The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-07
.PELS READY FOR
 SEASON ID OPEN
New Orleans Hopeful Clash With Speakers Indians
 TOday-Probabilities

New Orleans, La, Warren os--' 'SPcS
 iaD.-Just who will face the CIeve-
 land Indians in the first game Of
 the 1920 season, sunday on Heine-
 mann field is a conjecture. Cotton
 Knaupp, the sandy haired San An-
 tonic, Tex, lad has been in charge
 Of the New Orleans ball players
 who have reported. and knaupp's
 says that his pick will probabiy DC
 an eleventh hour one, for he is not
 sure whom he will and may
 send all of the New Orleans recruits
 in for try out against the men
 whom Iris speaker has arranged
 here for their tryouts for the Amer
 ican League race.
 Johnny Dobbs, manager of the New Orleans team is still among the miss ing, and may be for several days. He IS off on mysterious mission under sealed orders from A. Julius Heine- mann, holder of the money bag for the local team, and may not put in an ap pearance before the middle of the week. Because Knaupp is so well liked ana because lie knows q great deal more about ba sebalI players than many or them here. he has been acting as man ager of the Birds and will continue TO do so until Johnny puts in an appear ance.
 But Cotton has big job before him of selecting a team to go against TITS Speakers Braves for the American League leader says that lie intends to take every game from the Pels and in- tends to allow his infielders, outfielders and pitchers to get little batting prac- tice at the expense of the team that Dobbs and his henchmen may trot out on the field.
 Many of the Pelicans have been slow in reporting, and Knaupp will probably have to play second base in the first game, Marty Fielder, former Cleve- lander, but a Pelican last season IS scheduled to hold down first sack in the first tilt, while Buddy Rezza will he at either short or third. Leonard Dobard who was with Memphis Will play the position that Rezza is not se- lected for, but there is a probability that Jake Daubert may be here and will also be in the line nearest the home station.
 Ripperton and Stevens. two former sailors of the Algiers Naval Station, win be given tryouts in the outfield with Carl Brown, with Mobile last year and Bill Daniels to take one of the positions in the outer garden.
 DEBERRY TO CATCH Of course Hank Deberry is to do the most of the catching, but Middlebrook, who halls from Florida will probably go behind the bat Troy Agnew is all so expected to be in uniform and may be called upon to help out.
 With the sale of Weaver to Calves ton and the failure of Hub Perdue to arrive as yet, Knaupp may be forced to use his recruit pitchers. Chet Torkel- son is here as is Dixie Walker, the lat ter being a resident of this city, but it is not believed that pixie is right yet. so that Cavettc a former Louisi- ana State University star; Pitts. q Brooklyn National castoff and !. Mack Jones, touted as a find." may get a chance to Top them over for the Indians to bat around.
 Heinomann says that the team that he puts on the field Sunday may or may not represent the team that will go to the post when the season opens, as he intends to give everyone of the re- cruits chance to show what is in them and let the older players take a rest, and only rush them into the breach. in case of the youngsters blow or be- come overloaded.
 He and Dobbs have signed big team for this year A glimpse at this line will show how many will try out for Pei jobs
 Pitchers Hub Perdue, Dixie Walker, Chet Torkelson, Cavette. Pitts and J. Mack Jones.
 Catchers-Hank Deberry, Troy Ag- new. and Middiebrook
 Infielders-Cotton Knaupp. Jake Dau- bert. Buddy Rezza, Leonard Dobard, Knight Hamilton of Louisiana State University and one man whom Dobbs is supnosed to be after, possibly Red Bluhm
 Outfielders-Bill Daniels c. Allen. fornnerlv of Brooklyn Carl Brown. with Mobile last year: J. Ripperton and Stew ems. both sailors from the Algiers Ma val station.
 It is little too early in the season to predict just what will be done by the Pelicans this year IF is a cinch that Heinemann has made up his mind to get q. winning team.
 AFTER RED BLUHM
 Fans believe that he delegated Dobbs to go after Red Bluhm, and ask Redto come- back and protect first gard = This has been 2 weak spot on the PeIs defense since Red left. and it seem as if Dobbs cannot get man to fiji the sorrel topped mans shoes.
 Then 1t is known that Heinemann is m the market for more pitchers Just whom he has his eve on no one knows He gives that winning wink when asked about the new additions to the team. and that always wait and sec way. that perpleyes. but never satisfies
 The few Pelicans that are here h-ve been having lot of practice, since the, have been working out with the Indians Trainer Smallwood of the Cleveland bunch has rigid set of training r.i,e, which gets the players out to the park early, and they run around the enSre grounds couple of times, then they bat a little, fungo hit little and end up f< playing catch and the like The medicine ball is also used freely, as well as speed on the bases.
 Some of the Pel recruits have been talk ing big part in these pastimes and may be ready to give Speaker and his gang surprise on Sunday. Nothing Is known of the hitting ability of a number of the new birds; in fact. several of them never played in regular league before being sand lot phenoms