The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-03-16
y SPORTS e
ATHLETICS
HAVE TRI00F
WAREHOUSES;
Cobb, Collins and Wheat Hard
Hitters, But Age May BE
Telling Factor

Fort Myers, Fla, March lG.--(P)--
Legs are the rub in the camp of the
Philadelphia Athletics. If a baseball
team plays on its legs as an army
travels on its stomach, Connie Mack
may be able to read his baseball for
tune in the pins Of some of his far
famed Athletes.
Six ancient legs supporting three
Philadelphia recruits are likely to
tell the tale. Ty Cobb is 40 years
of age and has been an American
League star % years. Eddie Collins
is 80 and has spent 8 years in the
same league. Zach Wheat, 3s, has
played is years in the National
League. II seems certain the great
trio will start the season in the
Athletic lineup, Collins at second,
Cobb in right and Wheat in left. No
question has been raised as to the
ability of all three to hit hard and
often but only time will tell if they
can field as they must to make the
Athletics pennant contenders.
Another new player on whom
Mack pins confident hope Is Boley,
49, Boley, who is called "Joe' al
though his name is Jack. viii play
shortstop with Chick Galloway, the
clubs regular short fielder for sew
en- years, subject TO cali
Collins Less Spry
Eddie Collins, who will captain the
team, has not seemed so spry In the
spring as his fellow veterans, Cobb
and Wheat, and Max Bishop may get
more opportunity than the subs for
the outfielders.
Cobb will not be content to be an
''insp ration" although Manager Mack
has declared that as such he will be
worth all he costs. the club. IF he
doesn't play 10 games The former
Detroit manager expects TO play the
string out, something he has not
done since 1924. Last year he play
ed only 70 games. He has some
trouble this spring with an old IN
jury TO his back. but he has insisted
on taking his place in the lineup in
exhibition games in spite of it.
No club in either league Will be
so well fortified in reserve material
as the Athletics. Eight infielders
will be carried throughout. with
decision pending as to whether five
or six outfieldcrs will be retained.
III two sets of outfelders are kept,
the pitching staff will include eight
instead of nine members, all vcter-
ans.
Hale at Third Base
Sammy Hale will play third base
with Jimmy Dykes as his substitute.
There is still question rs to wheth-
err Jim Poole or Dudley Branom, pur-
chased from Kansas City, will take
care Of first, but both will get in
often at the position.
Wheat, Simmons and Cobb Will be
the outficld trio with French and
Lamar in reserve if the supply is
limited to five. Should sixth crash
the gate, Metzlcr, late Of Wichita
Falls, Texas, seems to have an ad-
vantage in the bidding.
Eight pitchers. four right handlers
and as many left handlers, have been
retained from last season. Right
handlers include Howard Ehmke
Sam Gray, Jack Quinn, and Eddie
Rommel. Southpaws are Bob Grove
Joe Pate, George Walberg and
Charles Willis. Ii ninth pitcher
is added, Spike" Hunter, from Dial.
las, Of the Texas League, is likely
to be named.
Catching will be taken care Of by
the fleet Gordon Cochrane and Ralph
Perkins with James FoXX also avail
able.
About the training camp there has
been an impression Eddie Collins
will devote as much of his time tc
assisting Mack as to actual playing
Zach Wheat seems to have taken 3
new lease on life and it seems Ger.
tain he will be regular left fielder
and powerful factor in the Of
Tense of the club.
Two big reasons for confidence II
camp are Ty Cobb's bat and Jacl
Boley's hands. The man who holds
more records than any other base
ball player is expected to add sew
eral and Boley has come from Balti.
more with reputation as a worlt
beating shortstop, which he is ex
pected to maintain. Mack turns
from talk of actual playing to say:
Unop't foruet thu inspiratiOn of w.