The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-09-24
YANK YOUNGSTERS
SEEM PROMISING
FOR NEXT SEASON

New York, Sept. 24.-When the Yam
KEGS go into training next spring and
the correspondents begin to send back
| the usual optimistic gossip Of the sea-
! sons outlook New York fans will have
this distinct advantage over those OF
most other cities. The people will
know at least something of what the
scrfbes are talking about.
For this boon they may thank Col
onel Jacob Ruppert, president of the
New York Americans. When the un-
welcome realization that the 1916 cast
was a failure hit the colonel he sim
lply squared his shoulders and set
about the task of saving something
from the wreck. Most major league
magnates would have been discour-
aged had they been In his place. For
the spent, in building up the club, ap-
proximately $780, 600 for new players.
The investment began to look mighty
poor along about July Fourth last.
| When the big break came Colonel
IRuppert and his business associate,
Captain T.. Il. Huston, became con-
WINGED that there was only one thing
to do. That was to send an army of
scouts out through the sticks to gar
ner everything that looked like a ball
Iplayer. The big bank roll was held
in reserve. This winter, if tried stars
can he bought, they will be purchased
regardless of price. The owners OF
the Yankees are determined ito have
a winner and that in the near future.
4 If the YANKEES are not an Improve
Iment next season." said Clark Griffith
the other day, -it win, be because
there are no ball players in the
sticks
',Ewerywhere our scouts went" said
Lee Foil, ''they arrived just too late.
The Yankee sleuths had made a clean
lup and g. getaway. The only thing ]
l can figure is that Colonel Rupert
must have designs on cornering the
Iminor league market He certainly
will have a hard time finding places
for his youngsters. He has enough
flor two or three teams. And a, half a
dozen OF them I would give a lot to
have with the Indians.
The young players will perhaps be
recognized by local fandom, for they
lare some of the colts who have been
playing daily against the regulars on
who have been injected into the main
l1fne-up from time to time.
Samuel B. Wick, known in Memphis
as the Mississippi Mauler, was pur-
lchased from the Memhis (Southerr
|
Recommendation of Scout Bob Gilks
twho sent up Catcher al Walters. The
boy can do everything well-run, field
hit and throw. This is his first sea-
son in professional company
Wick was born in Central ACADEMY
Miss, April 12, 1895, and learned the
game at MiHsaps College His only
iother experience outside of Memphis
was last season in the Delta Auto
, league, an independent circuit. Bill
Robertson, pitching for Memphis a.
the time, was sent on a. gum shoe
trip through the Delta league ant
signed Wick to contract He report
ed in the spring of 1917 and made
lgood from the start. He is fee
10 A1-2 inches tall and weighs 16
pounds. The latest batting average,
, from the Southern association show
. Wick hitting for an average of .316
Inf1elder Aaron Ward was pur
chased from the Charleston club %
. the South Atlantic league Ware
Joined the Yankees about a montl
ago, and has made a good impression
with his play in the inner works
Ward in the South Atlantic 1eagu
finished the season with battins
average OF .295. Wards position i
shortstop. He bats and throws right
handed and is only 20 years old H
is 8 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 16
pounds.
, Muddy Rue1, another player pur
chased from Memphis, in the South
ern league, Is known among the mi
nor league ball players as the Ra
Schalk of the South. His good wor:
with the Memphis cIug this seaso
twas such that he was touted as tn
s best. catcher in the minor league
lRuel is a good hitter. His. battin
: average UP to the time he reported t
Y the Yanks was .2S4. Ruel had a tria
IL with the ST. Louis Americans in 1915
s He has been with Memphis the pas
a three seasons. Ruel is only 81 year
: old. He stands feet inches an
s weighs $50 pounds.
= Outf1elder william Lamar, pur
t ichased from the Baltimore club of tn
: International league, halls from Rock
vile, Md. He first attracted attentio
: in se1nf-pro ranks around Washing
n tton. He spent year in the Blu
q Ridge league with good results La
: mar comes to the big league with tn
:. reputation of being a good batter
x Baltimore fans claim that ne can ru
h faster than Fritz Mafsel Kamar |
v only 10 years OF age, bats left handle
and throws right lie II feet ]
. inches tall and weighs 165 pounds
Walter Smtllwood, right-hande
rdtciaer purchaser. from the New ri