Evening Star Newspaper, December 27, 1923, Page 24

FAIL TO HEED TY’S BIDS TO BUY A SECONDSACKER Georgia Peach Anxious to Win Pennant Before Quit- ting Game and Believes Only Lack of Key- stone Guardian Prevents It. BY JOHN B. FOSTER. EW YORK, December 27.—Ha mond Cobb, base ball player N rk to the sad plaint of Tyrus Ray- extraordinary and player-manager of the Detroit Tygers, who went to the big base ball meeting in Chicago all laden down with crisp currency with which to buy a second baseman. “I can lead the American League in batting. At least I have. I can lead the league in base running—or. fast as any man who ever played ball. batted my share of home runs, even shoot a bird as well as the next man. 1 can walk along the streets of Augusta and find friénds to whom to! I have. 1 can get to first quite as Fof that 1 have also done. ‘I have if Ruth does hold the record. I can 1 can raise fine dogs for hunters. talk—but I'll be everlasting doggoned, pewterized and nickel-plated if I can get a darned man in base ball to man for the Detroit club. “While I was in Chicago I rode up and down seven miles of elevator, climbed fifty-two flights of stairs, battonholed ten dozen pairs of ears, Ld ninety-seven and one-half pri- vate conversations, heard 2,916 ex- cuses and never got anything better than the satisfaction of talking three straight hours to Connie Mack, which 1 hope will last him for the remainder of his life No man ever poured broadcast upon the community such a line of arguments as 1 poured forth to ob- tain a good second baseman, without | which the Detroit base ball elub will et forth upon the sea of champlon- ship in 1924 with no better equip-| ment than a sailboat going to Ber- muda with a shaky mast and six splits in the canvas. Not a man would give | the Detroit club the chance to buy a second baseman. Money Is No Object. “Hear me right. Not give me a second baseman, but the right to buy a second baseman. Money is no ob- Sect. Time is no consideration. Just & second baseman. Just an earful of | second baseman. A teaspoonful of | second baseman. Anything of second baseman so that we may set forth| right in_this championship fight to The trouble is that if we get second haseman there are too many Who think that we may win a pen- nant, and * ‘thout a second baseman | they think we can't. May be they | are right,” said Ty. “Probably that's it” Then he relapsed into gloom | again i Of all the major league clubs there ars to be none which may prop- be classified as lacking in one Player so conspicuously as Detroit is jacking in a second baseman. Per- hap: there is no club in either league that would refuse assistance, but cre is a team of which everybody s it would u powerful factor in | race to come. if it were better pped at second base, and there is e who will hear its plaiu That, at least, is a tribute to i strength of Detroit as it exists with- | out a second baseman. but it IS the bitterness of desperation to Cobb. ince he has been manager of De- troit he I kept his team up in the e and has threatened to win. His ambi s to win a _championship. | of which the book shall say: “In the year <o and so the Detroit team, manaced by Tyrue Raymond Cobb, won the championship of the Ames- fean League”; and in earlier chap- ters the book will say what it al-| ready sdys—that in the years 1907, 1908 and 1903 the Detroit club won ! the championship, with Cobb playing the outfield Ambitious to Win Flag. “I was quoted somewhere as say- ng that T would retire at the end of & year,” sald Ty. "I don't know that T will. I am anxious to win a cham- pionship as manager of a major league club. Perhaps It is not the most wonderful feat in the world, but it seems to me that it will sort of finish everything up nicely for me. I've played the game a long time, but I can play it longer. I'm not so fast as I was, maybe, but I am not a0 slow that I can’t keep up with two-thirds of the players who are in the game today, and 1 guess I'l take chance with the other thir T how my legs feel next Ma But suppose that I do not play. I still manage and 1 want a taste from the cup from which these other fel- lows have drunk. I'd like to feel that I can play the game with my head as well as my bat and my legs and arms. Last year when we were ready to start the season 1 felt that Wwe had some succ coming to us. What happened? What didn’t hap- pen? 1 had a team in March and I had a hospital in June. We looked | good only long enough to make the | contr: of being’ bad doubly hard to bear. You did have bad luc! Bad? Why, we didn't have any. We didn't get far enough along to beé bad. And now I know what we need for next yvear and I want to start the year right. Give me a sec- ond baseman who can play, and T'll give the Yanks a fight they won't forget. That's all I want. A second baseman. But they won't hear me. They won't glve me a second base- man. They say they haven't any sec- ond basemen. Some of them are run- ning over with second basemen. They're running over with something like second basemen and they are deaf to all that I say. Rival Pllots Won't Listen. “I've found one thing since I've been a manager. Other man- agers can hear aill that I've got to say when youwre a player. They can hear a whisper in a Chi- nesc monsoon. But when you get to be a manager they can’t hear you if you talk to them like a fog siren Working with a full head of steam. or two years I've been drinking this cup of bitterness, but it's mak ing me more and more adhesive to myself and to base ball. I'm going to find that second baseman and I'm going to win that champlonship, and it there are any of those {ellows up - around the. north pole Who think they are going to freeze' me out of the big game because they keep De. from getting a second baseman ‘re playing the wrong card. The more I think it over the uglier T get. 1’1l stick in base ball until T wear 'em long and gray before I quit trying to find that second baseman and I'll win a pennant for Detroit. And that's Ty. (Copyright, 1823.) BIG ATHLETIC SHOW | FOR NAVAL RESERVE| Nine boxipg and wrestling matches and a basket ball game are on the program announcing a “mammoth athletic show” to be glven tonight; under the ausfices of the Jocal ba talion of the United States Naval Re- serve at its armory, at Water and O streets southwest, at $ o'clock. ‘The program announces two matchs es as features. They are between “Al Jones, world’s_ most scientific colored wrestler,vs. Kid Reese, cham- plon of North” 8. and Fred Byrd ve. Young Bull Montana. The boxing includes matches tween Vincente Messineo and Johnny | Jone: O. Thomas and Fatts Wal- Yot Tour rounde: dim Hummond and Bobby Holmes, four rounds; Eugene Jackson and Rhoma Holsell, three rounds; Johnny Cruchfield and Teddy Hines, 'three rounds: Bo Lenley and “Kid Wonder, three rounds, and Biily Keyes and Harry Blalr, \hreo rounds. The basket ‘ball gameé will’ be ‘be- tween the Y. M. C. A. and the United fitates Naval Reserve teams. I | fice In the Georgla ayenue give, sell or trade me a second base- DOZEN MAJOR CLUBS T0 TRAIN IN FLORIDA, NEW YORK, December 27.—Florida | will be the training mecca for major | league base hall players next spring. Completion of the list of camps for 11924 reveals that nine clubs—six Na- jtional League and three American League outfits—will do their condi- tning in the everglades state, the greatest number ever attracted to any southern locality. Of the remaining seven clubs two each have chosen Alabama and Cali- fornia, while Georgia, Louisiana and Texas have attracted one each. Only four clubs have changed training sites for next season. Texas lost the New York Giants and Chicago White Sox, both having migrated to Florida, but will entertain the Boston Red Sox, who trained a yearwago at Hot Springs, Ark. The other shift was made by the Pittsburgh Pirates, who will g0 to Paso Robles, Calif., from Hot Springs, thus depriving the Arkansas resort of a place in the pre-season base ball sun for the first time in years. The list of training camps follow: AMERIOAN LEAGUE. New York—New Orleans. Cleveland—Lakelazd. Fla. Oliicego—Winter Haven, Fla. Detrolt—Augusta. Ga. Bt. Louis—Mobile, Ala. Philadelphia—Montgomery, Ala. Washington—T; Fla, Boston—San Antonis. NATIONAL LEAGUE. New York—Sarasota, Fla. Gincinnati—Orlando, ' Fla. Pittsburgh—Paso Robles, Calif. Chicago, Catalina Island, Calif. St. Louis, Bradentown, Fla. Brooklyn—Clearwater, Fla. Puiladelphia—Leesburg, Fia. Boston—St. Petersburg, Fla. JIM DELEHANTY NAMED AS AN UMPIRE IN A. A. CHICAGO, - December 27.—James Delehanty, former major leaguer, has beem sigred as an umpire in the American Assoclation. He played with Washington and Detroit in the American League. Prior to entering the Ban Johnson circuit he performed for Cincinnati, St. Louls and Boston in the National League. He left the major league in 1912, and later plaved with the Minneapolis club of the American Assoclation. His last playing days were as a mémber of the Beaumont club of the Texas League, in 1916, TEXAS AGGIES TO OPPOSE | ARIZONA AT POLO TODAY | SAN ANTONIO, Tex., December 27. —Texas A. & M. polo team will meet Arizona this afternoon on Fort Sam Houston Cavalry Field in the second day's play of the midwinter tourna- ment. day, 5 to 2, by the four from Colo rado ‘Agricultural College, while New Mexico Military Institute defeated Oklahoma University, 8 to 3. The Arizona team which plays to- day is composed of men who have spent the greater pavt of their lives in the saddle and are as much at Home on cow ponies as the faster breed of the polo fleld. Albert Brett, Oklahoma University player, who was thrown when his mount’ fell in one of yesterday's games was unconscious at a local hospital early today, and his con- dition was regarded as_serious. U. S. HOCKEY PLAYERS WILL REPORT MONDAY PITTSBURGH, Pa., December 27.— Members of the American Olympic hockey team have been ordered to re- port next Monday in Boston, It was. announced herc® today by W..S. Haddock, president of the United States Amateur Hockey. Association, to play five exhibition games before their departure for _France. The team will leave New York January 9. With the exception of one defense the personnel of the team has been completed, Mr. Haddock said, and. in- cludes Lacroix and Langley, both of Boston, goalkeepers;- Small, Boston, defense; Drury, Pittsburgh,’and Mc- Carthy, Geran and Rice, ail of Bos-{ ton, forwards. , Negotiations are still on with Clar- ence Abel of St. Paul to fill the other defense position, who yesterday re- consldered his previous decision not to participate in the Olympiad and then a few hours later again tele- graphed his refusal to join the team. addock will take charge of the eam at Boston as the representative t the American Olympic committee rid will direet its activities until the | return to America. Expenses of the trip have been un- erwritten by the American Olyrplc Reommittee, he stated, with the un- derstanding that a portion will be refunded by -the hockey association ason. GQLF IN-FUJI ISLANDS IS FOUND TO BE IDEAL LONDON, December 27.—Golfing -in Ithe Fiji Isiands is id. ccording to Englishnien who have:b#én ‘there for the reason that it is almost impossible to lase a ball. Like most of the rest of the land- scape, the golf links are largely cov- ered 'with a sensitive plant which rivéls- at a touch. Having: pulied, sliced or topped his ball the player Taerely has to folow it aong the ine of shriveled plants -t resting Pl “ BAI.‘LCLUBTOKEET Stockholders of the Washington base ball club will gather at the of- next |khro\uh exhibition games later in the fP® ";"’kfih ‘Wednesday at noon for their: meeting. Reports will be.hear a board of directors elected. 'WILL -WRESTLE AGAIN. Joe Turper and 'Chris Jordan will renew hmlml in_a wreatling bout to be & _New Year night at the f:?t!:lnk %: et hn‘ fl{xqmn out of three-falls.. Texas A. & M. was defeated yester- | CHAPTER 17. The Plays That Take Base Ball Genius. BY HANS WAGNER. I AM' often undecided’as to which is the most interesting in base ball—the studying of op- posing pitchers and infielders so as to. steal a base or their per- fecting of a defense to prevent base stealing. Skill in offsetting the fast base - running of an opposing tgam marks the difference between a really great infielder and just a plain infielder who can pick up grounders and throw the ball. I wrote some time back that no pennant ever was won with an inexperienced shortstop or sec- ond baseman.” It simply can't be done. To work perfectly around the bag each of those men must be a skilled mechanic so drilled in the tricks of his trade that they become second nature. I also have said that - base runner must watch the pitcher and the infielders closely so as to learn what their various moves mean. He must remember, though, that they also are watching him. Fans often ask me how it is that an infielder can make a great stop and throw to the right base without having any time whatever to study out the situ- ation. Now, some players do that by instinct, but not ‘many. Most of them do it by preparing their plans in advance. Every good infielder or out- fielder on a team figures that the ball will be hit to him. He sees the situation on the bases and decides just where he will throw the ball in case he does get it. Therefore, he doesn’t have to fig- ure. He gets the ball and whips it to the spot already decided on in advance. If the bases are full, with none or one out, for instance, every infielder knows that he must throw the ball to the plate. He ddesn’t have to hesitate. If there is a man on first base and a grounder is hit to the infield the infielder knows that he must get the ball to second base for a double play or a force-out. To prepare for this the second base- man_indicates to the shortstop, or the other way around, which is to cover the bag. If the batter hits left handed there is usually no need to give a signal. The shortstop will cover, unless, by chance, he gets the ball. Crowd Misses Fine Points. It is easier, you know, for the MONTREAL IS i EW YORK, December 27.—The: N | reasons is that a proposal to give stomachs of the Canadian city. | to Montreal. {FIVE TROPHIES UP AT CLUB TRAPSHOOT Fjve trophies will be at stake in the officers’ 1923 farewell trapshoot at Washington Gun Club Saturday after- noon. The president's, vice presi- dent's, treasurer's and fleld captain’s trophies will be awarded in a dis- tance handicap event, while the sec- retary’s trophy will be the prize in the doubles. The shoot will start promptly at 1 o'clock. In the distance handicap 100 tar- gets will be thrown. with the prizes going to the four high guns. 1 ties S (et ot s womis v st gets. Twelve pairs of doubles will be thrown in the secretary’s trophy { shoot. No_ entrance fee will be . charged, but target costs must be covered. ‘The trophies are the gifts of the club's officials. “The annual meeting df the club will be held next Thursday night-at the office of Dr. Thomas E, Nelll, 1824 Massachusetts avenue. All members are expected to be present at 8 o'clock. CUBAN QUINT SCORES. ’ HAVANA, December 27.—Havana University defeated Rollins College of Florida at ‘basket ball' here last uight, 60 to 19. | \ | H be. all right.” | TO GET SYRACUSE CLUB Syracuse club of the International League will be transferred to Montreal in 1924, as had been predicted. One of the principal extra for the trip to Montreal did not seem to rest easily on the base ball Presumably the Sc. Louis club would have carried its holdings into Montreal, and thought they were handling enough as it is without pay- ing the $100 per game in ‘extra traveling costs for the privilege of going Marty O’Laughlin Tells: Winning Title by Shot Into Rough. HE first rule of golf Is to keep out of the rough. Advice of the expert to the beginner always is,’“Keep ‘em down the fairway and you'll That is true enough, but there are times when even this rule must The famous Hans Wagner basket ball team. Hans (middle, top row) al- ways has displayed remarkable ability in this sport. shortstop to make a play on a base stealer than for the second baseman to do it. That is why he does the most covering as a rule. The second baseman is often between the runner and the bag, which makes it more difficult for him. Still, if the batter is a hard left field hitter, the second baseman signals that he will cover. In this case the shortstop might leave his position only to have the batter hit right through the hole. There are ma ball players who are specialists—expert on certain plays. Oddly enough, the crowd or the writing experts seldom know this. One of the most difficult plays to make in all base ball is the shortstop or second baseman tak- ing a low throw from the catcher —one that hits them in the feet —-as the runner is stealing. The fellows tell me I was good at that on account of my big hands, but I think Joe Tinker was about as clever at that as any ball player that ever lived.. Another great man on_that particular play was Arthur Fletcher. Miller Huggins, the present manager of the New York Yankees, was a bearcat in taking low throws. This i§ re- markable in his case because of his small size and corresponding- ly small hands. Huggins had no fear of the base runner, and that also helped. The other wonderful players on that low throw play were Claude Ritchey of the old Pirates, Eddie Collins_of the White Sox and Harry Steinfeldt of the old Cubs. Another of the most difficult plays in all base ball is handling a sacrifice bunt when first and third bases are occupied and none ount. UNLIKELY re is little reaso® to believe that the each visiting club $100 per game That the Canadian city is a better base ball town than it was some time ago is indisputable. A city develops a sort of base ball thirst when it is deprived of the elixir for a time. The Montreal promoters seem to think that it would be out of the question, however, to get things going right if ‘the International were to de- cide suddenly along about February that it would be represented in that city. There would be too little time to fix stands and groumds -before the season opened. On the other hand, if the Syracuse club'should get a good start and keep up a real fight in 1924, it would take much argument to remove Syracuse from the circuit the next year, as it is an ideal city from a mileage stand- point, dovetailing beautifully with Rochester, Buftalo and Toronto. Davy Robertsom, who once seemed to be headed for the batting cham- plonship of the National League, is not overwhelmed with joy at being traded to Atlanta to plly the out- fieid. Davy does not like the heat. Once Davy declined to sign his contract with a major league club. He hung up and hung up, but one day he appeared at the club office with his father. The latter is a good trader. Every time he opened his mouth, he talked another $100 onto the contract because of Davy's fu- ture ambitions. One of his talks was about a bonus if Davy batted top noteh. Dave failed. ‘When the end of the season came, and the batting figure wasn't there, Dayld remarked mournfully: “I'd be hell if I could bat like dad can talk. (Copyright, 1928.) ' the 1922 New Jersey open championship I intentionally played my ball into the rough.on one hole and by so doing won thé title—a grati- fying acquMition to set alongside the Metropolitan open championship, which I was fortunate enough also to I forget just which hole of the play, but do remember it was about 430 yards long, calling for a pu-{ Prizes again will be at stake New four, which ordinarily would require a But I1.didn't play ordinary golf on this hol In fact, I indulged in the most kish game imaginable. To begin with, my drive, although a long one, sliced into thick wood- land at the right of the fairway. When we found the ball it la: against a_tree In a manner whicl made a pli toward the green ab- salutely impossible. I was compelled to turn'and make a short shot in the direction of the tee I had-Jjust left. But my bad Tuck was not past. On getting into the fairway I found an- other tree forming a nddm stymle between me and the . There I was, & good 200 yards from the cup, already #ying two, the tree barring the way, with a score of ll'l. ‘meyen; or evem more In sight. ‘There were three ble lhl)u— through ‘the tree, which was hazard- ous in the extreme; to the left of it, which would brllf me lnu l; road, necessitatin surface _an wnr.mponlom m, or to the at the rltll!. iekfl the. latter,, beuun. n- wanul no& 3 ‘W lw»'eln* win in 1922 Shaxamaxon - course necessitated this ®ood drive, & full iron and two putts. ! a chance'to pitch upward-to the hole, which lay much higher than the | rough. s This third_ stroke: left me twenty- five yards off the green. From where | I lay, only the top of the pin.w visible, - But my niblick did ‘all' I{ could have éxpected of It—more, in fact. Two seconds after the ball dis- appeared from my view, I heard a| big shout from the gallery. blamed. thing had landed neatly on the green and rolled into the cup. I had made o par four after a series of the contrariest plays any one could think of. The player paired with me, who played perfect golf, did_no better. That fourth shot into the,cup was luck, of course. - But my third stroke —the one into the rough—was, think, "1 may say without wnmlt. £00d headwork. hudder to, think what would Have: opuited: pd I Shosen to ay dlflqrfltly. 1 toel sure T would ha ved -yun of the championsh! | "The 'y next year. fllt.l feri hld been offered | BT e R, The infield is guessing from the moment it starts. If either the first baseman or the third base- man tries to cover his base it is almost impossible to beat the play. To overcome this we doped out a scheme in the old days where the third baseman would go in for the bunt and the short- stop would cover, provided, of course, the ball was bunted to- ward third, as it should be. The best man I ever saw on that play was Tommy Leach, third baseman of the old Pirates. Jimmy Collins also was great at it. Nerve and Accuracy Needed. \The play at first base is broken up by the first baseman coming in and the second baseman cov- ering. That is not nearly so dif- ficult, though it may seem like the same play. The second base- man is accustomed to covering first base more than the short- stop is third. Besides, one of them must be rea to cover second, if necessary’ Hal Chase, I belieye, was the originator of the play where the first baseman gets a bunt and throws to third when there is a runner on second. That takes great speed. I have seen other players do it, though. While on the subject of hard plays to make, don't forget that of making shoestring catches on liners hit to the outfield. To do that a player must have great nerve and also accuracy. If the ball gets by him it may go for three bases or a home run. Often it is better to play it safe and take the ball on the bounce. The greatest 'men on making those Inside Golf ——By CHESTER HOR7O Upward of 65,000 golf 'I’"l Rave taken instruction at one time or amother in my schools so far. Some of these have made of them- selves players of great remownm; others are local or sectional cha plons—and the great mass of tl are just the ordinary business-man players. 1t is from this latter class that I seem to derive my greatest interest instruction work. The finished player be- comes a delight, but Interest in him centers in what he does for him- that point om. this army of players, I e observed that average golfers ve more dificulty in keeping their wrists out of their shots than with any other phase of the golf wwing. . It is unfortunate that there is 50 much propaganda about what the wrists do in The fact is, they all that the player ix con- of. The very expert ean put his wrists into the dul mnkes remain After the golfer has mccomplished his swing—a correct wwing—his mext xtep in to make sure of keep- ing his wrists out of it. KEEN BOWLING DONE FOR KING PIN PRIZES Competition was quite keen among the bowlers for prizes at the King Pin alleys Christmas, and all winners had ¢b roll unusually good games. Earl McPhilomy, sensational bowler of tho District League, got into the win column with a 134-game. Jimmy Simmons, who is leading the Ma- sonic League with a 116 average, won two prizes with games of 133 and 140. The highest game of 166 was rolled by Phillip Needle, a seventeen-year- old, hitherto unknown among the | bowlers. Miss M-C.-Noel rolled the highest game among the women, 113. Miss Rena Levy of the Hilltoppers' team was a prize winner, with 95. Year day. Christmas contest win- ners follow: %..u. mo Jomkins. T8, u‘uilu BT, 185; , 186; M. Torvey, 146. 7; M. Levy, made no arrange friés, former heavywelght champion, elther to-manage or train Luis An!.l Pirpo, Argentine boxer,” for the ldt- uf. ring campaign in this country Recently Firpo denied a L 1983, in United oy A “-*I [owspaper H Btates nl In- low shoestring catches I ever saw were Jimmy Slagle, Jimmy Shzckard and Dummy Hoy. Anot) standing problem for infields” is stopping the double steal with runners on first and third bases. The best men I ever saw at that were Pitchers, Chris- ty Mathewson and Joe McGin- nity. There are several defensive plays, but they had the best. Their scheme was for the catcher to throw a foot over their head, and throw hard, as if the ball was was going all the way to second. The catcher can’t be timid about it. If he does the base runners will get on. Now, just as the ball goes over the pl(chcrs head he intercepts it. Immediately he turns toward second base. As he makes a right turn-the pitcher gets a view of third base. If the runner has started off third the pitcher tosses the ball to that base and catches him flat-footed. If the man on third holds the bag the pitcher goes right on through with his turn and nails the man going to second. Then if the man on third takes a late start for home the second baseman or shortstop has plenty of time to get _him at the plate, the play having held him up. He Didn't Touch Home. To make that play requires the quickest kind of thinking and the quickest kind of action. Also the pitcher must have a sure pair of hands and never drop the ball. Of course, it would be impos- sible for a left-handed pitcher to make this play with the same ease. It is an awkward turn for him. When the bases are full and there are not two out every man on the infield knows exactly what to do in advance. He throws to the plate. The catcher then throws to first and makes a double play. That is a copper- plate play. No other plan is ever used. As the catcher does not have to touch the runner there is plenty of time. Even sthat play, though, goes wrong sometimes. We were playing Cincinnati at Pittsburgh once and had the bases full with none out. Larry McLean was catching for the Reds. The next batter hit a grounder to the sec- ond baseman, who made a per- fect throw to the plate. Larry, after catching the ball, turned and threw to first, getting the batter. But our man on third came on in and scored. McLean had found the play so easy that he stood in the catch- er's box to make the throw to | i first and forgot to touch the plate. Tomorro Some Tips for Amateur Teams. IN FIELDING I However, it Is a question how much that record really means, especially ‘when you compare it with the work of Max Carey, the Pittsburgh veteran. In 1922 Carey established new marks for putouts and total numbers of chances. He outdid his own record in 1923." He got 450 putouts and ac- cepted 478 of the 497 chances offered, bettering his own mark by seven. Carey turned in the greatest number of assists—28. The Old Greyhound still appears to be there. New Yorl leads in elub_flelding with a perckntage of .972. Philadel- phia executed the greatest number of double plays, 172. Brooklyn had the most passed balls, 20, committed the most errors, 293, and had the great- est number of total chances, 6,628, St. Louis had the greatest number of players left on bases, 1,197, and made the most® putouts, 4,196, Cincinnath made the most assists. Charles Grimm, Pit roh, leads the first basemen With a percentage of .995. George Kellay, New York, made the most putouts, 1,668, and had the greatest number of chances, 1,640. John McInnis, Boston, had the most assists, 89. in the game played April 26 Kel- ly had 21 putouts and one assist, without error, in a nine-inning game against Boston. This duplicates the National League record made Sep- tember 22, 1888, -by Willlam T. O'Brien of Washington against Chi- is the a per- Samuel Bohge, Cincinnati leading second baseman Wit centage of .975. Henry Groh, New York, fhe leader in 1922, agaln leads the ‘third base: men. His percentage in 1923 is .975 for 359 total chances. The National League record is .976, held by John Lobert, Philadelphia, who flelded .976 in 64 games, in which. he had 170 total chances. Frank Snyder, New York, leads the catehers with a percentage of 990, Snyder made the most putouts, 428. WILL DRAFT I. L. LIST. NEW YORK, December 27.—The In- ternational League schedule-making committee, composed of President John Conway »Toole, Jack.Dunn of Baltimore and George Stallings of Rochester® will meet tomorrow at Pinehurst, N. C., to arrange details of the 1924 list, which will be ou a basis of 168 games. A’S LET FIVE GO. PHILADELPHIA, Pa., December 27. —The Philadelphia Athletics have be. gun cutting down on the erop of play- ers for next season by sending five rookies to the Shreveport club of the | Texas League, which is managed by Ira Thomas. The players are Pitchers Ozmer and Shilling, Outfielders Sher- ling and French and Catcher Row- land. WILL DEFEND CUE TITLE. NEW YORK, December 27.—Tadao Suganuma, Japanese holder of thel| junior national 18.2 professional balkline’ billlard championship, will defend his title in a 1,200-point match beginning - tonight, against Jeane Bruno, Austrian champion. and run- in the recent tournament at Detrott. Blosks of 400 points will be od tonight, Friday and Saturday. I | | l CONCANNON IN CUE PLAY. Joe Concannon, pocket billiard ex- R‘r& will be opposed to George ints tonighi Piare Partor, T start at.$: t at the Academy ‘Bil. 144 9th llrm Play will 13 NATIONAL LEAGUE RECORD N announcing the official fielding averages of the National League for | the 1923 season President John A. Heydler credited Pat Duncan, leit | fielder of the Cincinnati club, with a new record for the old circuit. Duncan’s average of .9934 excelled the old mark of 992 set by Hans Wa ner when he patrolled an outfield beat with the Pirates in 1902 and equaled by Frank Schulte of the Cubs in 1908. Duncan’s average sets a new major league standard, as the American League mark for outfielders is .992. Duncan had 291 putouts, 11 assjsts and 2 errors. TOM SHOULD GIVE ANGEL STIFF ARGUMENT IN RING Bartley Madden’s Evident Sincerity in Challenging Harry Wills Is Expected Shortly to Result in ‘ Arrangement for Bout. BY FAIR PLAY. EW YORK, December 27.—Whether or not Luis Firpo will include Tommy Gibbons in his list of opponents to be met before the Dempsey battle is a question. McCarney, Gartland and company have been silent to date. But if the Pampas prowler is wise he will do nothing of the sort. Tommy is a hard man to hurt and a harder man to hit, as Jack Dempsey found, That is to say, the champion could hit Tommy, but not when he was set for the punch. Firpo, with his lack of boxing skill, would hardly be able to cons forcibly with Gibbons, not even when the two were in close. For Tom has more patent t processes of arm locking than a Japanese pol On the other hand, Gibbons, who ean sock, would be likely to belabor |INTEREST IN BOXING |5f foesicioss i o st quency in ourse of fifteen rounds. Gibbo that on the basis of the showing which he and Firpo made against Dempsey he should have the SWEEPS OVER BRAZIL first crack at the champion. No one can argue Tommy down on this point By the Assoclated Press. and neither vill many wise eritics RIO DE JANEIRO, December 27— |deny his assertion that if Dempsey The Brazillan has taken and Firpo meet again the champion ; up boxing. |1 “dispose of the wild bull as Not only has he enjoyed all the gréat | quickly—if not more so—than the last fights of recent times by motion pic- | time they met. ture and cable report, but now he is | JePOrts that Madden and Harry Wills are shortly to be matched per- himself. sis Bartley, unlike most of the learning the game He has donned the four-ounce gloves with an | h s who have been shying their enthusiasm never displayed toward |hats at the big negro, appears really . : sl anxious to meet him. 1t is likely that any’ other new sport, and it is all{paddy Mullins will shortly take steps because Luiz Angelo Firpo almost—|to test the Irishman's sincerity. an impressive “almost’—took the | Madden belicves that if he can stick : - = iz e rounds with Wills he will bea world hampionship from Jack | him. ' This may be the attitude of Dempsey. the man in the road who says that if Every section of this city has ile;(h‘— ;;(np]r:amh;ng mumr‘ hdnes s 4 o < motively | KNOcK him for a goal the car is athletic club, which s actively |JiRely’ (o e ditched. Personally the prgmoting the game among its con-|writer thinks the fight would last stantly growing membership. Every Jus‘xl as long as Madden could absorb = = ; 5 e | Wallops. f“~‘_’, town and village is producing| " gy¢ inasmuch as both men have a ts “champions.” Boxing has become | big following in this city, Tex, Rick- the “back lots game” of Brazil. Inter- {ard is anxious to put them on. Being city and interstate tournaments are i“;"fiq{znl"r"; !—“:"";“’:"“"" however. “r > STy ente, A < h one’ ear to such being carried on with increasing fre- | gounds as may come from the politi- quency, accompanied by eager public|eal power: hile with the other he interest. gives attention to the claims of Mad The youthful Imitation of tne|en's manager. the irrepressible Char- glazed hair movie hero no longer (Copyright, 1923.) occupiés the center of the stage. It is he with the prominent chest and bulging biceps who attracts the soft {TWO CLAIM SPALLA glance of the senhorita on the| avenida. It is the day of the “rough avepida: 14 i e ay of the roush | EOR FEBRUARY BOUTS however, that the local ring hero assumes a “tough” pose. He favors —_— Carpentier in_that respect. He be- lieves that elegance is not out of| NEW YORK, December 27.—Er- keeping with strength and agility, |minio Spaila, Itallan holder of the which, of course, is not disapproved by the senhorita. A curious feature of the growing | popularity of boxing in Brazil is that while the Brazilian boxers follow the American school in the sclence and practice of the game, the French are furnishing the language. This is due | European heavyweight be ing cham- i plonship, will make his American de- !hul in a fifteen-round match with Gene Tunney, Amgrican light-heavy- weight titleholder, at Madison Square Garden February 1. to the fact that the sporting S tie StE ’ vernacular of the American “fans” 18 | oy Spaiin coonor o 152 hosake: a language apart. It cannot be trans- by the match is expected to attract lated, while French is easily under- (i (hg AR b o stood by the Brazilians. The French |PUS s sport magazines, therefore, furnisii| BUENOS ATR the boxing vocabulary in ‘hh’,dvxpa from N York annd country. | that Gen Tunney and {Spalla, the Italian_ heavyweight, had been matched to fight in New York { February 1, arrived simultaneously { with an announcement by Luis Angel Firpo that he and Spalla would fight fteen rounds in Buenos Afres in Febru agreement drawn ’m;m promoter, who resides here. SUIT REVEALS HOPPE | AND WIFE ESTRANGED { . NEW YORK, December Mrs. | Willlam Hoppé. wife of the world | professional " billiard champion, and d_son, William, jr., ter a separation of a month, during which time the boy was in the custody of his father. Mrs. Hoppe yesterday started suit to recover custody of her son, and |after Supreme Court Justice Burr had |issued a writ of habeas corpus re- quiring Hoppe to produce the boy in YOUNG DENCIO MATCHED FOR GO WITH SCHWARTZ Young Denico, 100-pound flyweight champion of the Navy who appeared court, the cue star returned William, at Sportland Heights boxing arena|jr, to Mrs. Hoppe, who then with- last season, is booked to mix it up |drew the guit. with Benny Schwartz, champion bat- m’f;"‘;“;‘r'“,‘, ’f‘h‘v;“}‘l “h‘l’:'x‘m_»“f:”’_l'fl""]‘ tler of the south, at Baltimore, Jan- | in June, 1 They continued to Mve uary 11. in ‘different apartments in the same Schwartz is considered one of the [ house until November 26, last, when e Hoppe, his wife alleged, left, taking best flyweights hereabouts. He stayed | hoth his son and daughter with him the limit recen in a 15-round bout | He returned the girl three d later. with Pancho Viila, world champion.| Mrs. Hoppe charged that because Dencio won the Navy title by show- ing the way to Jose Javier. Schwartz will be ten pounds heav- fer than Dencio. his billiard playing kept him away from his home every night until mid- night Hoppe was not in a position to care properly for his son. Any Cinco smoker will tell you it’s better - than most ten-cent cigars. Pay 15 cents in- stead of 20 cents—and save 25 percent. Even if you smoke only two cigars a day, Cincosaves youthe price of a hat and a -8 pair of shoes each year. Besides, you geta : better smoke. It only costs 15 cents to verify this. W. H. WARNER 504 Eleventh St. N.W. Exclusive Washington Distributer J. S. BLACKWELL & SON Alexandris, Va. Northern Virginja Distributors alley in an exhibition match of 126 | ©130. Eisenlihe & Bros., Tae.