The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-08

to remain at Colgate that any college
coach i'll the country is receiving, SO 1t
was stated, but he says that business
opportunities in Lynn, Mass, call him
away from athletics. He was a star
player at Dartmouth and was graduated
from that institution in the class of
1910.
Long term contracts in baseball are
something of the past. In the minor
leagues, the long-term contracts have
never made glowing Roadway, and in but
very few instances has there ever been a
minor Lacquer to have more than the
! playing season under contract. These
contracts began when the Federal league
made its bombardmcnt on the ranks of
the American and National leagues three
years ago and lasted supreme while the
| Federals raided the ma iors; but now the
contracts are nearly all over, and by an
other season the last will have expired.
This year the Giants all received con-
| tracts from the club management, and
none have more than one year to go,
and all the other clubs are sending out
the same contracts. During the Federal
league war every ball player who could
major leagues was offered long-term
contract, and many of the promising
recruits received them. Almost without
fail, these contracts proved loss OF
money for the club; many times the
older men would elump, and, in other in
stances, the players would loaf, knowing
that if they worked hard enough to stay
they would get their money, whether it
was earned or not, while, with the one
year contracts, every player has to work,
and loafer is not sure of his position
the next year if he lays down. If a /
player shows up better than expected,
the owners are always ready to pay him
what he earns.
Connie Mack and his youthful proteges
are looking forward with visions of |
brighter prospects for the 1917 season in |
the American league than they did at I
the opening of the 1916 campaign just |
passed AT the beginning of the last race
in April, Connie" remarked that he had |
no chance of anything better than last I
place, and that he was of the opinion
that the rest of the league would run
nip and tuck which proved to be true a
few months later. This year, the leader
of the Athletics claims that he has not a
pennant contender, but the prospects are
looking bright at the present of working
up out Of the hole where he was left last +
October He has decided upon several
changes in the lineup in his team when
the big rush is on in April. Wally
Schang win give mp playing outfield and
90 back to his old position behind the
bat, where he starred at a time when the
team was one of the most
in the race, with Meyer and
pieinieh as his assistants. The pitchers
in the first roll will be johnson, Bush.
Myers and Majors, all of whom flashed I
iine performances in 1916 McInnis is
the only veteran on the nfield and
Strunk the only outfeld veteran. Grow
Pr, the youngster who started out well |
n the few games he played in the closing
IT the race, will be put on second, while
Witt, the old Goddard player, who
worked around the shortficld last season,
will remain at the same post OF duty !
mother year Bates is to supereede 9
'iek, last years recruit. at third base. 4
strunk. the veteran, win amble around {
he center garden, while Ping Bodie, late !
# Chicago, will cover the right field I
erritory. Thrasher, smuggling and nifty !
Ield recruit from the Southern associa- i
ion. who showed so much promise last !
eason, will fill the left field berth. The o
cam win carry lots Of speed and batting
with young but experienced c
itching corps 1t is considered much c
etter ball club than that which started p
he campaign last April. Of the entire Il
cam, there are only three men who t
layed with the champion Athletics three C
ears ago, they being Schang, Strunk u
nd McInns Schang and Mc1nnis seemed Il
. keep up well all through last year, I,
lille strunk had flashes of his old-time n
,rm. N