grows older, it is certain Improvements all down the Ilne will be noted
 The lineup Dobbs sent against Cleveland in the first fracas is not his regular mob nor is it probable that more than six of the nine will be dressed when the big gong sounds. The infield and outfield is incomplete, while it is going to require lot of hard work for Dillinger and Robberts to break into the positions allotted Walker, Weaver, Kissinger, Benton and Smith.
 "Of the men Dobbs produced the most likely looking is Mike Massey, who takes Tom Reilly's place at short. The remainder of the inner works, third base excepted, is exactly the same as last year. At present Pezold is hustling for Fred Thomas old job. So is Stanbury while Sylvester and Miller are regarded regulars by those intimate with the Pei mogul.
 kLEPFER ONLY HURLER READY
 No one expected to witness a real ball game and few were disappointed The only excuse for the contest was that of preparing the men for the com ing campaign. In most instances the pitchers merely showed the spheroid over with nothing on it. Of the hurl CTS Klepfer for Cleveland, seemed nearer ready to work than anyone else The big hurler used some stuff at times and the Pels were virtually next to helpless.
 For major league club, Lee Fohl will have to get additional assistance fl om other American league clubs to Ia o d -icin in Tob son race. The outer garden seems far weaker than the trio of 1915, while the infield, despite the fact Gandil takes the first base job, is far from big league caliber.
 'Fohl, however, has two promising recruits in Thomas and Edmondson. particularly the latter player. who is apt to surprise some of the wiseacres and winhimself birth. Thomas looked very good at third base. Hes fit and ready and is making a deter mined bid to clinch job.
 "Dobbs' team will show to better ad- vantage in a week or 10 days. Near ly all of the holdovers-Higg Wal ker. Weaver, Bluhm and Sylvester are not ready The most important detail in connection with selecting reg ulars for service, is to find position where the men can show best. Stans- bury is both an in and outfielder. So is Miller, and indications are that Dobbs will have both men covering ter ritory shortly.
 MORE MEN COMING
 ''More will have to be seen of the new men by Dobbs, particularly Gooch, who is a young fellow of immense size, before changes will be thought of.
 Manager Dobbs believes he has found the much sought left-hander for the Pelicans this season in Dillenger, ex-Cleveland hurler, who pitched part of Sundays exhibition aganst h1s for mer teammates. However, he is uncer tain as to whom his new 1eft-hander belongs
 'Dillenger says he is a free agent" said Dobbs when asked about the new hurler. He has lots of stuff and 1 would like to keep him, but cannot say just now whether or not he will be with the squad permanently
 According to Dillengers record With the Cleveland club, he took part In five games and lost one. In the four innings he pitched Sunday. three hits "a home run by Chapman and extra base clouts by O'Neil and Roth--were secured off him with as many runs.