San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-12
Detroit Leader Has De-
cided Veteran Will Be
Given Important Task;
Young Burke Is Second
Choice.
BY JOHN Il, FOSTER.

Copyright. by the San Antonio Light.
| Augusta, Ga, March 12.-Dcrrill B.
Pratt of Walhalla, s. c.. also of the
! University of Alabama, the st. Louis
| Americans, the New York Yankees
and the Boston Red Sox will play
second base for the Detroit Tigers with
the start of the 1924 season.
With the rain pelting on the roof
| and the wind singing a dolorOus chan
tey, Manager Ty Cobb made this an
nouncement, settling the problem
which has been agitating Detroit all
winter and which has probably been
agitating most of the remainder of the
baseball world. too.
mo one realizes more than I Do,
Cobb told the writer, "the Importance
of second base to championship
team. Please say for me that Pratt is
going to have all the chance that
man can have in the baseball world to
play second for Detroit in 1924"
In Fine Fettle He Is.
This explains why Pratt was sent
to Hot Springs to get into condition
at the expense of the Detroit club. He
arrived with the fat all picked off and
he, like Heilmann, is as clean and
stripped of winter baggage as a pointer
that has been running in the fields.
The Tigers, not having been able to ac-
quire that second-baseman who might
make the team, have decided to take
that second baseman who is on the
team, who has had experience. who
knows what to do without being
coached, and who may have a year in
1924 that will bring Detroit up to the
standard.
but 20 Dro3t nL<.,11
Pratt says he won't. Apparently he
knows why he has been picked. But if
he should fail. if that arm that has
thrown balls since he. left the Univer-
sity of Alabama and the band that
has picked them up with the definite
purpose since he began to travel the
major league path should lag now, why
then it may be that little chap named
Burke, formerly of Boston, will be the |
next selection.
Got Him Used to Travel.
Burke was with Detroit in 1923. |
He was sent out to the minors for cul- |
tivation in the art of living here and
there as the day found him. He went
to Richmond, where he played lot of |
ball, but did not begin to chew it up |
until late in the season, and when he
did begin to show it, he had a sample |
case that would have made a Lynn |
shoe drummer dizzy.
Burke is with Detroit this year.
Whenever stranger enters the hotel !
where the Detroit players are stop
ping, he turns and looks at him re-
proachfully. He thinks another scout
is after him, and he is bush shy. But
he will stay this year-at least until
Pratt shows what he has got.
Pratt can bat. That point is not to
be overlooked in the selection of the
second baseman. The Detroit team is
pursuing the policy of getting players
who can get on base. Cobb has thought
this matter over and has given it so
much thought that he has Travelled the
East trying TO make other provisions
for his team. But he has come to the
last stop, and has chosen the road
straight ahead with Pratt at the Sec
ond station.
Hitters i'm All Position.
The Detroit infield will begin this
year with Blue at first: Pratt. second
Rigney. short. and Jones, third. Some
hitters if not all sprinters. And in the
outfield there are some hitters, too, as
there are also behind the bat. Il
Pratt says he was never quite his
best in 1923. He had an accident and
was out of sorts and maybe he never
was quite sure that he was expected
to step out and play second from the
of the season. No such pro-
gram this year. He has been tagged
and the tag was made with knowledge
and afOrethought.
II his defensive strength is equal
10 what it was in his last year with
the Yankees, Detroit will hold in check
any team that is now super-excellent.
If he gets into one of his better-than-
300 years as a batsman.. Detroit will
play iigs for the other fellows to dance.