San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-05
CUBS IMPROVE
NIGHTLY IN
YEAR, 8. TIME
So Says Manager Killifer,
Who Is Satisfied With
Prospects.
YOUNG AND AMBITIOUS
Team Averages But q
Years in Age" Shorty"
Adams Starring.

The Chicago Cubs are a much i'm
proved baseball outfit over 1922, when
they finished fifth in the National
League. Take it from NJ. ~ager Bill
killefer, whose Windy City team is
in San Antonio Thursday TO play an
exhibition game with the local Texas
Leaguers.
Manager Killefer is not boastful but
he is immensely satisfied with his club.
He said so Thursday morning.
I'VE have pitchers this year, most
of them young fellows, it's true. but
with experienced men behind them.
Last year, pitching was our weakest
point. This year our pitching has i'm
proved and we haven't gone down in
any other department. 1t looks very
good to me, although predicting PEN
nants is a foolish practice few major
league managers pursue.
Our infield is young and / don't
know yet how it will stand up under
fire." the Cu5 boss added, but it
shows lots of speed
Averages % Years.
The opinion amo=. the Cub players
is that the Chicago National League
team is ''corking good ball club"
Perhaps there is some enthusiasm of
youth behind the confident expressions
of the men for the club is the youngest
in the majors, averaging % years, but
there is certainly something to back
the feeling of improvement and power.
Listen TO Wayne h. Otto, sports
writer in the Chicago party, who used
10 write on the old Kelly Field Eagle
when be was in the army here during
fhe war and who has also written for
newspapers in the Texas League cir
cult.
This club has the fastest infield l
ever saw" Otto volunteered Thurs
day. Even with Hollocher sick
and / consider Hollocher the best
shortstop in baseball-the infield looks
great. Sparkle Adams lit develops
Shorty" Adams OF Wichita Falls
fame has had his nickname changed
since We saw him last down here) is
playing the game of his life at Hollo-
cher's position. 1t seems TO be the
general opinion that Adams will start
at short for the Cubs this season. Hol-
lOcher is at his home sick.
Builds for Future.
: Bernie F:iberg at third, Adams at
short, George Grantham. the $4,000
iDfielder from the Omaha club. at sec
ond and hummer" Grimes, the slug
ger. at first, make up the present Cub
infield, young aggregation with speed
TO burn and developing all the time.
Killefer has built for the future. Then
there's Jack Kelleher for utility in
field duty.
The Wichita Falls club is due to
get couple of Cub castoffs in the deal
for Adams, Keene and Weiss.
Howard Fitzgerald, the Texas collie
gian who is playing good ball in the
outfield for Chicago, left the party for
his home in Eagle Lake Thursday.
His mother is reported very i'll. Fitz-
gerald is a southpaw, both in batting
and throwing, who has impressed
Manager Killifer favorably.
T, The Cubs report exceptionally hot
weather throughout their training sea-
son. The club had so much 90-de-
gree weather on the Catalina Island
and it went stale before the exhibition
schedule with Coast League clubs was
started and took number of beatings.
Its getting back the old pepper now,
from reports.
: The San Antonio Bears played
practice game Wednesday in prepara-
ton for the encounter with the Chica-
goans. The Regulars, alias the Free
launches, again took the measure Of the
Yannigans, dubbed the Nickel Beers.
The score was 6 to 1 in six innings.
The Vans. mostly pitchers, gathered
five hits off Timer in four inni-gs and
one off Gresset in two frames. Todt
got two singles and Whitney hit a
double as features.
The Regulars raped Mitchell for
mine blows in four frames and got a