Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-04-09
Billy
FNAASl
,OAtf
schaIk Misses Mostil

ScndIk MISSES NOStn
If you we're 4 major league man
ager, starting your first year, and
was suddenly deprived OF your star.
a player rated as the best outfieldeT
in the American league, you would
feel mighty touch about it,
That's the way Fay Schalk new
pilot of the Chicago White sox.
feel mighty touohy about it.
1t is doubtful il any team starting
it's spring training ever received a
worse shoe.z than the attempt on
the part Of Johnny Mostil, Schall's
premier outfieider, toVtalre his life.
j / can recall only one similar nap-
pening. About 20 years ago. Chicl.
Stahl Of the. Eoston Red sox, ca;l-
mitted suicide because of iii health,
Just a few days prior to the open
ing of the season. 1t so upset the
club that the team finished, il my
memory serves me correctly.
Like Mestil, Stahl was q prime
favorite with the players and it Is
a strange coincidence that he was
the star center fielder OF the club.
Mostils position with Chicago.
entire Team Serious
1t is vesy apparent that the Mostil
tragedy has upset the Chicago club
to marked degree. Usually a
carefree aggregation. the Sox seem
very serious minded and / have no
doubt but that the Mostil affair has
created such q condition.
No one on the ball club has been
more affected by the tragedy than
Manager Ray Schalk. great ad-
mirer and close friend Of Johnny,
he has suffered a severe shock be-
cause of personal reasons. TO this,
enc must add the worry that nat
urally results because of Mostil's
absence from the lineup.
When Ray schall1 consented to
take over the Chicago club as sue
cessor to. Eddie Collins, the out
field was one part Of the club thati
gave him no great concern. He
felt in Bib FallS, Johnny Mostil and
Bill Barrett, he had one of the |
strongest outflelds in the American
league, and rightly so, However,
the passing of Mostil has completely !;
upset his ontfield plan.
Ike Boone GETS Chance
In all probability, it means that !
Bill Barrett must shift from right )
to center. Bill had just about learn
ed the intricacies of right field ana
mastered the sun field handicap that
faces the right fielder at Chicago
as we'll as several other American
league parks.
Barrett isn't so keen for playing
Ia,
That means that Ike Boone will
hit but he is no iris Speaker aa a
fielder
So instead of having his outfield
definitely settled he has two doubt
full spots. Randolph Moore, a
youngster who starred at Longview, ,
Texas, last year. is a fine there is
hardly a chance that he can step in
spd hit major league pitching with
only one years experience.
GoeI Pitching Expected
1t is just possible that Bill Hume
field may solve part of Schals's
worry. Las season he did. yeoman
service at short, second and third
and hit mighty we'll. Maybe no
Will rrove the key to the outfield
problem by being shifted to right or
center.
Manager schalk admits that such
a thing is 4 possibility, but that is
as far as he would go on tnat. score.
The White SoX should get the
lest of pitching. The infield should
lrove a strong combination if the
veterans hold up. The outfield is
Schalk's chief worry
If Johnny Mostil was ir the lineup.
] am sure the White Sox. would be
most optimistic as to their chances,
because it is mighty good bail
club The loss of Mostll, however,
has made most of the athletes rather
pessimistic, which is an added hanct-
cap.