The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-30

OF Cyrus Barger, Tom
%GS%N Watkins & Co.
The Volunteers got away to a flying
start over the other clubs, and for
the first few DAYS of the league race
II looked as il Roy ELAN was going
TO keep up the pace all the season, his
4 pitchers looking good. his fe~nce-wreck- |
ers hitting the ball and his teams de-
fenSve work being par excellent. But 1t
took the Birmingham Barons to remove
the Vols from the top rung of the Dixie
percentage ladder. and the Nashvillians
arc now just like the rest of the clubs,
and with being forced to keep winning
or slide to the bottom of the standing,
which is but a little separated from
the top. so close is the race at present,
ELAN has a good, fast ball club
this season. Back of the plate he has
the ever-dependable Gabby Street, a
hero Of the world war, and who comes
back to the Southern with scars of
honor received in combat with the Hun
pver there. Gabby is the same old Cab
by, playing a wonderful game, still
throwing runners out by feet. He is
minus the bay window he used to
carry, and is a neat, trim athlete, due
to the strict training he went through
while in the service. The Gabby One
is being assisted back of the plate by
Kohlbecker, a ~youngster, who will sit
in for Street any time the chatterboX
is obliged to be out or When double
neaueFS are JAe attraction.
1nfield Fifty Fifty.
The Volunteer infield is a $3.50 az
fair, with two veterans and a pair Of
youngsters rounding out this very i'm
portant cog in Roy Ellam's machine.
On the first sack is Dick Kaufman,
who Is the king of all first basemen
IN Dixie, both from a defensive point
OF view as well as an offensive. Dick
can hit the ball with any first sackers
in the Southern, and he is also able
to take care of all bad throws that
come his way. Kaufman is one Of
Roy Ellam's leading ladies and is al
:. ready proving worth his weight in gold
TO the yellow-haired leader of the Cap
ital City crowd.
On the middle bag is Lee Meyer, a
newcomer, who is looking like an
other Johnny Evers IN the first week
Of the Dixie race. Meyer is a former
chance at a professional berth, but the
way he digs ground balls out Of the
dirt and heaves runners out at first
shows that he has the goods to stick
in the Southern this year. ELAN is
well pleased with his work, and with
a little more steam behind his stick
work he should have a fine season
with the Vols.
Roy Is on Short.
Roy ELAN, Vol manager, is playing
the shortfield, which means that the
best shorstop that the Southern league
has ever had in its history Is in
charge of this important sector of the
Volunteers first line of defense. Roy
was with the Pittsburgh Pirates last
year after he left the Southern, and
he played good ball, and this season
he is starting off to again gather in
the laurels as the leading shortsmith
Of the Sunland major.
On the hot corner is Bill Moran, a
semipro from Brooklyn, and Billyum is
developing into a steady workman, de.
very poor hitting at the start.
In the outer gardens may be found
a trio of good men. Mike Burke, for.
mer Memphis outfielder. later with thy
Mobile Bears, is taking care of center
field, and Mike is making good for the
simple reason that he has always beer
one Of the best outfielders In the
league. Mike is a l~ong-range hitter
and a dependable fielder, In addition
third baseman of the Atlanta Crack,
ers, who is taking care of left field
Tex is showing plenty of stuff as al
outfielder, is getting all drives within
his reach and is hitting the ball hard
Kitty Wickham is in right field ant
is giving a good account Of himself.
The Vols have a formidable pitchin;
Y staff. Decatur, Jonnard, Bennett, Helf
rich and Nets are doing the noun
chafes for ELAN,
The Vols say they are going to vii
this years rag. They are going out t
repeat the 1916 performance, and Man
ager ELAN believes Mat the time |
ripe for the Vols to again come througI
\ with another ribbon for Sulphur Del