San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-17
That's How Sure Leesburg,
Fla, Folks Are Of
Their Climate.
FLETCHER MAKES GOOD
Proves Able Manager for
Club and Has Fairly
Good Material.
BY JOHN b. FOSTER.

Copyright, BY The San Antonio Light.
E6Sbrg, Fla, March 17.-lf you
approach Leesburg from the east, by
way of Orlando, it is necessary to 60
through acres of orange groves, and
leap from lake to lake, as the noun
tain goat leaps from crag to erag. The
last twenty miles are through q tnlck
Jungle behind which the Philadelphia
Phillies are carefully screened from
the rest Of the world. Bill Sheetaline,
who superyises the Phillies' travel and
other business in the summer, proudly
boosted today that it is now possible
Ito reach the clubs camp from Phila-
delphia by travelling an all-water
doute.
"Why water?" said a roistering
rookie, "why not Bahama"
This, and the way in which the rest
| of the rockies broke into unseemly
laughter, is evidence of the impu-
dence of these Phillie rockies this
year.
1t is written all over Leesburg that
the training there last spring brought
the Phillies out of last place. The
local slogan is 1--WE got the Philadel-
phia Nationals out of eighth place. +"
At the rate of price with which local
citizenry make this boast, there is no
Itelling what might happen il the club
SHOULD by some miracle win the title
this year. They firmly believe the
miracle will happen. Even the chill
dren are saving their pennies TO
travel north to see the world series
next fall. --- .-.-.
The Towns Solar Plexus.
The man upon whom they are count
ing to help this climax to be accom-
plished is Arthur Fletcher, who is
making his debut as a manager. He
has been to Leesburg before and is ac-
quainted with the town. Right now
|he is indeed the towns solar plexus.
Fletcher is one of the finest ball
players of the decade. Clean, force
full, high-minded and not without
knowledge of how the game should be
lplayed, professionally, which means
that every play should be made to the
last shylock ounce, he doesn't main
tain he can do the impossible, but he
is. showing the grandest little per-
I.cssMance of doing his best, which is q
FOOD sign. If he had anything like
the staff of pitchers some of the other
Ills ldSh MOuiu NC dl-
eviated many, many per cent.
The regulars and the yannigans
were put on for the afternoon enter
tainment Friday and just as the
game got under way the rain sudden
Y began to fall with a noise like the
rattle of machine guns against the
hard baked, sun-dried earth that has
needed rain for quite some time. How
ever, before the deluge stopped the
show, it could be seen that Fletcher
Today has a much better inficld than
bis predecessor.
Holke is an improvement over Les
lie. Rapp made some stops at third
hat looked like July. Sand, the new
Fh0rtstop, according to Fletcher, is
good, and as Fletcher is a shortstop,
re ought to know a good one from a
pad one. His batting isn't much but
pis fielding ought TO hold him up.
Hard Hitters in Outfield.
In the outfield there are three earn
st workers. Walker plays left, Will
Jams center and Lee right field. None
sensational, but all are hard, con-
istent workers. They should make a
steady outfield. Fletcher expects
much from them.
Henline is a catcher of class. Will
ION is another from whom Fletcher
Expects good results. Little Mickey
p'Brien. from the Texas League, is a
bird who knows what goes on in n
pail game and If he doesn't break
bis way through the crust simply on
is assurance and his ability to in
reduce himself to his surroundings,
whether on the field or in the diplo-
mats chair, it would be because he
too shy. He addresses the old birds
Tith the familiarity Of a man who
Ias gone the route and the first time
hat he gets into contact with an UNI
ire he is not going to say, "Mr. I'm
ire. perhaps you are mistaken"
e~ne will say probably will send
i'm straight to the clubhouse.
1t is thoroughly domestic camp
ere. simple in its fine routine and
astes, and Fletcher is going to take
orth with him a team that will be
IL