The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-25
BY -. a. BRIDGEwATER

Failure OF pitchers 10 como
through has put the oilers off TO
slow sturt in the first two weeks
of tho Western league season. when
with fair box wora, they should be
sailing along on even terms with St
Joe, Wichita and oklahoma C,ty
the early' 'pacomnkcrs. AS It IL, with
twelve home games disposed Of we
frd the Tulsa entry struggling along
In the ruck with IA percentage no
better than that OF ~ couple OF
northern clubs that have been on
the road all thu while.
There's only one reason for this
poor showing--and that's poor
pitching. Last year the Oilers lacked
punch, without which ball club
In positively helpless. This spring
we have plenty of punch. IA the
team batting average OF .307 for the
first ~ games, plus the fact that the
oilers have scored Is runs for an
average OF IA a game, conclu-
sively proves. But even great
punch won't suffice unless there IL
at least fairly good pitching also.
BochIcr Alone IN Form.
SO far George Boehler In the only
hurler who has displayed anything
resembling consistency when on the
firing line. George lost his first
start through tough break Ia tho
eighth inning after accommodating n
lead OF go over Sioux City. but he
came right back and won his last
two engagements and had all his
well-known stuff. Tom Lukanovic
hurled a remarkable game his first
out. beating Roettger In n great
pitching duel. al. but has been lam
basted since then. Richmond has
failed to last I'm two or three at
tempts, but looked pretty good sun
day when he finished game
already lost. Oscar Haugland has
pitched couple OF pretty good
sames. but was hammered out of
the box sunday and can't be de-
pended upon to take a regular turn
In the box aud go nine Innings. Bob
Trentman has pitched just fair ball
Hooks" Albanese. the lone south
paw remaining In camp. has shown
none OF his effectiveness OF last fall
and has been gobbled up as n tender
and juicy morsel by the opposing
tatsmen every time he went to the
hilltop, Not one Of tho youngsters
had enough to warrant Keeping and
all have been cut adrift.
A New Man Hunt On.
So Manager Jack Lelvcit and
Business Manager Friel have started
new man hunt. A pitcher, prefer
ably lcfthander. is the object OF
their search. II they can find two
no much the better. They feel that
they must acquire at least one more
capable hurler before they start cf
the first road trip Thursday---a Ions
hike, by tho way, which win tax,
them 10 every town In the league hut
81. Joseph.
outside OF pitching it's might,
hard to find anything wrong witt
the team, despite the fact that II hai
won hut five games and lost sever
out OF twelve contests on the hom,
lot A week before the season
opened tho pitching staff looked
good and frantic search for n,
nutfielder was in progress. But nov
the outfield Is as good as any in tn,
league, absolutely The addition o
Lyman Lamb makes II so. Wht
could ask n better trio than Lamb
Bennett md the stRTdy veteran
Yank Davis? Lamb and Bennett
are splendid gardeners. fast and
sood hitters. Davis is slower but
tremendous slugger. as capable
run producer as any man in tn
league. The infield with LellveIt
Bauman, stuart. McGinnis ant
Thompson to choose from. is amnl,
able to take care OF itself. Te!
Crosby has given the team superl
catching, and Eddie Spellman ant
Harold Witte are there also. No
where a weak spot save I'm tho box
Then for the Road.
At that the team looked prctt,
well fixed for pitchers for the Den
Yer series, as LuSanovic, Boehle
and Richmond were primed. Nov
II probably will he Lukanovic Tues
day and Boehler Wednesday, will
Richmond in reserve TO open II
Sioux City Friday.
Give the Oilers one more goo,
pitcher, preferably n lefthander, an,
watch 'em win more games thar
they lose on the road trip openin,
Friday. II they are able TO turI
such trick as that they will be en-
aeared to the hearts OF Tulsa fan
dom who recall vividly the terrlbl
road team we had last year whicl
only won a game now and then q
home and none at all elsewhere.