Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-21
FIVE NEW MANAGERS
IN WESTERN LEAGUE
Many Changes Will BE Seen in Teams
When Season Opens on
May I,
spITBALL Has BEEN BANNED
President Dickcrson Now Has Cam
paign on for Abolishing of Steel
Spikes on Shoes, Holding Them
Responsible for Much Damage.


KANSAS CITY. MO. April 2o.-sev-
oraI nc WAGES Will appear when the
Western League opens its 1915 season
May l. Among them will be the new
era! new faces viii appear when the
president OF the Topeka club. There
Will be five new managers. Rudy Huls-
witt will pilot Joplin Johnny Nee will
boss the Topeka team. Eli Jackson has
been signed 10 manage the Omaha club,
aud Bert Williams will head St. Joseph.
Otto Jacobs may be field manager for
Hutchinson and Elmer Benson may be
made captain. which post he held las.
season.
The three veteran managers OF the
league Will he Ducky Holmes. of Sioux
City: Jack Coffcy. OF Des Moincs, and
Joe Berger, Of Wichita.
The new club president At Topeka
is a veteran player and manager. Alb
bott has managed several teams in
Topeka, but this is his first venture
as an owner. The only owner-man-
ager OF the league Will be Holmes,
the original Ducky OF major league
fam", VINO has transferred his fran
chisc hack 10 Sioux City from Lincoln
Besides his new manager, Owner
John Savage Of Joplin, will have
new secretary this year, Harry Spratt.
who WAS secretary for James Holland
during Hollands last few weeks In ST.
Joseph and during the last hair OF the
season at Hutchinson last year. Man
agcr Hulswitt is 4 Western League
player who has worked in the majors
and in class IA leagues for years. TIe
managed the Columbus club OF the
American Association several years
ago.
Manager Johnny Nee. OF Topeka. Is
a former Central League manager and
IS L Missourian, coming from SPRING
field. In his three years as manager
OF the Dayton club OF the Central
League Nee won TWO pcnnants. fIe
VIII bring TO the Topeka club several
former Central League stars. among
them Pitchers Haiaes and Clark OF
Springfield; Turner, OF Evansvilie: and
Ainsworth. OF Rchmond Catcher
Hanger. OF Richmond. and Kelly, OF
Evansville: Jniclder Cleveland OF
Springfield, and Outheldcr Hanger. OF
Evansville. In addition he has several
former Denver players 10 pick from
among them Third Bascman Nee Will
play second base.
In BIN Jackson. Pa Rourkc. OF
Omaha has signed the man who sue
cccdcd Clarence Rowland as manager
at Peoria IN tho Three-I leag
Jackson plays first base. He Is :,
fighter, and in Peoria he was the idol
OF the fans. He expects to land several
Central League players from Omaha.
Elmer Benson, captain OF tho Hutch
inson team. is = tavor!tc OF that town,
and his play At second base was n
strong factor in winning the pcnnant
for his team last year. Otto Jacobs,
who may be made field manager. is
former Central Lacquer
Joe Berger. of Wichita. and Jacob
Coffcy OF Dcs Moincs, are both we'll
known 10 Western League fans. Bcr-
ger went TO Wichita In the middle OF
the 1917 season when the Thrce-I
closed Concy led Dcs Moines to the
1917 champion ship in a post season
series with Hutchinson. He is popular
with the fans and has proved himself
as manager both in Des Moincs and
in Denver.
The umpircs appointed by President
pICkcrson are Spike Shannon, of ST
'aul, Johnny Mullen, Of Pittsburgh,
and Con raly and Matty Fitzpatrick,
Of Chicago. The circuit viii open May
!, and close September 10. playing a
schedule OF 40 games. The player
limit Will be fourteen
With the spitball and other freak
deliveries banned by the league Presi-
dent Dickerson now has started an
agitation TO prohibit the use OF steel
spikes on players shoes He asserts
that heavy losses are sustained each
year through players being crippled by
spikes. He contends that other means
of securing solid footing can be de-
vised and the spikng OF players stop
ped