Omaha daily bee., 1918-03-11
Lost to Military Service. 4.
Liable to CONSUMPTION, 2.

Liable to Conscription, 2.
Last year the American league
feared New York more even than il
did Chicago or Boston. The team
was strong. The dopestcrs had to
deduct from its strength because OF
the management. Donovan had not
proved success and there were those
on the team who took advantage of
his easy nature. Some OF his friends"
imposed on his good nature until they
lost him the management.
The owners set about getting new
manager and got Miller Huggins. I
have known and been personally in
terested in Higgins ever since he was
a kid; long before he ever aspircd to
play major lague ball, and | wish
him we'll. but the fact remains that
the only basis of hiring him to
manage the Yanks Is that he did well
with the Cards last season.
There are some on the Yank team
who are hard men to manage; not
bad men, but players who have had
their own way so long they want to
keep on running things to suit them
selves. There is not doubt but that
Huggins is capable field leader, a
well liked man, and that he has
learned to manage men. The ques-
ton is whether he can get good work
out of players spoiled by flattery and
by being pampered in the face Of the
insidious knocking and undermining
that goes on in the New York club
most of the time; can resist the
power of outside interference and
handle the club to suit himself.
Sneers at Higgins.
1t is a tough proposition. Already
there have been voiced some neat
knocks and sneers at Higgins, He
has a fight on his hands. but il he
can get the best out OF the bali club
he has big fighting chance to bat
tie the Giants for the championship of
the world next fall and make the
series New York monopoly.
The team was hit fairly hard by the
war. Fisher, Smallwood, Kane, and
then Pipp-but the loss is not vital.
The team is strong and well con-
structed one. If you remember its
fatal weakness Con the field) has been
around second base, and securing
Pratt ought to correst that. Pratt is
a corking ball player and one who
ought to be better this season than he
ever was. He has chance to vindi-
cate himself and to avenge himself
on the St. Louis club.
When we come down to real dope;
the study of figures, ,<man for man. we
will see how we'll constructed this
team is and what lot of strength
there is concealed about it. Higgins
already has done well.
Gets Derrill Pratt.
The team has had the strength for
two. years, but it never was able to
utilize its full strength because too
much of it was on the bench and
could be used only one man at
time. Huggins made the big deal
with the ST. Louis Browns--a deal
which gave ST. Louis men who chiefly
ornamented the New York bench,
and for this excess and unused
strength he got Derrill Pratt.
He also got Eddie Plank, but the
chances are that this grand veteran
is at the end of his wonderful career.
Last summer late Plank pitched a
wonderful l4-inning game against
Washington. At the finish he came
to the bench. "I'm DONE" he said
clasping his body. Il don't think l
ever can pitch again. Every ball !
have pitched for two innings was like
tearing my abdomen apart"
His tremendous effort raked his
body, never strong, and he suffered
intensely for days. He may try, but
If be does he probably will pitch
only few ball games.
The loss of Pipp will hurt some.
but the team is well balanced and