, 1923-04-22
BASEBALL RACE STARTS
WITH 3 VETS ABSENT

Three magnificent veterans were
missing when the gong rams to start
the 1923 baseball race in the major
leagues, and three teams hobbled AWAY
from tho wire, badly crippled
Tho three whose absence vitality af-
fected the strength of their teams were
George sisler. perhaps the greatest
player OF them all in point OF the i'm
portance of his position; Jake Daubert.
the persistent old timer, who seems I'M
affected by moth or rust or 6 and
Charlie Hollocher. shortstop OF the
Cubs.
Sisters case even yet Is a matter OF
some mystery. He damaged his arm
badly in the closing weeks OF last sea-
son and then persisted in trying to
play in spite Of his crippled condition.
hurting the injured shoulder severely.
Club Worried Over Sisler.
The club officials were worried dur-
ing the winter over the condition Of
the arm. Sisler CAV It complete rest
and intended to try It out during the
training season. Then a case OF flu
landed on him. and according to re-
ports affected his nose n eyes in n
malignant form OF sinus trouble.
Years ago Slsler suffered a broken nose
and the old injury probably was ag-
gravated.
Every one in baseball. even his op-
ponents, whose chance are improved
by his absence from the playing field,
is pulling for Sisler to recover entirely
and get back into the game.
n,pknrf ~. - fhn favT ra1tra ~ thR
paleozoic age of baseball. who has been
declared done" half n dozen times,
who was canned out OF Cleveland three
times and out OF Brooklyn once. and
then lived to show up those teams, was
girding himself for his seventeenth sea-
son in the majors when he was stricken
with pneumonia. For a time his life
was despaircd OF and his illness kept
hin from training, so that he ranks
among the missing at the start
Hollocher Starts Well.
HoIlocher, after a magnificent start
at training on Catalina island. sudden
ly went wrong. The published reports
were that he had the flu. although 1t
was discovered later that his illness
was due to an infection of the gall
bladder, which poisoned his system. He
was sent to his home In st. Louis from
the training camp In order that he
might have complete rest.
The St. Louis physicians declare the
trouble not serious n probably an
after effect OF the flu, and that Holly
probably win be able to play within n
shor time.
Other Absentees.
There are other absentees, for vari-
GUS reasons. Bert Griffith. the sterling
athlete OF the Dodgers. tore a ligament
in his heel while playing in japan. and
the injury required at the training
camp in Florida, so that he has been
crippled.
Sammy Hale. the million dollar Coast
Lacquer OF the Athletics, damaged him
self late in the training season. Ray
Schalk sprained an ankle. Everett
Scott hurt himself as Ia his leg, Vcach
OF the Tigers was declared by Cobb to
have caught something resembling
hookworm in the south and he was
laid on in favor of Manush.
Jack Fournier held himself out Of
baseball entirely because OF salary dis
agreements. George Cutshaw Just
wore himself plumb out starting double
plays.
Altogether the training season pro-
duced many casualties, although most
of them have recovered or are recov.
ering. save the three big guns-Dau-
bert, Sislcr, and H%ollocher.