Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, April 18, 1915, Page 45

THE OMAHA APRIL 1 Judgments AYBE it was an omen for the season, but the 1915 base ball season has commenced with the brightest skies and warm- est alr given to any start of recent years. All over the country nature “ wmiled on the great game and the crowds that pressed through the gates showed how much the public still cares for the sport. This very encouraging condition, after last season's disastrous close and the wearisome debates of the winter, ought to make the magnates perk up and feel a whole lot better, Much of interest has been engendered by the changes made in most of the teams, the fans being cager to see just how the new order would work out. It is too early to de- termine the outcome yet, but the dope is not going to be so easy as it looked a couple of weeks ago. Better contests for the honors are promised, and, conse- quently, more concern on the part of the public, This is good for base ball, and when such conditions prevail, all who are connected with the sport prosper. Western league gunners will open fire next Friday. It isn't always a good day on which to launch a ship—although the battleship Nebraska was launched on that day, and has since won nearly all the homors in its class—but any old day is a good day to start a base ball sea- son. It will be short this year, too, not running away out into the days when the patrons of the game are thinking of something else to' do. The determination of the magnates in this regard was wise. Having been very much shot to pieces, as usual, during the winter, it 1s pretty hard to tell which team will be out in front in the Western during the coming weeks. That is one of the delights of having a Class A league; as soon as a club' gets together a gpod bunch of real players, they ‘are grabbed by the bigger leagnes, and the team owner is forced to go out and get some new ones. So the Western will be full of strange faces durin gthe early part of the conflict, and it will take at least onme round of the teams to get settled down to anything like standing on merit. One thing is certain, Denver will not have the big advantage that has been enjoyed by the Grizzlles of late years, that of having the Kansas teams for a long series of games in the mountains befare the valley teams get into shape to play. Denver will play eleven games away from home, with Wichita, Topeka and Lincoln, before getting back to the shadow of Pike's peak. This may make @ big difference in the final result of the race. At any rate, it will prevent a Tepetition of last year's performance, when Denver won eleven out of twelve games at home from the same three teams the Grizzlies meet first this sea- son. By the’way, Omaha will not get a chance to see Denver in action until June 18, when the Griszlles come-here for their first series Omaha's pennant prospects are Just what you want to make them. The team 18 in good condition, at least it has shown Up very well in its pre-season work. Win- ning from the White Sox Yannigans, from Kansas City and St. Paul Ameri. can association team, and from Lincoln shows it is not devoid of ability, but the real test will mot come until it meets Wichita and Topeks. They are the Omaha hoodoos, and if we can beat them | the chances for winning from the others are pretty good. Pa Rourke is confident he will make a much better showing than he has for several seasons The California renchman who tried to umpire a game between rival towns, and finished by licking a spectator who shot him twice In protest against a decision, ought to have little trouble In getting a Job In any of the leagues. Men of his force of character are needed in base ball. A Chicago professional made a record run of 11 in a three-cushion billiard match during the week. If he ever gets out of @ job as a billlard player, he ought to make a cracking good hammer-thrower or freight handler. Such muscular abil ity is not given to everyone. Stecher seems to be popular enough | everywhere but in Omaha. Maybe In time that bunch of wise ones who went to Fremont that night will get over their soreness and then the Dodge champion will have a chance to show Omaha what | he can do on the mat. Jess Willard is said to be bearing his new honors with all becoming modesty: he also knows that they are now his meal ticket, and he fsn't taking any chances in not getting all he can in the WAy of ready cash Jack Johnson s just now getting a full taste of the fickleness of the mob. No, he s not going any place, but nobody seems to care a continental whether he Hoes or stays, save the officers of the court One thing has developed in connection with the Omaha team so far; almost any of the regulars ls likely to break the | fence at any time that is what really They can all hit, and wins ball games. It is pleasing to note that Bert Nie- hoff went into Philadelphia and did just AM' 18 DIS YES'| WANT OH! PROFESSOR YOUR HUSBAND YOU TO READ READ OURS MRS, JIGGS ? HIS MIND AFTER TOGETHER! YOU READ 50 THATs THE MIND READER You TOLD ME ABOLY [PLAN BIG OUTDOOR MEET Meeting to Perfect Organization to Promote Athletic Carnival Will Be Held Tuesday. WILL BE HELD ON MAY 22 No matter how good or how bad you may be, you are eligible to enter Omaha's first annual outdoor athletic meet which is to be held some time during May, probably on Creighton field. Entries for cligue of enthusiasts promoting the v ture declare they are open to the world. The organization which will stand be- hind the event has not been perfected, but will be at a meeting to be held Tues- day evening at the Young Men's Chrise tian association. At that meeting Tommy Mills, Don McCown and J. J. MacVelgh, consisting a committee on arrangements, will report. A manager for the mect will be named and a committee of assistants to help in staging the affair appointed. The date of the meet will also be selected. At present May 22 is the favored day. The staging of an outdoor meet in Omaha is considerable of an experiment Nothing of the sort has ever been at- tempted here before and it is not known how the people will take to it. The little body of men behind the movment, how- ever, are firm in thelr bellef that outdoor meets will prove attractions to Omaha sport lovers just as they do in other cities. Universities, colleges, high schools and | athletic organizations will be wrged to enter thelr track men. No plans for divisional races have vet been made, but it ig very probable that final detalls will call for specinl events between the dif- ferent classes of athletes entered. A tentative list of events which will probably be included on the program in- gludes: 100-yard dash, 220-yard dash, 440- vard dash, $8-yard run, mile run, 120-yard high hurdles, 2:0-yard hurdles, high jump, broad jump, pole vault, shot put, discus throw and relay races. i Referee Declares Willard Could Have Won in the Eighth Jack Welsh, who refereed the John- son-Willard fight, has returned to his home in San Francisco to shed new light on the battle in which big Jess grabbed the apple blossoms of victory. Welsh re- latés that Willara might have put John- son away in jig-time if he had serfously wished to do it; that the husky Kansan landed a mighty punch on Johnson's jaw during the eighth round, the blow mak- ing the negro so wobbly on his feet that Willard, just as well as not, could have salled in right there and landed the k. o. All of which disposes of the theories that there was doubt any time during the battle as to the ultimate result MACKMEN NOT TO HAVE MASCOT THIS SEASON Tho Athletion are going to pay tribute this season to their last mascot, little Louis Van Zelst, by leaving the position | vacant throughout the season. The ‘crip- pled youngster was with the Athletics {Quring thelr successful seasons and the | players became very much attached to him. His death occurred while the team was tiaining at Jacksonville, and all were grieved because of their inability to pay their last respects to the mascot at his funeral. Manager Connie Mack has received hundreds of applications from Philadelphia youngsters for the po- sition, but after talking the matter over with the players it was decided that the loss of Louls was too great and as a mark of respect his place will be left vacant during the season. Thus the Ath- letics will be the only team in either of the major leagues without a mascot, |DICK COOLEY GOES BACK; IN CLASS D LEAGUE NOW Dick Cooley, once owner of the Topeka |club, has taken a franchise in the Kansas State league. Richard doesn’t know xactly In which town he will land, but s in no position to be particular, as Old Man Hard Luck has been his traveling companion during recent years. Ducky Holmes is another former West- ern league mogul who would like to land |a base ball job. Ducky applied for two lor three managerial positions in the | O'Nel1 100p this year, subsequently filing @ bid for a job as umpire, but found the ldoor closed. l|I’LAYERS' FRATERNITY PENSIONS OLD PLAYERS The Players' fraternity has pensioned Cal McVey, an old-time ball player, It is understood that an effort was made to get the National league to pension Me- | Vey some time ago. what he used to do here; played a game | that set 'em all talking about him. | Sloux City is afrald its veterans will not be able to repeat. What's the matter | —has Jimmy Kane lost his other eye? the big meet are now open and the little | Copyright. 1915 News Service. AH! YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT YOUR NEW GOWN AND THIS LADY 15 WONDERING WHY YOU DON'T sPEAK OF HER MEW MAT! JOHNSON IS WORTH $60,000 So Declares Clarke Griffith Who Says His Entire Staff Has Value of $150,000. AND THEY ALL COST NOTHING Manager Griffith h set a price on Walter Johnson. “If I were to put John- son on sale he would bring at least $60,000,"" sald Grif. “Ayers is worth §10,000; Shaw, $20,000; Bentley, $10,000; Boehling, $16,000; Harper, $10,000; Engel, $5,000; Hop- per, $3,0000, and probably more, to say nothing of my other promising young- sters who would bring & goodly sum.' Despite the fact that Griffith has named these figures, he says that he would not sell one of them for this price. Summing it up, the staff s about a $150,000 asset, and it cost less than any staff in base ball. Johnson came here for his rallroad fare. Think of that. Cliff Blankenship, former National, saw, him working and signed him. Shaw was a gift, having been signed while a member of the Pittsburgh Collegians. Bentley 'was & green country lad and reported for a trial. Boehling was with the Rich- mond Battle Ax team. He pitched a game in Washington, and made such a favor- able impression that Griffith secured his services. Engel was a student at Mount 8t Mary's college when he signed his com~ tract, while Harper was picked up off the sand lots at Hackensack, N. J. Thormahlen, Clarke, Russel and Stevens are the youngsters who may make good and further increase the full value of the pitching staff. There were three pitochers who cost real coln. They are Gallla, Ayers and Hopper. For Galla, Griffith traded Vaughn and Walker and he figures that it was a $12,000 transaction. Ayers was bought from the KHichmond club for the surpris- ingly low price of §1,20. Tommy Long, the outfieider, was traded for Hopper, and $1.20 was spent in securing Long. Therefore it will be seen that the pitch- ing staff of the Washington base ball club cost but $360, and you could met buy one who was on last year's team for this amount. RED DOOIN P—I—CKS uP LINGO OF THESPIANS The stage has already has its effect on Charlie Dooing. He has contracted the true thesplan language and can't seem to shake it loose, When Leon Ames asked him how the Cincinnat! club impressed him, he re- sponded. “It'Il be & scream. Belleve me, when we put on out act, we'll hold the curtain and take six bows. Betcha some Jitneys right now that we'll be the show and there wont be anybody walk out om us, either. “And new stuff; clean comedy; good dressers on and off; say, bo, it'll be a knockout! I know the act didn't go good last year; it oughta been played over the small time for a chaser—but we've got some good walkers this time; they won't want to close us anywhere after the opening matinee, and any place where it jsn't & cold house we'll be a riot!” Internationa! .. MODRE'S MIND * BECAUSE HEg HADNYT ANy Sitting: Standing: Ben Hull, jr., NOwW- YO MUST HED MAVE A b HAVE \T HARD TIME. JKas I'M b AR READIN' DINTY R‘¢g:.’°“ DEAR ! o H, Lepidon, Henry Pollock, H. P. Lesch. Ben Hull, C. R. Dyck. Jess Wilard Once Wanted to Be a Cop in City of Topeka Just think what Topeka missed' The town had a chance once to hire Jess Wil- lard as a policeman and turned it down. Ard Jess missed belng a flatfoot. It hap- pened this way: Willard had underfaken to sell Texas land, but his big bulk didn't help sell land. He landed In Topeka one day almost ‘‘broke.” As he walked up the street he observed one of Topeka's fivest on parade and thereupon the com- ing champ decided he would be a sieuth He went to the police station and found the chief. ‘“What do you want? overgrown country boy. “I want a job as a policeman,” Willard arswered, glancing enviously at the blue uniform of an officer who was in the seme room. “Do you live here?’ the chief inquired. “No,”” Jess Willard replied. "I live on a farm at Emmett. For some time I have been selling Texas land, but I want to settle down and become an officer here." “‘Sorry,” answered the chief, as he ad- mired the physique of the Emmett farmer, “but you will have to live here six months before you can go on the force. We ary full, anyway.” And Jess went back Home he asked the Tom Fairweather Claims a Record Thomas Fairweather, secretary of the Des Moines base ball club, claims a rec- ord for local Western league park. He declares it {s the only base ball park in the country which will have a church ad- Vertisement sign painted on the back fleld fence. Dr. E. BE. Higley of Grace Methodist Episcopal church, s the man who adopted the idea of getting at the base ball crowds, and his sign, in & prominent place on the back field fence, will read as follows: “Grace Methodist church, Nineteenth and Crocker, where you are made to feel &t home, invites you to its fellowship every Sunday, 10:30 a. m.; 7% p. m." Connie Mack?iopes for Another Series ‘There have been many upsets in the base ball world during the last year,’ sald Connle Mack, “but I have every ree- son to believe that the mew year will be & brighter one for all concerned. “Despite the fact that the Athletics lost the world's champlonship to the Braves, I feel certain that they will again be at the top at the close of the year. “My earnest wish is to again take part in & world's championship, particularly with the Braves, in order that we may retrieve ourselves. 1 am hopeful and Jeok forward to a prosperous year.'" Cubans, Peevis'h at Boxing, Want Bull Fighting Resumed HAVANA, April 17.—Following the Wil- lard-Johnson fight here a declded feeling | against prize fightng has arisen among the Cubans. A petition with 53,000 slgnatures has been presented to the senate demanding the repeal of the box- |ing law and asking for the restitution of bull fighting, the favorite Cuban sport under the Spanish rule. The newspapers are hostile toward box- ing and bitter in their eriticism of the Amerlcan promoters who handled the Willard bout. Accounts of unpald salaries and bills left behind have been glven much publicity. Moving pictures of several rounds of the battle have been shown In Havana theaters. Johnson tried to stop the ex- hibitions, but fafled. The pictures shown were some taken surreptitiously by a lo- cal firm. The fact that pictures could ) be taken in this manner shows that the | fight was conducted in a loose manner. |Birmy Hopes to Be An Umpire Some Day Same day the fans will lean back in thelr seats and listen as Joe Birmingham |shouts: “L adies and gentlemen, the bat- teries for today's game are Oopnafits and |Casey for Cleveland, Schweitser | Kelly_for Chicago. Play ball.” Yes, It's & fact, Joe plans to don the | official blue of the umps if he ever finds | it necessary to retire from the players' | ranks. Birmingham has committed himself. | During the off season he umpired several | indoor games in Albany. “And I took my | and | job most seriously,” mused Birmy. ‘‘For |some day I may go up to Mr. Johnson's office and ask him to make me un um- pire.” GROUND-KEEPER TO SUE INDIANAPOLIS FEDERALS The Indianapolis Federal league club may have another lawsuit on its hands. The assistant grounds-keeper at the Hooslers' ball park avers that he trav- eled from Milwaukee to Indlanapolis to }um-em the job at 360 per month, worked | one day, and then the ball club was transferred to Newark. He wants $350 | and says he proposes to get it | TURNED BACK BY LINCOLN, SIGNS WITH BEATRICE Southpaw Bever, the Narks, Kan, pitcher who tried out with the Lincoln elub and recently drew a release, has at- tached his slgnature to a Beatrice con- tract and will report to Manager Fillman when practice begine late next week in the Gage county capital. Bever was a winning pitcher with the Narka semi-pro. team last summer and hung up & fine Drawn for The Bee ! OGN'Y DNELIEVE INAT-BOY TO i OBLIGE! {ment Johmny signifies a willlngness to N ! IS AFTER JOHNNY KILBANE Young Drummie of Jersey City is "' Anxious to Take a Crack at the Featherweight Champion. HE WANTS TO BET REAL COIN JERSEY CITY, N. J., April 17.—Select- ing an opponent for Champion Johnny Kilbane fs not the easy task it superfi- clally appears. There are any number of good boys In the featherweight divi- slon throughout the country, but few of them figure to stand more than a mere outside chance of deposing the title- holder. The Clevelander apparently out- classes his rivals so far that he has a long-term mortgage on the champlonship, This, however, does not deter ambi- tious youth from challenging him. One of these chaps s Young Drummle, the Jersey City featherwelght, and a real promising boxer. Fans over that way think very highly of this little fellow and belleve that he Is the most formida- ble contender for the title in the divigion. That he is a boxer of more than aver- age abllity all who have seen him per- form will admit, but whether he meas- ures up to Kilbane's standard is a ques- tion that only a bout between the two will answer. Drummie has the utmost confidence in himeelf, and his manager shares his faith. Pete Fitsgerald, who has been at- tending to Young Bhugrue's business ever since the latter split with Tommy Lee, {8 Drummie's guide and counsellor. Pete says that he has $1,000 which he is ready to post as a forfeit to bind & match between Kilbane and Drummie the mo- scrawl his signature to a set of articles. Pele would have the match go twenty rounds to a decision before the New Or- leans or Connecticut club best inducements Like all managers, Pete is loud in his pralse of the boy he handles, Drummie merits it to a certain extent. There never was a boxer yet who deserved all the nice things his manager said about him, but {n Drummie Pete has a young- ster who really is worthy of his praise. WATSON PREFERS STATE LOOP TO THE WESTERN Second Baseman Rip Watson, member | of the St. Joseph club for the last two ! seanons, has returned to Hastings, Neb., | and expressed a desire to pursue the pas- | time this year with the Hastings club, the management of which Is reputed to look | with favor on the suggestion. Rip and Jack Holland were unable to get together on the salary question. If the Jostown boss couldn't meet Rip's demands, how | can Hastings, & class D club, do it? TAMPA CITIZENS DROP THREE THOUSAND ON CUBLETS The Tampa citizens’ committee, which was instrumental in getting the Cubs to | make Tampa thelr training grounds, rlral’ doing business with Charles W. Murphy | when that gentleman was president thero | years ago, finds the Cubs' stay stay this spring has cost something like $3,000 net, and it is unlikely that the same arrange- offering the string of victories. meut will prevail another year. AN! I'D LIKE TO COLD QLA OF I'T MYSELF! G By George McManus - AVE A NICE THERE 1% SOME THING N MIND READING! Al Demaree Comes to Front in Behalf of Slaving Player Al. Demaree, pitcher on the Phila- delphia Nationals, resents recent a serious of playoers, growing out of the major league war with the following defensive lines “Ball players are not the money-mad individuals that some people think they are. They are just like other people and want as much as they can get for their services. Very few get any more than they are worth. If they were mot worth what they recelve you can bet all the wheat you've got that they wouldn't he getting it. If ball players had the solid fvory domes that are generally crodited to them, they would all be inside look- ng out. Base ball owners try to cut down expenses as much possfble, and | the easiest way of doing this to keep salaries low. That is good business so long as unfair tactics ure barred. When a ball player asks for more money and gets it, everybody yells: ‘Robber!’ When a man in any other line of business asks for a raisc and gets It, everybody is there with the glad hand to congratulate him. Why the difference? It now ap- pears that Mr. Baker, the slugging guard- fan of the third sack, wants more money. He lan’t the only baker asking for more money and getting it these days.” Learn Siiding Stunt. Manager Fielder Jones of 8t. Louis has devoted a ,mt and atten- tion to perfecting his men the art of sliding. t Belleves in Appleton. i Manager Wilbert Robinson of th Brooklyn club belleves that Eddie :\f pleton will prove the star of his. rookis twirlers the coming sason. Rheumatism? Here A‘. Are Some Real Facts' How to Overcome the Tor ture Without Harm- ful Drugs. 1 1 stood wcarcely out, releasing the nerves ing the joints and muscles so t| out restraint. happy certaln ingredients which act as an They are nature's providence to man, Just as the meats, fats, salts and sugars of °"4::" food pr;v‘fl us with nourishment, Medical Adviser, The Bwift Specific Co., 100 Swift Bldg., Atlanta, Ga. is depertment 18 presi over by a physician proud of his name by virtue of his distinguished family and a foremost doctor on his own recelptof THES GREAT LITTLE BOOK = Diamond Dop arant Official in Western League Get his JOHNNY EVERS Glove — modeled after the glove used by the famous Evers himeelf. Y ou pull down the hish ones. The ball sticks. Hoadfite Soiveitss B Bald by e oL D8 SFORE: WALTER 6. CLARK el el