The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-04-18
CHANCE
FOR new MARKS
IN The EASTERN
Short Season Will Prevent
Pitchers From Hanging
Up Long String of Wins.

All sorts of possibilities are offered
in the new Eastern League this COM
ing season but it isn't at all likely that
new record in the way of setting, of
banner bundle of pitching victories
will go to the circuit of any of the
merger circuit fingers. When Booth
Hopper of New Haven pitched 81 vic
tories back in 1913, he not only estab-
lished a modern record for the Con-
necticut League, Eastern Association,
, Colonial League and Eastern League,
but equaled the best mark made in
i the old New England League as well.
No finger has anywhere near ap-
: preached this figure Those were the
: days of 124 game schedules as against
: the sc of the merger men will en-
, gage in this season and this fact will
! operate against any such performance
in the forthcoming campaign.
Hopper was by all odds the best
pitcher in the league last year and
! when he went to Washington, Clark
f.; Griffith gave him quite an extended
; look-see. But Hopper didn't do for
! major league labors and he drifted
back into the minors, where he now
resides O'Toole, who equaled Hop
!; per's mark as a New England League
workman, was the sensation of that
circuit in 1908 and the following year
made it IS victories to tack on to the
81. He, like Hopper, got a major
league trial and like Hopper was sent
back. O'Toole is no other than the
famous $4,000 beauty who proved
such fizzle for Barney Dreyfuss of
the Pirates after he had proved a
sensation in the American Association.
1t is interesting to note the subse-
quent careers of the men who proved
the Alexanders of the New England
minor leagues in the last 10 wears,
Naylor of New Haven last year, would
now be with Connie Mack, were it not
for his enlistment in the army. Bunny
Hearne is being given a trial by the
Braves this spring and the man that
tied him in 1916, Oscar Tuero, is be-
ing accorded similar privilege with
the Cardinals. Johnny Tillman, who
Colonial Leagued his way into the
ajors in 1915, also went to St. Louis
and Jensen of New Haven was tried
out by Connie Mack. Elliot Dent
another New Haven finger, got {
chance with the Washington club fol
lowing his successful flight in 1913 bu
- Bugs Retsigel got no further thai
double A company.
When Waterbury and Bridgepor
put up their great finish in 1910
Sandy Bannister and Red Waller wer
rival hurlers and each finished tn
season with 81 victories. Both hat
chances higher up. With Bannister
it was a case of a comeback blu
Waller was good enough to receiv
consideration in the old Easter
League only to prove temperament
ally unfit for the job. Ray Fisher
who ran up a string of "a wins i
1909 is another who was called an
just now is a baseball noncombatan
because of the war. Miller Huggin
could probably use him to good pu1
pose with the Yankees this season,
he were at liberty to call on the VeI
mont schoolmaster.
Besides O'Toole Of BrocktOn, II
Sew England gunners to receive a
tention in major circles Ray Kea
ing and Mel Wolfgang are perhal
the more prominent. Heating W;
given an extended trial by the Yal
KEGS and has now gone back to Il
minors. Wolfgang drew dow