The Washington herald., 1921-03-30
KID GLEASON PINS
FAITH IN MINOR
LEAGUE PLAYERS
Few Veterans Remaining
Will Have Steadying
Influence.

(This is the fourth Of Q series
Of sixteen stories dealing inaivid-
ualiy with major league teams.
Other stories viii fsIIsw, aaily.)
wAxAHACHIE. Tex. March as.-
Cocky kid" Gleason. manager Of
the Chicago white sox-or rather
the shell of that once great team
can not but shake his head In sad
"reminiscences and over what appears
a futile undertaking-to build In
six weeks q team worthy of rep
.resenting Chicago In the American
League.
Yet the only KID" whose cocki-
ness and lighting spirit earned him
the sobriquet. is working along up
building lines, aided by Eddie Col
lins, greatest second baseman in
the business. and they are hoping
for the best. The team has gone
into the spirit of the thing with
keenness and Is doing rather well.
1t would be folly to predict q
good showing. however, for an out
Mt literally torn to pieces by the
loss of seven stars-Cicotte, Will
Jams, Felsch. Risberg, Weaver and
McMulien-faflen stars, charged
with throwing games in the 1918
world series to the Reds, who are
sorely missed from the playing
point OF view-but not otherwise.
Some Real Stars Left.
1t is some consolation, though.
that Ray Schalk, accepted as the
best catcher in the majors; Eddie
Collins. best of all keystone base
men; Kerr and Urban ("Red-) Fa-
Der, two first-class pitchers, remain
as a nucleus for a new team. Then
there Is Harry Hooper, obtained
from the Red Sox. still a good hit
ter, but bothered by his legs, vet
player who may have a good year
and do much for the team; and VIII
kinson. a relief pitcher with the
club last season, but who probably
will be used regularly the coming
campaign.
But outide of this small band.
and to which might possibly be
added Amos Strunk, the veteran
outhelder of the famous old Ath-
ietics. and Eddie Murphy, the clubs,
pinch hitter for many years, every
thing must be built new. When II
Is considered that only in the run
or many years do stars come up from
the minors. it is no wonder that
Gleason shakes his head. game
though he Is and ever ready to cope
with whatever may turn up.
He has surrounded himself with
rookie pitchers culled from near
and far by scouts hurriedIy dis
patched, but IL borders on the ash
nine to say big league pitchers
don't blossom on every husband
so far nothing extra has been
found among the big bunch of hope
fuls. Gleason is. looking over the
Following in hopes Of developing
pitchers to help little Dick Kerr
and Faber:
]. l. Davenport, Mcwhorter,
Spence, Heney. King. Fenner, Steen
Greaf. Tesar, Hodge, Kiefer and
some others. Know any of them,
Nelther do we. All minor Lacquer,
and semi-pros vet to show some
thing to set the scribes writing
home
Banking on Sheely.
remarked an onlooker
KID Gleason Is up against one
tough proposition. It must trv his
game old heart to the snifrlin.
One player on whom Gleason q.
banking" is Earl Sheely. a slug.
ger In the Pacific Coast Leapne
last season. This fellow is being
nodded for first base. as "Shano
John" Collins went with Memo"
Leibold in exchange for Homer
and 1t Is said Sheely may deye,on
into a playen of good caIiber He
is getting all the chance in the
world.
Eddie Collins. of course. is at
second base. At shortfieId-BuckI
Weaver's and Risberg's old place
Erne johnson, once discarded by
the st. Louis Browns but now up
after a seasoning with Salt Lake.
is working with might and main
and getting all the tips the wise
Collins can hand out.
Ed Mulligan or Harvey McClen-
nan will be at third base. Get II:
Three untried players In four vital
and with Eddie Collins. |
quick thinking. fast fielding, likely |
to languish and go sick when the |
rest of the infield doesn't wise up
to plays. "Oi. OIL" the White Sox
fans must be saying. But, IL the
infield should come through, what |
a happy dayi
In the outfield Hooper, with his |
old batting eye undimmed, will |
furnish with Collins the only real
hitting punch. Schalk and Faber |
can hit, at times, but Hooper and !
Collins are much better. II
continues the slugging Of |
the Coast League, 1t will fit |
in nicely, to say the least: while |
Strunk and Murphy, and possibly |