The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-02-14
Minneapolis Fans Will View
Several Youngsters This
Spring - Beginning Fifth
Year, Flour City Club Has
Yet 10 Finish in First Divi.
SiOn-Vets Form Nucleus
(This is the fourth Of a series
of reviews on the American as.
ISOLATION baseball clubs.)


Minneapolis. Mimi, Feb. 14.-[P,
Still searching for semblancc of
the championship baseball teams he
used to turn out at st. Paul. Mike
Kelley, Minneapolis manager, will
spring several young players on the
Minneapolis fans this spring.
Beginning his fifth year as Mil
Ter pilot. Kelley has yet to finish
in the first division, whereas dur
ing his long career across the river.
he seldom had a club that did not
battle right up to the last game,
and he landed more than his share
Of pennants.
The Minneapolis chieftain has de-
pended mainly on veterans for the
nucleus Of his ball clubs since COM
ing here. and he has always had a
club that cracked after brilliant
showings early in the season.
Every Minneapolis outfit he has
directed has sprinted ahead of the
field during the first month of the
season, and winning streaks as
high as twelve straight have been
characteristic Of the Millcrs.
But July has always found the
locals back in their accustomed
position in the second division, there
to stay until the season wore on to
"A finish.
Thinking that youthful energy
might enable the Millers to hold
their early speed longer, Kelley
started disposing Of his aged timber
even before the 1927 season closed,
and to date he has dropped no less
than six of the old-timers. Three
Of them became managers Of clubs
in the lower class leagues. A
fourth, Jimmy Middleton, former
major league pitcher, and probably
the best of the four as a prospec-
tive ball club pilot, signed to man.
age the Seattle club of the Pacific
Coast League.
The Miller manager is drawing on
both the bushes and the majors to
strengthen his pennant entry this
year. He obtained Lefty Brillheart,
Il pitcher. from the Chicago Cubs,
and de Viveiros, a shortstop, from
the Detroit Tigers.
Orsatti, an outfieldcr, came from
the Cardinals. Mike Brady, a Sec
ond baseman. halls from the Seat
tie club. Gus Mancuso, catcher,
wore Syracuse uniform in the In
ternational League last year.
Some of the prospective Miller
timber picked up in the bush leagues
includes: Oglesby. an infielder, and
Trotter and Stemig, pitchers, from
the Mississippi Valley league;
Swanson. outfieldcr, and Liska, 4
pitcher. from the Three-Eye league;
and Harris, an outfielder, Texas
league.
Youth will predominant in the
receiving department., which, up un-
til last year. had been handled by
,ld-timers. Eddie kenna. the regu- !
lar receiver of the 1927 Millers, will |
share the first-string grabbing job
with Mancuso, who comes highly:
Hank Gowdy, the |
dean Of the major league
still is on the Miller club |
roster, but probably will be shifted
o a managerial job somewhere be.
ore the opening date rolls around.
Kelley's outfield is already conf
,leted, although Ollie "Tarzan"
Fucker, whom Washington loaned 7
o the Millers for the greater part
# last season. will be missing. He
vas sold to New Orleans. Pat Dun
an, Earl Smith, the home run king,
md Dick Lotus are the veteran
followers from last year. Compel
ne for their places are Orsatti,
swanson and Harris, newcomers.
Sammy Bohne at third base, de
livciros at short, and Brady at Sec
nd, is the probable infield lineup.
Kelley has his lines out for q first
,aseman and hopes to land one
ither from the Tigers or the Cubs.
10th owe him players in return for
he sale Of Frank Emmer, last
ears hard hitting shortstop, and
at Malone, the strikeout king Of
he circuit in 1927. Il
The roster Of Fingers TO Be taken
n the spring training trip to San
Antonio includes Benton, Moon.
7ilson, and Hubbell. 1927 hold ]
vers ard Bril'heart. G-r-ne Ste.
liz, Irotter, liska ard Olson. II
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