The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-04-26
GAMES
TO DRAW MANY
FANS TO PARK
Conzeamza Has Squad Cut TO 20
Piayers-Pitchers Rounding
Into Form.
BIZ j. L. HUGHES.

idly shaping his Islander aggrega-
ton for the important preseason
conflict with the Moline Plow boys
Saturday and Sunday. 1t is Con-
zelman's aim and hope to have his
team put a surprise over On the
Three-Eye champions, and to this
end is working his athletes hard
each day.
Aside from the fact that the Is
lander boss will present several
new and untried players against a
club of veterans, further advan-
fage will necessarily rest with the
Plows by reason of their six weeks
of training in southern chimes
However. the Mackmen have been
demonstrating that they are not
unbeatable by teams of lower
classification and there is every
showing in the first and only really
important exhibition contests for
Rock Island.
Moline will reach home Friday
night after one of the most extern
sive spring training programs ever
undertaken by class b organiZa-
ton. Having ridden by night and
played by day since breaking
camp at Morganton. n c., chances
are the Plows will feel none too
frisky when they trot forth on the
field at Douglas park Saturday aft
ernoon, The Islanders on the 9TH
er hand will be primed to the min
ute, although most of them will
have had but a week of real train
ing.
Indications point toward large
crowds, both Saturday and Sunday
Moline fans have been anxiously
awaiting the return of their favor
ties in order to judge for them
selves just what chance Manager
Earle Mack has of repeating his
pennant pace of last season. 1t is
expected Moline will turn out in
droves TO Saturdays game in Rock
Island and in larger droves to
Sundays contest at Browning field,
Moline
Squad Trimmed Down.
With the release of Outfielders
Haase and Wire and Infielders
Babb and Washko yesterday Man
ager Councilman now has his Is
lander squad cut to about twenty
players. Nine of these are pitch
ers and two are catchers. The
only fight for a place existing
among the survivors of the first
week of drill is at second base.
Goodrich has shown considerable
promise as a hitter and is making
strong bid for the position
against the veteran Downey.
The return of wally Newell.
member of last years Islanders,
was expected to solve the outfield
problem. Councilman is using
Pitcher Preston Gray in left field.
Newell most likely will BE- in his
old berth in center field, and Lowe,
the hard-hittiIg youth from New
Boston, will hold down the right
garden. Gray has had much exper-
fence, not only in his chosen line of
pitching, but as an infieIder and
outfelder. loves terrific batting
is the greatest asset in his favor
at this time, although he shows
great promise of developing in
fielding performance. He is quick
u TO assimilate knowledge and fol-
low instructions to the letter. De-
spite his huge bulk, he covers ter
ritory in creditable fashion and
added to this Is blest with a power
full and accurate throwing arm.
AT first base, Clarence Hepnar of
kewanee has distanced the field so
FAR. However. Manager Councilman
has not given up hope of securing
an experienced player for this i'm
portant position. Hepner has
shown a lot of Improvement and
will continue to do so.
Jimmy Jelly" Jelinek. midget
shortstop. seems TO have settled
into his position. Backed by a
years league experience. natural
speed and an exceptional eye for
batting, he apparently had the edge
from the start. Swenson of Rock
ford was late in reporting for prac-
ice but on the first day out
anchored himself securely at third
base. This youngster has all the
earmarks of natural third base
man. He has a large and strong
pair OF hands, just the kind needed
TO stop the hot ones coming his
way, is accurate in fielding ground
ball and shows signs of excellent
batting ability. This can be said
of Swenson: He would have look
ed mighty sweet on third base for
last years Islanders.
Erickson of Milan and Ole Swan
son, Rock Island boy, are the sur
yivors among the catchers. not in
Guiding Manager Councilman Both
are showing an abundance of Dep-
per and keen eyes at bat but are
lacking in the essential of a throw
ing arm.
Pitching Looks o. K.
The pitching staff seems to be
taking care OF itself In this re-
sp2ct Councilman appears to be well
fortified. 1t will be more than in
teresting TO follow the scrap among
the nine remaining on the roster
for the four OF five jobs that will
remain after May 10.
Pitchers and catchers were
pressed into service for outfield
positions in yesterdays practice
tilt They filled in the holes on the
fannigan club left vacant by the /
enforced departure of candidates. /
Elkins. veteran pitcher. appeared |!
on the firing line for the Vans and .
succeeded in keeping the Regs I'M j
der control. Lefty" Hoeft worked
on the rubber for the Regs and ex-
hibited plenty of stuff.