The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-20
What's COOk-in
90 ~ q
~ n In THE SPORTS PAN ~
stSN W. X w.
~ BY Roy Cook
BY Roy Cook

! ~ BY Roy Cook :
***x**x# **xxx *xxxxxxx
With Manager Nate Andrews barking orders from the
luoout at Legion Stadium the remnants of the Wilmington
pirate team of 1916, strengthened by a host of newcomers
.;nlad no by Skipper Nathan on his iyorv iaunts +bronob
!re "Sunny Southlands' during the past months. will fEno
snen the curtain on the 1947 Buccaneer baseball season
anril $40 with eight exhibition engagements with neioh.
boring Coast Plain league teams and possibly a club from
albany, New York.
President L. M. Pollock has announced that two ~
counters will be played with Kinston April 1920, five with
New Bern April 6-10, and probably one with Albany April
Asked about the Albany contest, Pollock said yesterday
that he had received a letter from Thomas McCafferv
president of the New York outfit, asking for an exhibition
game in Wilmington, April Is. The Albany squad, training
In the South, will be moving past Eastern North Carolina
ut that time, and is anxious to make their trip north q
playing Journey.
Meanwhile, local interest centered on who was mixing
1e47 contracts. President Pollock informed us that Man
,Qer Andrews has been looking over a pitcher at Atlanta
Bill Morgan, who stands six #. tall and weighs 165 pounds
Moran is a righthander, and won ~ games and lost six in
1912 when he hurled in the North Carolina State and
florida East Coast circuits. Another prosnect Rax1av ;s
also being scanned by Andrews, and may be in the fold if
reports of his home run powers satisfy Wilminpton's nilot
Bailey, a catcher, would undoubtedly help the weak receiv-
ing department of Wilmington, which now is guarded only
BY veteran Jim Station, 1916 regular backstop.
The Pirates chief headache is finding a sh~ortstop to
replace A[-Star shortfielder Andy Cullen, base stealing
champion of the 46 campaign, and home run smuggling Paul
Smith, who has graduated to a higher Boston Red Sox
farm club. The return of johnny Edens to third will solve
that problem and Hargrove Davis big bat will take care
Of It least one outfield spot. Little Jim Gregory at second
and big Roy Lamb at first relieves some of the strain on
the infield, but the need Of two swift and hard-hitting out
feders ana a sure-fleldlng %shortstOp may make the BUGS
either a flag winner or just another club that also ran in
l97. Manager Andrews player roundup holds the key
to the Tobacco State League first division. Wilmington
wonders if that key is the right one to pennant paradise.
0C1~+5 Ier,,o oJ r VIZ ~1..-
an agreement whereby "Skeet" will again pilot a Pepsi-Cola
ball club in the Cape Fear loop.
The last time "Skeet' managed a Pepsi team he had a
championship club, in the C. F. emi-Pr loop. and a team
that many agreed to be the best semi-pro outfit produced
In this section. "Skeet" has devoted his entire life to
sports, but mainly baseball, he played on many of the old
time amateur and semi-pro outfits, but for the last decade
has managed outstanding ball clubs.
He was the originator and first franchise holder in the
Cape Fear loop, and managed successful clubs in the circuit
never finishing lower than second position, winning three
pennants for his respective sponsors. His outstanding clubs
were the Al-Stars-The Royal Crowns and the best outfit
Of them all the Pepsi-Cola Club when he had with hin much
athletic stars as Jennings Edwards, now at State college
and much sought after by the big leagues; Johnny Edens,
local idol of all sports minded fans, who played such bril-
liant ball for the Pirates last season, and his team mate,
Oliver (Snag) Allen one of the best all around ball players
in the state. Linwood Rowan who played his first base
ball under "Skeet's' guidance, and has had plenty chances
Of gcing up.
Then there was little Norman Farmer, an outstanding
first baseman and long distance hitter, who incidentally,
will play for "Skeet" again this year,
Just a few | remember who have played on "Skeet'
James teams. Big Pat Patterson, Ed. Wilson, Hughey Crit
fifth. a fast little ~infelder, the Aud brothers, high school
stars; POPPY Sandlin, heavy hitting %outflelder; Sammy
Tyler, infielder who did not come back from the wars)
Bob Edwards, pitcher, now at State College; there are many
others whom I do not remember but scores of boys have
graduated firm teams managed by "Skeet". and he had a
close persone1 feeling for them all, ways referring to them
as My Boys.
"Skeet" told me he plans this year to build his new
team around a few veterans. his idea to build young pay
es into real contenders for any position they go for.
His interest has always been to give the young player
a chance to go up, and he has turned out many a polished
ball player. His motto has been that only one Skipper can
command a shin, and he always ran his clubs firmly but not
oonoxou0'v. as his "boys" were ever loyal to him and
resnected him notwithstanding his temper wes rather hot
at times, and he would always go to bat for a member
81 his team if he thought him RI hit.
remember "Skeet' taking over Robert Strange play
ground when it was grown over with weeds. and a diamond
was not there. He improved the lot until it was one OF the
most ponuler snats in the citv for both baseball and soft
oaI, he built stands. erected the present score board and
persona ly kept the field in shape as long as his league
operated.
He also put Hilton Park in shape and erected the pres
ent stands there. He has contributed much to baseball IN
wilmington and developed many outstanding ball payers
ana while no manager can promise a championship ba'
club, it is my guess that a team piloted by "Skeet" will DC
In the runninn and viii be the Team to Watch" :
Golden Gloue Bouts Sunday School Games
CHICAGO E.h 10 no .An.. Unnamed, PRESBYTERIAN takes