Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-03-11
Yankng the Yanks
Into Shap at Macon
(By United Press.I


Macon, Ga, March ll-Bil Donovan,
with more than 100000 worth Of base
ball beef and bone treading the tropical
lea today, was just about ready to lead
his Yanks against the best the Ameri-
can league affords and put up hair.
raising fight for the pennant. Spring
training under the glowing rays of a
benevolent sun has ierked the Yankee
players into real high Trade trim for
the season stray, The pitchers are 60
ing along in swinging strides and the
outfield is rated one of the best bal.
anced outer vistas in the whole Amer
lean league landscape.
Money did most of it, Colonel Rup.
pert and Captain Huston, the spend
thrift owners of the club, have dis
bursed at least the fifth part of mil
lion shells for diamond serfs and results
Ito date have been sufficient to satisfy
them that their judgment was right.
Toward the latter part of 1915 the Yam
kee owners combed the minors for tai
ent and bought about 100000 worth
of playing material. Not satisfied,
they gave their fellow monarchs heart
flutters in the last few months by con.
tributing 100000 more for Lee Ma.
gee, Frank Baker, Gedeon and Sehafer.
stars of the one-time Federal league.
The cost of purchase was by no means
the end of the Yankees responsibility,
either. The stars of the team have con
tracts for sums large enough to stagger
most anyone but Charlie Chaplin and
Charlie won't stagger the slightest
staglet for less than 100000 week
or thereabout.
"Rupert and Huston are determined
to give the fans one of the best clubs
that ever represented New York in the
American league, is Donovan 3 mod
est comment the Yankees aspira-
tions. "Priee has not cut any figure
with the owners. In single year they
have spent, probably, more money for
players than has been spent in the rest
of the clubs history.
Third base of course is Frank Baker Is
logical position, Donovan says, and
Fritz Maisel is enthusiastic about his
tentative berth in the far agricultural
regions. Magee, though seeond.baseT
by trade, will carry the burden of cen
ter station in the Yancs outfield un-
less Donovan finds it impossible other
wise to plug the hole at second. Magee
likes to tell people about his tempera.
ment In the outfield he will be able
to vent his rage or the hapless grass
hoppers without danger of anyone call
ing his hand. One of the most annoying
features of Magee' y St. Louis service
was the persistence of certain fans in
calling him Hoernschemeyer, the name
lie played under when he was selling
goat in Rhineland, Ohio, meat dispen.
sary. No one kicked on his taking the
name of Magee and he has had free use
of it ever since.
Donovan expects Walter Pipp to
prove a corking first baseman and his
catching staff, Alexander, Nunamaker,
Walters, Schwert and Smith, is one Of
the most promising departments in the
whole aggregation, Scnwert played over
on the Jersey side last year following
his leap from the University of Penn.
sylvania. Nunamaker is the Yankee
catching veteran and hits well for a
backstop.
Donovan brought down whole boat.
load of pitchers and hopes to Gull out at
least three good lefthanders to balance
the staff. Caldwell and Fisher likely
will prove the nucleus of the pitching
corps in the coming season and George
Mogridge threatens to become a regular
southpaw. Injuries kept Keating out of
the game most of the 1915 season and
his value this year still is a problem.
The Yanks will start north March 25,
besieged by demands for exhibition
games as result of their requirement
of the federal league stars. This is in
contrast to last years shate of affairs,
when the club owners called thirty fans
a good sized exhibition crowd. The
Yankees opening game will be played
at the Polo grounds on April H.