The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-19
SPOR T DOPE
The war will inject new psychological
BY JACK KEENE.

The war will inject a new psychological
aspect into sports of the future.
Thousands of athletes great and small,
who laid aside their athletic equipment to
enter the war, probably VIII return to
their given sport after the kaiser gets his
They probably will find themselves some
what rusty at their game
But when they stack up against an OPP
ponent who hasn't been thru the hell of
battle they will have one big advantage
The civilian will Know that he Is facing
a man who knows no fear-a man who
has looked Hun shells, poison gas. liquid
fire. air bombs and other bits of German
finery in the eye, has laughed at it all
and has won out.
The civilian opponent will not have had
that fiery test And 1t will take pretty
courageous player to forget this when he
starts any kind of game with an ex-
soldier or sailor lad.
This is bound to have psychological
effect on his opponent. And what Is more
1t is a ten to one shot that the warrior
will play a much more dashing, intrepid,
game than he did in peace times This will
help further to take his rival off his feet.
mentally and physically
1t will be an interesting thing to watch
when the big game Is over
Chattanooga player, Flagstead, had
the honor of leading the Southern League
when it closed its gate because of war con-
ditions. He was batting .319.
Whenever a ball team slips below its
expected pace the fan begins to dig be-
meath the surface for the reason. Mere
pitching, batting and fielding records
| prove little to his satisfaction.
All of which is written to bring us to
this point:
White sox fans are doping 1t out that
the absence of jackson, Williams and
| Lynn, is responsible for the poor showing
| of the crew from Comiskey's yard.
1t is said that the Kid bade the team
| n sad farewell when he failed to get in on
! a slice of the world series money last year.
When the team made its first trip east
| the Kid was in Philadelphia, but didn't
come near the team.
Fans are remarking that, had Gleason
| been with the club no one could have in
| duced the three members of the club to
| jump to the shipbuilding game.
| Take 1t for what it's worth. 1t sounds
probable, at least.
Nelson s. Talbot formerly captain of
Yale's football team. is one of the latest
| collegians of athletic fame to win promo
| ton in the war game. Talbot has been
promoted to ensign in the U. S. naval re-
| serves
Red Cross Day at Aqueduct race track
| recently netted $5,0To for the good cause.
President James Shevlins of the club an
nounced that everyone, including jockeys
and trainers, we're forced to pay admission
| that day. This shows clearly what can
| be done by athletic committees and pro-
moters to helr war funds. The more Red
| Cross Days and special days for other
accredited war organizations, these men
can stage the more they viii help to win
| the war.
The way Swede Risberg played first
base for the White Sox when Chick Gandil
was called to Cleveland by the illness of
his wife put little cheer IN Owner Com
| iskey's heart. The Swede Scared at short
last season, but none of the fans knew he
had a lot of good first basing lying DOR
mant in his system.
California Is boosting Eddie Simmons
as the latset boy wonder of the tennis
world. Johnston and Mclaughlin, world
| famous stars, were brought into the lime
light in the sunny state. Now critics claim
that Simmons, at seventeen, is as classy
| player as were those two stars at his
age. Eddie is to be brought east to show
his wares.