Evening star., 1916-01-03
Veteran Catcher Is Signed to
Teach Jennings TWirIers
the Fine Points.
CONNIE MACK HAS STAR
PLAYERS UNDER COVER
Toe Tinker Anxious to Get Steve
Yerkes to Play Second
for the Cubs.
By J. ED GR1LLo.

D I Os ELL o1S4A<4Ss
Billy Sullivan. who caught 1o5 games
for the Minneapolis club last season
and was largely responsible for the
success of that team by his brilliant
handling of cantillon's pitching staff,
is to be the catching coach of the De-
troit team next season. Hugh Jen-
nings has signed the veteran to fill
position which has long been vacant
on his team. Hughey has not had a
wise old catcher for some years to
handle the pitchers in practise and
Sullivan will more than fill the bill.
Incidentally the veteran<catcher may
break into the game occasionally, for
he can still throw. and when 1t comes
to using judgment behind the plate
there is none better fortified than Sui
Ivan
He told Joe Cantillon at the end of
last season that he was through with
playing ball. but he did not hesitate
to take the position of coach when Jen-
nings made him an offer.
According to Will Weart, the sage of
Philadelphia, Connie Mack predicted
that he would have his new White
Elephant machine going at a fast clip
by the middle of the season of 1916.
Weart says Connie has lot of bril-
liant youngsters still under cover,
whom he obtained last season. but did
not show to the fans. There is said to
be a brilliant shortstop among the list
and one or two pitchers of class to fill
the holes which the absence Of Plank
and Bender created. Mack displayed
mighty young Dl.ohef haas Iasa IN
October-Myers. He shut out the Ma
tionals and struck out twelve OF them:
That chap looked mighty good. and II
of twirlers under cover he will soon
have tho fans forgetting all the other
great pitchers who used to wear an
Athletic uniform.
Though when tho consolidation Of the
Chifeds and the Cubs is arranged Joe
Tinker will have ffty-four players,
there Is one player he would like to
than Steve Yerkes. tho old Boston Sec
ond baseman. who played with Pitt
feds last season.
Tinker insists that Yerkes was by far
the best second baseman In the Federal
"Yerkes Is q nne ball player" said
Joe; The is q big etrapping fellow with
a strong pair Of hands and a powerful
arm. He is not fiashy player, bdt Is
consistent and knows what to do at the
right time II we get Yerkes We will
have the strongest infield in the Ma
t10nal League.
| While it is most remarkable that Max
Carey led the National League in base
running last season with but thirty-six
pliers to his credit, National League
adherents insist that this Is not caused
| by the lack of speed in the league, but
| due entirely to the fact that the old
| league has a wonderful array Of catoh-
ers.
It is perhaps true that the Tener cir
cult has some real catchers, but the
figure of thtrty-six steals is much too
low II there wee many high class base
runners in that circuit, regardless of
how brilliant tho catchers may be. for
| the base runner frequently kills tho
catcher's chances Of throwing him out
| by taking advantage Of the pitcher.
Cobb and Maisel would beat that mark
| in the National or any other league,
simply because they are moro compe-
tent in the matter of purloining bags
| than their rivals in the old league.
Reports emanating from Cincinnati
that Ivy Wingo. the catcher. will be
| turned back to the st. Louis Cardinals
have caused some surprise In the Mound
city, and particularly to President Brit
ton, who u quoted as giving the fol-
lowing facts Of the Wingo transaotion
last season:
'-The proposition 10 this: when Hsr-
sog caused Wingo 70 jump back frem