Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-01-21
KRUG REFUSES TO
WORRY OVER STRIKE
Rourke Manager Writes Will
Arrive in Omaha This Week
Ready for Work.
CONTRACTS co OUT LATE

Marty Krug, apparently, refuses to
worry about any base ball strikes
that may have been called by the
we'll known players fraternity.
For Marty has written Pa Rourkc
that he will come west to Omaha from
his home in Cleveland this week. He
expects to arrive here Wednesday or
Thursday. ~
Krug has not yet been signed to
1917 contract, but this is because
| Rourke has not sent out any OF the
documents yet He announced. how
ever, some weeks ago that he intended
to retain Marty as manager of the
Rourkelets.
Krug is a member of the players
fraternity, or at least he was last
year. But Martyrs letter to Rourkc
that he would arrive in Omaha this
week would indicate that he either
does not believe strike will mate
raIize or that he does not intend 10
obey the order.
Immediately upon the managers ar
rival Rourke will confer with him re-
garding the procuring Of additional
talent. Pa and Marty have yet to
secure several athletes, including
catcher, first sacker, an outheldcr and
perhaps a pitcher.
Sends Contracts Late.
Rourkc will not send out any con-
tracts until after February |. This
is little late, as he generally dis
patches them through the mail about
the middle of January.
This strike chatter is making the
delay" declared Rourke. Il want to
wait as long as possible. don't an
ticipate any great trouble, though, as
there are only one or two that ! in
tend to cut and I've got to cut them
in order to keep within the limit,
not from personal choice"
Those players to whom Rourke will
send contracts are: Catcher, Pratt;
pitchers, Benton, Barham, Merz,
O'Toole, Krausc, ,Gaskell; inhelders,
| Irelan, Krug. Burg; out6elders, For
sythe,, Brokaw, Smith He will thus
send out thirteen contracts. He is
permitted two more men under the
Western league player limit. He will
probably sign at least four others, per-
haps more, as it is thought Gaskell,
who did not show much speed last
year, will be given his release. and
there is the possibility that Floyd
Smith will not be able to stand the
pace, although he showed last fall
that he is conner.
Topeka Up in the Air.
The Topeka franchise is still up in
the air. Pueblo has given John
Savage proposition which is o. X.
in every respect except one, but that
one is enough to crab the deal. The
Pueblo people want to give Savage
a park on the outskirts OF the city.
This would be suicide in town the
size of Pueblo, as it is always ncccs-
sary in smaller cities to have the ball
park close to the business part of
town, even walking distance. 1t is only
\ in the larger cities where the inhabi-
tants are accustomed to longer trips
into the residence districts that
base ball will prosper with an out
side park.
There arc two locations within
five minutes walk Of the heart of the
city where base ball plant could be
located. The Pueblo business men as
sert they are not available, but unless
one of them is made available Savage
will not go into Pueblo.
Hutchinson. Kan, is the other APP
plicant for the franchise. Hutchin-
son will provide close-in ball park.
And Hutchinson has one advantage
over Pueblo in the mileage it will
save. Hutchinson is only forty miles
from Wichita, is on the main line to
Denver, and both Wichita and Hutch
inson can be played by visiting club
without cent OF additional transport
tation cost This would represent q
saving of about $4,000 to all the clubs
in the league. On the other hand
playing in Pueblo would neccssitate
an increase of about $4,000 in trans
portation expense. Hutchinson and
Wichita are also great rivals and it
is believed if season tickets are sold
that Savage would at least do better
| L ~ %. T-.i.a