New Britain herald., 1917-01-29
MUCH EXPECTED OF
Big LEAGUE ROCKIES
Kopf Among 1916 Finds That At
traCted Favorable Mention

|
the hands of the younger league
through the medium of what is con-
sidered the test of the two rival or
ganizations, there were jibes respect
ing the defeated league that made the
humiliation double in. it's effect. Not
enough young blood in the old league
| was one answer put forth as an an
swer to a wide flung query. Whether
| or not that is the correct reply is
| something to be considered. 49,
Undoubtedly the exigencies of
hot, close fight for the pennant were
responsible to heavy extent. The
Dodgers, Braves and Phillies were
having it out SO flercely that there
was hardly a chance to intrust any
but tried men in the pennant emer-
gency. 1t was different with the
Chants, while the second division
trainers found conditions otherwise.
All that the latter had on their minds
was the rounding up and trying out
OF "oolts." This. when it was firmly
established that no hope existed for a
betterment of position in the race.
It is not to be denied that new
corners of great promise in the swift
set, as exemplif1ed by. the old league,
were few indeed. For one thing the
club limit of players initiated
against the addition Of any more than
few rockies to any club. while the
item also stands forth that the scouts
returned from their travels through
the length and breadth OF the minor
circuits with despair in their eyes.
The ivory hunters reported very much
of a dearth in high class rookie ma
terial.
Hornsby a Find.
At least two sterling young play
ers, with the earmarks Of stars of the
first order of excellence, shed the
light of their presence over National
league diamonds last season. There !
were other youngsters of large prom !
Use, but the two to be mentioned at
tracted particular attention. |
Roger Hornsby, the shining gem
of the st. Louis Cardinals. was by all |
means the darling o. the baseball |
gods. In his first full season he |
leaped with rush into general IA |
vor. There was no dissenting voice |
when it was voted that he is about
the most brilliant performer the
league has been blessed with in sew
eral years.
Along with Hornsby to cause the
to sit up and pay atten-
ton was Walter Holke. the young
first baseman corralled by McGraw to
fill the huge gap caused by the de-
parture of Merkle. Holke was en-
ployed in the light of a great expert
ment by the Giant general in the re-
formation of a machine that had
rusted out.
Seldom has McGraw found it ex-
pedient to hand over a regular posi-
ton to a fledgling major Lacquer, even
though the latter has been given evil.
dence of great natural ability. But
in breaking loose from his traditional
course of action for once, the small
knew what he was doing,
to all appearances. as Holke, during
the somewhat abbreviated period he
played with the Giants. was all that
any manager could ask for. Coming
to the Giants just previous to the
of the record string Of
victories by the New Workers. Holke
went through that famous march as |
a prominent asset, in his clubs sue
cess.
Cincinnati, following the arrival of |
Christy Mathewson, was enriched
"AIAi o~'S1 N1 6huCo youCAlS prayers
who are undoubtedly in line to be of
much help to the Old Master in his
career as a manager.
One good-looking newcomer to the
majors in the person of GREASY
Neale was with the Reds as a heri-
tage' for Mathewson from the former !
regime. When the big deal went |
through that brought Matty his job
as a big league boss became an ac-
tual1ty there came to the Reds with
the new manager Roush and Nc
kechn1e. The latter was veteran,
but Roush, former Federal Lacquer
and star of that defunct organiza-
ton, came under the head of new
conner to the majors. And Roush,
with only slight opportunity to
grant the sharps a line on his ability
TO travel with the fastest of the fast
set until shifted from the Giants to
the Reds, gave symptoms of being a
nne young oall players once he got
in with the latter club as a regular.
In Roush and Neale, Mathewson
considers himself rather we'll fixed
for outfeld material for next season
to work alongside Tom Griffith. Be-
sides these he picked up a shortstop
in Billy Kopf at the terminal of last
season. an inf1eld prospect regarded
as quite certain to answer a problem
that doomed up as one of Mathew
sons biggest. Kopf, at one period of |
his career employed by Connie Mack
for q brief term of service Of trial,
was snagged for Cincinnati last fall
and lost no time in showing his mer-
it. Several men had been employed
to handle the short1eld position pre-
vious to Kopf's coming, but none gave
the satisfaction that he did. While
his trial for the place was hardly long
enough to prove anything conclusive
there were plenty Of astute critics to
place him as among the youngsters to
deserve a place among the small