Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-18

AT FIRST BASE
ON COAST TEAM
Former Rock Island Athlete Per-
forms Brilliantly for Seattle
BAH Club.
RECENTLY SOLD By PORTLAND
Is Fielding and Batting Par Excel
ience-Was One of High
Schools Best.

Drink a toast with me. gentle
men. Here's 10 the continued sue
cess Of Lee Dempsey, present star
first saCkeT for the Seattle club Of
the Pacific Coast international
league and the idol Of the fans Of
that city.
Yes. IL is our Lee. whom most Of
US remember as l0ng-legged,
eawky youngster Of back-lot and
high school days. but who now tow
ers nearly six feet above terra
firma. and is as fine a specimen Of
physical manhood as one could
wish TO see. i lot of the wise ones
viii say. ! told YOU So hut who
OF us way down at the bottom re-
ally expected Demps TO make good
right off the bat? Not that we are
not tickIed over his doing tive
are tiCkled to death. But let Us
get on with an account OF our hero s
deeds. He's hitting like a fool and
is fielding 1-UGO-is there need to
say more2 Listen to what the larg-
est home daily says Of him follow
ing his first appearance in Seattle
uniform:
Winning the game was only one
OF the pleasant features OF the aft
ern0on. the debut of Seattle's new
first hasemau, Lee Dempsey, send
ing the fans home singing the
praises Of the Portland boy. The
Giants have sadly needed a first
sacker for la these many days.
and this Dempsey person seems to
fiji the bill The southerner raced
over to the grandstand and pulled
down a high foul for a pretty play
in his first fielding attempt, and
then to make it good he slapped out
q clean two-bagger in his first trip
10 the plate He got another hit
later, and accepted Il chances at
the initial sack without a Slip
Goes to Seattle.
Just a word OF explanation Lee
signed a Portland contract last fall
. and reported TO that club following
IN his departure from Rock Island.
III After performing for several weeks
with Portland, Demps was traded
or sold to the Seattle organization
in the same league The above is
on extract from an account of his
first game with that club. About a
week later the Seattle Sunday
Times came out with a full-sized
cut of Lee and the following.
Last week another young play
er Joined the club in Lee Dempsey
of Portland. a Ieft-handed first
baseman He helped in adding to
the defensive and offensive power
that the club has needed
Dempsey is a boy from Rock
Island, Ill He has had no league
experience before, but has natural
ability galore. And he is right
next to the highest in his swat av-
erage His work around the initial
sack has also been all that could be
asked for And don't forget that
he VIII be getting better every day"
There are other clippings a-plenty,
full of glowing narration OF Demp-
sey's deeds on the diamond. He is
attracting notice from the big
league scouts, and has had several
excellent offers from teams in the
strong shipyards league Of those
parts Lee writes that, in his opin-
ion. the Pacific Coast International
will survive the season, despite
predictions and rumors to the con-
trary.
Was High School Star.
1t will be remembered that Demp-
sey was one Of the most brilliant
athletes that the local high school
ever produced. He exceIled in foot
ball and basketball, while his work
on semi-pro baseball teams of this
vicinity brought him TO the atten-
ton of minor league scouts. His
real football worth was not fully
discovered, however. until after he
enrolled at the Bradley POlytech-
meal school at Peoria, where, on
poor team, he became a star in the
Little Nineteen minor Illinois con-
ference. AS a member Of the Rock
Island Independents Lee won ad-
mirers throughout the tTi-cities by
his prowess on the gridirOn. At
Bradley he performed al quarter
and half. while he ably held down
one of the TANKS on the Independ-
ent eleven during the latter part Of
last season
Berger Tries for Lee.
When Joe Berger, former Rock
Island shortstop, was given the
management Of the Wichita ball
club of the Western league circuit,
the genial Dutchman made repeated
and strenuous efforts TO obtain the
services of the local boy His en-
Ieavors were in vain, however, for
Lee had already affixed his sigma
ture TO q Portland contract.
BUY Thrift stamps
/ NINETEENTH HOLE 4 MEMORY.
Detroit. Mich, May is. -- The
statewide prohibition amendment
landed d paralyzing blow on scores
Of Michigan golf courses by rob