, 1923-04-15
BIGGEST CROP
THAT EVER HAS
Been HARVESTED
ivory Hunters Turn In
Many Stars.
BY HUGH FULLERTON.

Twenty-one youngsters, newcomers
In fast company. seem to have made
good and won permanent positions in
the major leagues as q result OF the
spring training just closing.
A dozen other youngsters are cling
Ing on. with managers still undecided
a. To whether they viii be of use this
season and about twenty players, fun
Of promise. have been placed under
optional agreements.
The optional agreement boys are
certain that, although SEN back to the
minors for another season, they have
made good. and are placed where they
can play n gain experience, ind that
they will be back in fast company.
Fewer than a dozen players out of all
the army taken south by the major
league clubs, have been rejected out
right
The result of spring training this
season is that the major leagues will
have tho largest and probably the best
bunch OF young players they have had
in the last decade. The evidence is
that the famine IN good ball players,
which was OF the effects Of the
war. is over and the new Gro promises
TO be enc OF the best that ever has
been harvested by the ivory hunters.
Twen.y-one Youngsters Mako Good.
Tho remarkable thing Is that. OF the
twenty-ore youngsters who seem to
have Won their spurs. only four are
pitchers, whereas usually the major
ity o. the players retained after the
trials are pitchers. The hsrvesters ap.
pear TO have CLEANED mostly third
bascmea. especially those for the
American league. which found six third
bnsemen who will be retained
The leading clubs, naturally. make
the fswest changes, having the fewest
number OF r-eplacements made neces-
sary. Yet we find the Giants have be
yond doubt strengthened their two
vitality weak positions, center and pitch
ing. Bentley. the star pitcher. and
all round player secured from Balti-
more. strengthens tho champions
greatly. and o'Connell. while he has
shown himself a bad fielder. may i'm
prove and the Judgment is that he can
hit.
There Is more argument over O'Con-
nell than owe any of the other high
priced stars. Some declare he 10 n
failure. while others are Just as Ger
tain he will be as great a star with tho
Giants as he was on the coast
EIe Hcs Bed Shoulder.
Halls. another of the millionaire claSs
from the coast. has not looked so well
this spring with the Athletics being
troubled somewhat by a stif shoulder.
which has made his throwing awk-
-- D-& Dt~o- - -. -
without the blare OF trumpets that
ERECTED Rale. is as good Of better as a
player than the Coast Lacquer.
Chicago's White So= undoubtedly
have made two fine finds in Willie
Kamm, the sensational third baseman.
s7d Elch. the ~outfieider from Sioux
City. Kamm. I'm afraid. is being ovcr-
press agented- Beyond doubt he Is a
great ball player. or will be when he
settles into the major leagues. but
the Wild eyed press agenting has
caused the fans to expect too much
from him. and he probably will not
b good until he lives It down. Eish
Is = dne player. lacking. Of course.
exoerience- Detroit reapcd its harvest
last season. put has added two cork.
ing men In the battery line In Woodail
and Holloway.
Cleveland gained most. and tried out
most OF It last year. For a club TO
find a quartet like Summa, Lutzke.
Myatt. and Brewer in one bunch is re-
markable. There is much difference
Of opinion as TO Lutzke. Two clubs
that looked him over declare that he
ID not good when in tight places. while
eh~ r.rnaIarI FaIIAu-u tnafcf that ha IL
best under pressure. On performance
and handling himself he looks better
thsn Kamm-
Ezzell a Conner.
st. Louis appears to have a conner
In Ezzell. inhelder. Boston Red Sox
have found Fowlkes. who looks good.
while Washington thinks that Bluege
is one OF the great finds OF the decade.
Besides that Washington is sweet on
Wade. who. however. does not appear
worry formidable to me-
Chicago's Cubs have developed
Grantham and he appears to be a GER
tain fixture. OF great speed while
Adams Is rated as a find st. Louis
took an army south and Bottomley is
the big discovery. although Holm Is
rated high and seems certain to devel-
op. Pittsburgh went hunting for a
shortstop and some pitchers. and
Boehier. who is a pitcher. seems TO
have shown his worth
Giants Pick Two.
New York has Bentley and o'Con-
nell. purchased and really proved DO
fore they were tried Brooklyn found
Mullen. seemingly n good man. while
Vines Ia expected to add to the pitch
ing strength. Boston has nothing TO
offer and tho Pills have Sand. a great
neader who cannot hit and Mohan, who
u promising.
Litnrnther Il una a rnnd barrett