The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-27
PITCHING STAFEOF TRAVELLERS CAUSES
 WORRY 10 M0GULS
Hardgrove Out for Three Weeks-Allen Is Looking for Additional Pitch
 CTS for His Team

Latest reports from Little Rock an- nounce the illness of Omar Hardgrove, the former Baron, and now the main stay of the Travellers staff. Hardgrove is suffering from chills and fever and will not get into the game for at least three weeks, so the physicians say.
 The news of Omars illness will un- doubtedly be regretted by the large num- Der of followers that he has here, al though he is quoted as swearing ven gence on the Barons during the coming season
 Practice games during the past week have shown the Travellers to be woefully weak in the pitching department. The weakness is so seriously felt that Presi- dent Bob Allen and Manager Charley Starr are now searching the entire coun- try for additional twirlers. When the staff is strengthened then the Trav- elers should be ready for the start of the season With strong pitching staff which the Travellers will probably have, if money can secure them, the Starr out fit will be one of the most formidable in the league.
 
 The temporary loss of Hardgrove is given in the following from the Arkan- sas Democrat:
 Omar Hardgrove, one of the pitching mainstays of the Little Rock staff, is laid up with chills and fever and will not be over the trouble for probably three weeks, doctors have told him. Hardgrove will not work in Thursdays exhibition game, and will get but little practice from now until his sickness passes. While it is not serious, the trou- ble will prevent him from being in the best form when the season opens. He will be able to get out off and on, but not for good, telling work. Physicians say he will be laid up every two or three days in the next fortnight or month.
 Coachman and Moran will be depended upon in the Thursday afternoon game. Powell, Stone and Kirby are not yet in shape to risk in a game. Gardiner prob ably will not be used at all. Brooks and Fields will work Wednesday. LeClair was expected from Canada this week, but no word has been received from him in the last few days. Hoff has not yet signed. If LeClair gets here this week he will require no less than ten days of good hard work before he will be fit to turn loose. While Powell and Kirby are improving fast and getting over the first soreness, they do not want to risk theirt arms, and. Starr will not permit them to.
 MUST GET NEW HURLERS
 The games last week convinced Presi- dent Allen and Manager Starr that the pitching department is the one where they must direct lot of work. Brooks and Fields, of course, have not had ex- perience, even if they were in condi- tion. LeClair is reputed to be a good man, and Hoff has that reputation Couchman and Hardgrove can be count ed on. What Stone and Kirby can show depends upon how the kinks in their shoulders come along. Time only will tell. Kirby, however may be used little, as his hitting will mean an outfie,d berth for him.
 It is President Aliens plan to get a squad of players who can be assigned to positions, informed they will be played there and told to Ego to It. which is taken to mean that Myers will nave to show fast, clean work at third base, and that the pitchers must be men who can be depended upon, rather than expgi- mented with. It is no secret that ths Traveller cheftains are seeking soms more talent, to the end that when tn, season opens. a team can be put in the field with pretty good idea tha. it is going to represent Little Rock the remainder of the year.