The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-02
NO GAME TODAY
Rain Spoiled Baseball Festivi-
ties This Afternoon.
SOIOns and Nets VIII Play
Opener Tomorrow.

j. Pluv1uS Is winning most or the
battles in the Southwestern league
just at present. He has had the final
say in a lot of contests lately and to-
day he fattened his batting average
by forcing a postponement of the
opening game between the Topeka
Solons and Muskogee until tomorrow.
1t was a sad turn Of affairs for the
hundred of fans who were counting
on looking 'em over this afternoon but
baseball differs slightly from a boat
race and there wasn't anything else
to do.
Hopeful during the early morning
hours that a break would occur in the
clouds and that the game could be
played with the aid of few barrels of
petroleum and a match beforehand,
Manager Dick Cooley ventured out to
the ball farm about II o'clock to see
what was going on. When he got
there he was sorry he didn't bring his
rubber boots with him and possibly a
hook and line. 1t is possible that the
players may go fishing this afternoon
but any ceremonies connected with
chasing a horse hided pellet around
will have to wait. And 1t didn't take
the Topeka pilot very long TO reach
that decision. One look was enough
Field Was Too Wet.
ut might have been possible for us
to get out there but il wouldn't have
been a bail game and rather thar
mess up the opening L thought II pest
TO call everything off until tomorrow"
said Cooley afterwards. IAN hour of
sunshine would have made a lot of
difference but as il was the field was
too sloppy. 1t would have been all
right if my players had web feet but
they are not making ball players that
way yet
The Topeka club. which closed a
stand of twelve games in the south
at Sapulpa. Monday afternoon, arrived
home this morning at $3.50 o'clock and
is anxious to get whack at the club
which trimmed it three straight games
ago. An hour and a half later came
the members of the NIuskogee team
just as ca ger to battle in an effort to |
keep themselves at the top of the per- |
eentage column. The Nets haven't |
lost a game this season and the show |
ing the team makes on its first north |
ern trip will have an important bear |
ing on the standing at the close of the /
first half of the season Coffeyville.
which appears at Salina today, is an
other team which has COPIED every
game played SO far.
Southern Clubs Have Edge.
While the Solons are returning home |
with only one win to their credit out |
of a total of eight games played, the /
team has done IS well as Indepen- |
dence, which won the pennant last /
season, and better than Salina and
Hutchinson which so far have failed /
all. This showing of the northern /
clubs, however, is due to the fact that /
they were late getting into the league, |
had little or no chance to train before 1
the season started. and because they /
have suffered seriously from bad /
weather since. On the other hand all /
of the southern clubs were members
of the league last year, and were
playing exhibition games this spring
before Topeka, Salina and Hutchinson /
had decided to join the league. At
the time the league placed franchise
in Topeka Jack Hardin, president of
the Muskogee club, stated that the
Nets had been practicing for three
weeks and that he had fifty men from /
which to choose a team.
But once the northern teams have
q chance TO go thru a series or two
on their home lots this aibi will be
as old and obsolete as the League of
Nations. If they don't go to winning !
a few games then a lot of players will
be calling for their mail at another
address. Cooley believes he has the |
makings of one of the best clubs in /
the league and has the backing of the
sport writer's 1t Muskogee, Bartles-
Vile and Sapulpa who say that all the
Solons need to make them a danger
Gus aggregation is plenty of work
daily to put them into shape The
fact that the team lost four games by
q margin of one run, and two more
simply because the pitchers were wild.
would show that the Oklahoma dope
sters know what they are talking
about.
Strohm VIII Be Back.
For the going here the SOlons will
be able TO present a stronger front as
Strohm. the classy little infielder is
ready to get into the game again.
Clevenger should be able to plug the
hole at third base, and in Earl Smith,
Cooley has another left handler to add
TO his collection of hurlers. Dunn
should also make a valuable addition
to the catching staff. Besides being
a nifty second baseman, Strohm is
also a hard hitter, and Clevenger
should slap the pill for 800 or better.
ready to perform in either field as
needed. The club may not be able to
turn the trick with Muskogee. but
ought to win a ma jority of the fifteen
games to be played during the long
stay at home
So with weather permitting, II
isn't safe to put ii any other way, the
Solons and the Nets will open the
home season at League park tomor-
row afternoon at $3.50 o'clock. The
parade. too. will be carried out by
forming at the National hotel at 1880
O'Clock and winding up at Tenth
avenue at $3.50 o'clock after making
a double march to North Topeka
Marshall's band will play. and motor
cars carrying the members of both
teams. and city and state officials will
lead the long procession. The game
ball to Topeka after a lapse of four
years.
Independence Men All EmpIoyed.