New-York tribune., 1919-03-04
ucCraw Lands Burns and
Thorpe; Higgins Signs
Fewster and O'Connor
By W. I. Macbeth

,.1lish market marked yesterdays
..~;.;ss in the local baseball trade
~ less than three Giants. upon whom
y.craw is depending moro or less for
.n.,essful assault upon the champion
~. through the 1919 drive, forwarded
s~,r signed contracts to Secretary
,.hO 3. Foster. Two mon who will
lar the livery Of Huggins also became
-s.,sls for the approaching American
s.s-ns race during the day.
rsa additions to the Giants roster
- Outfielders George Burns and
w.. Thorpe and Southpaw Bob Steele
.sa.s.Idsr Wilson Fewstcr and Coach
~. 0iConnor are the Yankees VINO
.ss',red into line.
NJ the reavy grist that came TO the
III of the local promoters, by far the
.,o.. important package was the billet
.s,t conveyed the articles binding little
csorg;s Burns to service. Here IS one
y the sweetest gardeners Of the Ma
..,nal League and q veteran OF a team
hat is particularly strong in pickets
n approved worth
A Smooth Article"
nsfensively, George Burns is one
:. the smoothest articles that ever
~r.esd tne picturesque Polo Grounds.
'asnsively he is q bear, or even a
r1riy wolf BE is one of the hardest
s..tsrs OF the Giants, daring and
,hlful base-runner and possessed Of
temperament calculated to promote
cub harmony.
Had he the color of a Cobb or a
Kauff. George Burns could not have
failed to rank already to popu-
Isrity with such sluggers as Speaker,
Jackson and Felsch. But he is of the
shrinking violet temperament, never
given to self-emulation and display.
He goes about mis- work quietly and in
a matter-of-fa fact manner. He is never
hoisterous; never plays to the grand
stand, and so has not impressed foreign
cities as he has the home populace.
New York fandom, which sees Burns
half Of the games be plays, has learned
10 appreciate little Georgie's worth.
Burns. who for many years has fur
nshed one Of the heaviest punches of
John J. McGraw's many wonderful
teams, is most remarkably efficient
player Throughout his career he has
been planted in left field under Coo
ran's Bluff This happens to be one
Of the most hercely ferocious "sun"
fields Of The big circuit and has ruined
before his time many an able athlete
The difficult assignment appears to in
10 wise have impaired Burns's use
fitness, however. He can go in and
get EN-, 60 ont after EN- or hit the old
apple with the best Of them.
o. course, there is no telling but
4r,%
greater ball player than he is had he
been fortunate enough to draw an cas-
ifr assign nent in the picket lines
be appreciated. Burns is in the bes;
Of physical condition. having laborec
all winter in the hearny. n j., ship
building yards. Ills loyalty assure.
feG'aw the strongest outfeld OF the
National League. Benny KauF is a.
ready under contract. while Ross
Young has accepted terms
Wilson Fewster came over from his
home in Baltimore. Md, Yesterday to
talS shop with Miller Higgins and it
d'd not take the midget manager long
e corral his budding infeld star.
There IS every Likelihood of Fewster
earning regular beat with the 1919
Yankees a. second base. And this goes
whether or not Del Pratt recants on
his announced annual retirement.
Rates Fewster Highly
Huggins thinks vary much Of Fewster.
who IN MS first season outclassed the
Fs'ertn Pratt IN every department of
me game save hitting. Fewster Is e.
fast ard wonderful defensive player
ard would fit n we'll with team whose
erying rsed IS speed.
HuEglns e Of the opinion that Few
ser VIII hit better than ever before
NE coming season. He hit well
enough n the International League
and has already rad enough ex-
psnence IN fast company to give him
me necessary confidence at bat.
jim Thorpe, the celebrated Sac and
Io1 indian, whose greatest claim to
lame Les u has athletic accom- plish-
neats as student OF Carlisle and
ss representative of the American 4
ean N the Olympic games though
70 vas sfteiward disqualified for pro-
issslonallsra has been too often in the
u.aa' se1s 10 prompt rhapsody Of
pssise- jim "a great minor league
player, who falls short IF major e-reat- s, -
usss because Of inability TO hit a
80 PAL; Already he has been car
re .erheT Than MoGraw usually
s 70 60 on such a prospect The
ts & nat ne took 70 baseball late in
e's athletic career. however. nav have
n.11eea the Little Napoleon to give
lae redskin one more trial. r NcC,raw
= ao' Hgursng on utilizing the famous
'Ia "a some sort of trade.
ooo Steele. the southoaw pitcher.
i.s 70 me Giants from PITTSBURGH
49, season He has been knocking
s.o-nd the National League for soue
ss, nzy.nC served quite some tirna
-. .a .ne Cardinals before he went to
,.s 80 rates. It cannot be said of him
- ee IS any allGring prospect. But
.- Sallee retired and Schupp an un-
...an quantity the Giants are none
ven OF for southpaw pitching.
- ete VII De given every opportunity
pg.'Te 4 he IS still there.
.. 0Connor, The venerable catcher.
a .s.' ss Hu2glns's handy man last
u. 80 WI b his task 70 keep
sn en- she array q Yankee battery talent
leather edge.
,..''.gs ss'.rgs Hal4s, former Illinois Uni
SOY star football and baseball
go, go, ~no viii Try for an outfeld
..''sa ~ with the Yankees this ysar.
A's frst v'si. % his new bosses
7s i1e@i of.ces yesterday. Halas
2An'ea ~ his ''huddy.v
- ~ seo.l. "ho as a member of
~, ere ~a. scyeral fsrncs uarrcd
II "'"eiica 1arterback. These
.eAos1 led athletes are members
~ Urea. Lakes basketball tss ~.
~ psaysd IN Brooklyn lsss night.
So expects - be our Of un;forrn
Ae - 10 South with the frst
" Of Yankees. -