El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-01-22

FEW YORK. Jan 22-four Uncls
M Wlbert Robinson is casting
= longing orbs toward another Ma
tonal league championship.
Ever since the season Of 1915 camd
to a close and the worlds series re-
suited so disastrously for the Robins
Uncle Wnbert has been dreaming and
planning
Baseball scribes and baseball mage
mates have limited from time TO tims
that the Robins were lucky to grab
the 1916 flag And when it is remem-
bered that the Phillies and Braves,
not to mention the Giants, were doing
some tall playing as the race neared
q close, the victory OF the Robins does
appear to have been helped by timely
breaks" The break in the winning
streak Of the Giants was one OF these
Nevertheless the Robins COPIED.
and all credit for their victory
should be given them Yet Uncle
Wilbert is not satisfied. He wants
to prove to the baseball public at
large that he can pull the same
stunt again. Thus he is figuring
on new stunts for the coming sea-
son. and the new plan will con-
Stst largely Of some shifts in his
battle array.
You may guffaw. Mr. Fan. when
Uncle Wilbert announces that he nav
play Fred Merkle at shortstop this
In Jake Daubert Uncle WiIbert has
A very capable first sacl1er- He need
not worry about the initial corner as
long as Jake's underpinning does not
90 back on him, as 1t did for a time
last season He also has Merkle. If
Jake hits the skids he can pin Merkls
TO the first corner and get by But
that isn't what worries Robinson
He admits that the Dodgers must
have the shortstop position strongly
fortified II they hope 10 be in the run
ming for f9nTpTnnr Ten6rfG silk hznrnT
this year Last season Ivan Olson did
the big end OF the shortstopping. But
Ivan was wObbly. He did not cover the
ground with the agility necessary to a
big league shortstop- He was cratic,
and often in the tightest OF pinches.
To find short fielder who can
handle the position satisfactorily
is the task Robinson has assigned
to himself. Ii is some task. par
ticuIarly when we remember that
there are 20 few shOrtstops avail
able for the managers who need
them
Robby has the youngster Fabrique.
who is said to have the makings of a
major league star In the Interna-
tional league Fabrique was star. In
the National league he may prove To
need considerable seasoning So Uncle
Wilbert has decided to try Merkle AT
short. and he believes he can make a
star out Of the erstwhile Giant
Merkle has often expressed the de-
sire 10 play short He has always be-
ieved that il given the proper chance
he could make good at short and
Christv NIathewson has the same opin-
ion. Matty says Merkle can play a
mighty sweet game of ball at second
Then. why not at short? At least,
Robbv SAYS he is going to find out
While speaking Of Wilbert Robin
son il is timely to state he frankly ad-
mits the club the Dodgers VIII have
10 beat out this year is New York
He saws that in his opinion the Giants
ere going to make the dust fly from
the start. but it all depends on their
pitchers.
According TO RObby's way OF look
ing at il. NcGraw viii be better fixed
at the start with an all around club
than anv other National league man
ager- The way those Giants Travelled
during that sensational winning streak
last fall has convinced the Dodger
leader that they have the punch But
the pitchers must deliver