Evening star., 1917-09-09
YANKEES ARE EXPECTING
CORNER IN KID TALENT
Bill Donovan's Trusty Scouts Are
Combing Bushes as It Was
Never Done Before.

Slowly but with ruthless efficiency
the Yankees are engineering a corner
on pretty nearly all the desirable young
talent in the minor leagues. Though
only eight captures have been reported
thus far, it is becoming more and moro
apparent as the scouts OF other major
league clubs turn in their reports that
the New York sleuth hounds have been
plying their gum-shoe trade with a
silent vigor that later on will show
amazing results.
1t has long been the boast of the
Yankee officials that the New York
club maintains the most extensive and
the most efficient coaching stan ex-
tant. and rival outfits are now willing
to admit that the claim is based on
solid fact. Jack McAllister. the Cleve-
land chief Of scouts, protests that it
club to buy a player that New York
wants, and that New York seems to
want every young busher who has
shown even a trace OF real class this
season.
The New York club has a line on and
string attached to every good, or
even fairly good. minor Lacquer that I
have seen this year" McAllister walled
upon his return to Cleveland the other
night. Time and again l thought I
for the Indians. only to hnd that the
Yanks had beaten me to it. In at
least one instance I had my man
thrown and tied and ready for the
branding iron, and just as I was about
to make him Clevelands very only,
New York stepped in and snatched him
away from me.
Il spotted Shortstop Aaron Ward and
Outfielder Hal Camp down in Charles
ton. s. c., couple of months ago and
sized them up as a pair of youngsters
who would do more to strengthen the
Cleveland club than any other players
In the minor leagues. got a price
on them and left Charleston believing
could claim them at any time. When
returned to Charleston to close the
deal, however. I found that they had
been sold to New York.
Sam yick, the Memphis outfielder.
was another with whom I had a SINH
lar experience. thought I had him
just as good as signed to a Cleveland
contract, but that did not prevent the
Yankees from winning him The
other clubs were all angling for Vick,
but from all 1 can gather and infer,
they never had a chance after New
York entered the bidding. can't tell
you just how many minor league play
ers the Yankees own or hold options
on, but the ones they can't are mighty
few and far between. and generally not
worth much"
All OIL "nlCn WOulQ seem TO indicate
that Bill Donovan will have an unus-
ually large and an exceptionally prom
Using flock of youngsters to look after
during the closing weeks Of the cam
paign. With few exceptions all the
men purchased or drafted from the
minor leagues will be taken to the
Polo Grounds for try-outs during the
long home stand with which the Yam
KEGS finish their season. This will en-
tail the benching Of more than one old
favorite. but Donovan is determined to
rebuild his club from top to bottom
and figures that he can gain a lot of
valuable time by inaLsurating the re-
construction process this fall.
Not in many years has the ambitious
youngster been offered greater oppor-
tunities to attach himself permanently
to the Yankee payroll than he will this
fall and next spring. Every outfeld
position is debatable ground. at least
two infield stations can be captured by
the properly qualified rookie. and there
are places calling for occupants in
both sections Of the battery depart
ment. Roger Peckinpaugh, Wally
Pipp. Al Walters. Lew Nunamaker and
a bare handful of the pitchers are the
only members of the present ensemble
who are at all certain to be with the
club another year.