Evening star., 1928-02-07

base ball men fovcgather tn;
" leading topic of discussion a
A the moment rcvosveS a"ount
this question: What does Ty
Cchh think about Connie slaCk'S ac-
tom in choosing Iris Speaker tn play
With the Athletics in 1923 and permit
ting Cobb 10 pass along with an un-
conditional release?
TIE answer is tha, Connie Mac; n>s
an underlying conviction that Spencer
can co mere foc the Ath!etics II lS2e
than Cobb did IN 1927.
This IS a very abrupt shift from the
situation. previous 10 the opening OF tne
1927 season. when the Athletics nesrly
burst With elation a. getting GOOD sno
TIE Washington Senators we're the Irst
and last on the ground to sign Speaker
Too Hish for Washington.
Sneaker was released by Washington
because he wanted too much salary
Cnhh was released bS Mack because the
k.l>,ft'rs could NOT afford to pay him
v.,,s; he wanted And now Speaker Is
engaged bv iha Athletics. who think
tlyet Win aim trcv will have better
o,,.feld than III 1927. They Will ma
lot Of base ball opinion 10 BACK tneih
UT in that contention.
Soes scr is to play center held Tor
the Athletics Cobb was not chosen
for that position in 1922 and could not
have plaved il up 70 the needS OF tile
Athletics if he had been selected. Cooo
never was as expert in the outne!o as
Sneaker. Iris rates with the greatest
ee,ter fel6ers because Of his ability to
ro hack after fly hits and TO field ground
balls accurately back OF second base
Some Judges of base ball will consider
NcAleer. We!ch and Speaker TO be the
three creates. center flelders in base
bah McAleer could cover more ground
than either Of the others, but he could
n. RAJ rs we'll as Speaker. nor could
Welch
Speaker cid not have as high a bat
tina average as Cobb in 1927. yet Con-
Ms Mack thinks that Speaker can MI
his center field better than Cobb nileo
right field In Philadelphia. among
the experts. there is an opinion that
some e. %its got away from Cobb IN
ia2. that lost games for the Athletics.
ard there are some players on the team
who think the same thing.
Legs viii Determine.
Speakers legs and knees will deter
nine whether his 1928 season Will be
successful. He began playing for Wash
trstor last year In fairly good trim. but
like ether members OF the Senator's he
succuroed 10 injuries before the sea
son was far along.
IF the combination proposed by Mack
that Of Speaker in center. Simmons
tr left and Miller In right field-sllould
work oat with success. the Athletics
vii! put I'D stronger front In 1928 than
they did last year in the outfield II
Speaker Is unable 10 keep the pace this
year, his base ball playing career will
hear taps in all probability. unless he
wishes N amuse himself by playing in
one Of the big minor leagues. There are
clubs that would take him for manager
IN the higher minors. He did expect
once TO be taken back as manager at
Cleveland. but Roger Peckinpaugh. a
native son, got the Job against Speaker.
o so7 by adoption.
When the Detroit Tigers traded Rip
Collins pitcher 70 the Toronto club OF
The International League for Victor Sor-
tel pitcher. siey got ball player con-
cerning whom there has been as much
fuss.ng around as any H!1o pitched in
the minors IN 1927
Every n1ajcr league club had man
watching Sorreil somewhere. Some ma
tor clubs sent their scouts TO Toronto.
The scouts who went over to Canada
dc not get much encouragement. They
reported back that the pitcher was all
-isht b.. that the owner OF the Toronto
ciub vas quite Indifferent "a their bland
1Ehmer,s.
The impression then was that De-
tyolt had sexed Sorrel up 1t seems
70 nave been true. Toronto and Detroit
slra%s haze been friendly. dating back
70 ire ccynpanionship Of Ty Cobb and
Dan Hc&ley. When HoTley vent from
10 81 ta
Browns last year and George Moriarty
E4cceeced Cobb as leader Of the Tigers.
Bill OEara of Toronto continued to
cultivate the Detroit Club by cumming
Up aitn Mcriariy.
Gorreli won $50 PER cent Of his games