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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (July 1, 1923)
IG=Z] The Omaha Sunday Bee |''."! ^VOL. 53—NO. 3. PART TWO ' OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 1, 1923. ,* 1—B FIVE CENTS [Fast Infield Is Necessary for a Team to Become a Pennant Contender McGraw Points Out Necessity * of Speedy Men Second Baseman Will Make or Break an Infield, Accord ing to Manager of the World’s Champions. S#»n<l Your IV-iNchall Query to M’GRAW’S QIFSTION BOX And Keeel\e a t*cr*<nml Kfply from John J. MHirow, BimpIwII iur.n of nil over the Ynlted Stutes have hern flooding John Mc Grow with question* for nett lenient and he has now derided to establish a question box. If you lmve a wager or an ‘Mmdde baseball” dispute* or baseball query of any kind—let Man ager John Met.raw lie the judge. lifnieniber—It does not necessarily have to refer to major league baseball but may cover a baseball question in any league or right here on local sand lots. As manager of tlie world champion Giant*. John McGraw is the highest paid baseball expert of all time. As malinger of the Giants. winners of eight pennants. John McGraw Is con sidered the grputost living baseball authority and strategist. Send your question to John J. Mr Gruw, Polo Ground*. New York, or care Sports department, this paper. Writ* plain and on one side of paper. Make questions brief. Question* irom fans and answer* by McGraw will ap pear exclusively in this paper. If your query 1* selected, >ou will tltMi receive a personal reply from (^iunager Met.raw. Give name and ad dress. By JOHN J. M’OK.WVN. Mnnuffrr \\ drill'. Champion (ilnnt., the major ami minor league races straighten out, warp Into real shape, the most significant feature to me, as a prae Meal baseball man, is the ever-increas ing Importance of the Infields. The , standing of the va rious clubs Is in al most exact ratio to the strength of the inner defense. A 1 club with a slovV ftifleld, or even a mediocre one, apparently has no chance for the pennant whatever. Major and piinor league managers all ever the country have noted this. Many of them have discussed it with jfi( me. The Infield question has just about rivnied the pitching in impor k tance. In St. Louis, for instance, the . Cardinal* would be a real contender g if more speed could he thrown into ij the 'nfleld. |f "If I could build up ntv infield," R Arthur Fletcher said to me a few R days ago, "the Phillies Would be a Pftj ball club." |Kef, The same thing is true in Boston RwLuf.li the Braves. (Ty Shifts Too Murll. Over in the American league De troit’s failure to give the Yanks a real fight has been due largely to Ty Cobb’s Inability to get his infield straightened out. He has made shift after shift. Still ho has not found j the combination. As a result the ex % pected strength failed to develop. Cleveland lias suffered from that cause and so have the White Sox. “Why is It?" I was asked upon our return to New York, “that the necessity of a fast infield Is more pressing than In the old days?” That was asked by a member of an old-time championship club. “You'll remember.” he called to my attention, “that in the old days we often carried a slow moving in fielder on account of his hitting and managed to get away with it.” That is quite true. By glancing back a little you can recall many of the famous infields where one, and sometimes two, of the players were slow’, but were ke;it for their hitting. In the days of Dan Brouth f.rr, Cap Anson, Hansel!—wall, any number of them—speed in a first baSeutan was not considered imiiort ant. A manager couldn't get away with that today. “The sudden importance of (he fast infield.” I answered my friend's ques. /t!-on, "is due, 1 think, to the intro ' tion of the live ly ball. If there td any gaps in an Infield in this - * <lop and time that ball will bop through them. Many a game has been lost this season by a second baseman not being fast enough to get over toward first and head off that lively bail." Truo Also of .Minors. He agreed with me, eaylng the name same thing applied in the mi nor leagues. "A few years ago,” he explained, "many big leaguers went to the mi nors because they hail slowed up In ground covering. They gut away with It with the old bail, but with this lively one there isn't a chance. Teams with fast, young infields are forging to the front In every minor league In the country." The average fan does not realize the difference between a good infield nnd a very good one. The difference is around second base. Klght there hinges many a pennant. It is having a marked effect on the present race, For example, take the dubs that are real contenders—Giants, Yanks, Pittsburgh, Athletics, Cincinnati. Every one of thorn has a fast In field, not c nly capable of breaking down fiat hit bouncers, but also fast enough to make double plays. Did you notice, by the way, how Wilbert Robinson worked bis head off to get his Infield patched and braced with speed? At first his club seemed hopeless. Ho saw the answer "mediately. Then, with his infield pcerted up, Brooklyn was right in in race. Take the poor club* In both league* and you’ll find all of them have slow Infield*. The pVak of speed In an infield must be at second base. A man of fair or ordinary speed may be used at third. Ho can’t get nway with It ■ round second. Eddl* Collins of the IVhlte Sox was Keep “Old Glory” Out ot the Ring - - - By_Ed Hughes —^o **£ r_ _ f • , b - ■»- v-y attell- «eT CA»AE 1M the. RlMfc> UK£ THIS_. TVtlUCbS APJEHT G)VJVTE.THAT 6AD MOAJ \ R.E.D v WHnrt. v Bloe,amc> Black fco 'too hkje. it3 “■*“*“s”*^r* I 5 ' The MobEKN "Ti<bHreR5 TiAft Colons 5hoolb "B£ 6olo. Silver AaJO Gj^EEM ’ HE other day H. R. Schaeffer, a gentleman with wholesome ideals, wrote me protesting the use of the Stars and Stripes by fight ers in the ring. It was excellent criti cism and I reprint it for that reason: "Today I saw the Kilbane-Criqui fight, and while I was sorry to see our American representative lose to a foreigner, the part that made me feel sad was to see a man wearing the American flag go down to defeat and carry that flag with him, a flog that knows no defeat. I hope your paper will lie the sponsor of a campaign to keep tile Stars and Stripes out of the ring. "When the flag goes down to de feat, and with the help of God may this never happen, let’s see that It is on the battlefield and not around the waist of some prize fighter." An Imperishable Thought. Speaking of perishable thoughts, it may not be amiss to quote one which will never perish: "The flag of our stately battles, not struggles of wrath and greed. “Its stripes were a holy lesson, Its spangles a deathless creed. “'Twaa red with the blood of free men and white with thr fear of the foe. ’ "And the stars that fight in their courses 'gainst tyrants its symbols know.”—Julia Ward Howe. Mr. Schaeffer has singled out Johnny Killiane in voicing his justifi able protest against desecration of the flag. But Johnny is only one of thousands over a long stretch of years to misuse < >kl Glory. The deplorable business lias been going oil almost since prize fighting was Introduced into this country. As a matter of solemn fact Ihe pm ent day fighters have erred less in this matter of delicate propriety than did the old timers. The flag itself is generally used liy Dempsey. Leonard and the rest of the champions in big battles, but the smaller fry have less recourse to the unpalatable tendency than did the general run of old timers. I happened to be running through a small book of fighters’ illustrations the other day, most of the portraits being of boxers of another era. Out of about 10 pictures the following were noted with the American flag twisted around their waists; John 1». KuBlvan, Jim Jeffries, Bob Fitzsim mons, Ad Wolgast, Joe Rivers and Knockout Rrown. The practice is not so general, al though it is plenty bud enough today. At least you do not see boxers using the Ktiys and Stripes as a bathrobe in modern ring engagements. Abe Attell onto had the gull to enter a ring In Philadelphia With the Ameri can flag draping his carcass. The brazen act didn't go by unnoticed Able received a vigorous razzing from the ringsiders who not only under stood good fighting, but the ideals of decent citizenship as well. The Nobler Recognition. The American flag should be lifted from every uptime of professional sport. The professional Ideal in sport or anything else for that matter is the direct antithesis of that embodied in the red, white and blue. Where money is concerned, sportsmanship. It will bo found, has already taken Its de parture, That goes for all "profession al sports," so called, bar none. There is nothing elevating or up lifting concerned with prize fighting or prize fighters. And any one who tries to tell you there Is, Is simply peddling hoakuni and ho knows It. However, It Is an extremely popular form of entertainment, for civilization has a few laps to go yet. And art such it has Its place In the general scheme of things. The American flag has no business near that place, however. There is a wonderful opportunity for boxing commissions throughout the country to Impress this fact on the world at large. And In so doing they would impress the world at large with the conviction that a boxing commission Is some thing more than a director of fist Play It would stamp them as arbiters of good taste with respect to conduct toward Old Glory. Which, by the way, would be the nobler recognition. slow in getting started this season and the dub went up ami down with him, a thermometer. Fans miss these things as a rule because they only note the plays that are made. They seldom observe the glaring cases where plays are not made—and should be. Phillies Are Slow. Tiie other day I noted three dis tinct cases where the Phillies failed to make double plays that would have affected the score. I noticed this also with the Braves. To win a pennant or get up In the race a club must be able to make double plays. What Is still more Important, they must give the other club the impression that they are going to try it. The will to make double plays Is almost as important as the actual making of the play. A slow map at short or second, realizing his lack of speed, has a natural tendency to play safe. Bather than make a bust of it he simply gets one runner ami lets it go at that. That loses many ball games and makes pitchers look bad. The average fan does not see what effect even an effort to go through with It would liuve. Fast base runners, knowing this timidity on the part of slow infield ors, take advantage »f it. Once they are conscious of speed around second they will not take as many chances. Of course, there are many double plays so simple thut even amateurs (an make them. A team may have three in one day and still he slow. It is the willingness in inflelders to take a chance—a feeling of speed con fidenee, that makes the opposing run ners stand Imrk and take notice. Just as a matter of interest, somei of you fans make a note some day of double plays that should be made and are not even attempted. You'll be surprised, particularly if you are watching a slow club. Then watch some fast Infielders like Bancroft. Frisch, Plnelll, Onllo way, Hcott, ltollocher—note the dif ficult chances they accept. Then watch the slow ones—men who let sharp grounders go inspiring through. You’ll see the difference. You’ll see certain clubs are far down in the race and others up in the first divi sion. Yes, infield defense right now is a real barometer In baseball. It ranks very close to pitching. Copyright, 192*. McTiguc-Carpentier Mulch in New Jersey Called Off by Richard New York, Juno 30. — The 'proposed bout between (ieorges Carpentler and Mike McTIgue, world's light-heavyweight cham pion, set for August 11 at Hoyle's thirty acres In Jersey City was called off today by Tex Ulrkard. Hlekard said he had cabled the Frenchman and Descamps, his manager, regarding the bout and falling to receive a reply, can celed it. , Frankie F sch First Player to Touch Century Mark fly PrfN. HICAGO, JUNE 30.—Frankie Frisch, the “Fordham Flash” of the New York Giants, smashed out his 100th hit, last Wednesday and is the first player in the major leagues to touch the century mark. He also shot himself into second position among the bat ters of the National league, who have par ticipated in 40 or more games, according to averages released today and which in clude games of last Wednesday. He is hit ting .382 and is the runner-up to Zack Wheat of Brooklyn, who increased his average 13 points, and tops the list with .392. Charley Grimm of Pittsburgh un derwent a batting slump and slipped to third place, four points in front of Bob O’Farrell of Chi cago, whose batting in the last few weeks has been sensa tional. O’Farrell’s brilliant work includes seven homers and 14 doubles. George Grantham of the Cubs Is steadily pulling away from the other star base stealers, and by the pilfer ing of four sacks during the last week and ran his string up to 1". Cy Williams of Philadelphia lends In home runs with 20. Williams, since his reisrn to the game, has had a bHtting slump which lias carried him out of the leading group. His total base record, however, was brought up to 146, which Is six more bases than credited to Jimmy llottomley of St. Louts. Fred Haney of Detroit, one of the new comers. Is hobnobbing with the veterans at the top of the hatters In the American league. Haney }s fourth with an average of 356. A week ago he was sixth- Ills team mate, Harry Heilmann, continues to head the list. Heilmann is batting .425. Charley Jamieson of the Cleveland Indians gained one point nnd moved Into seeoml place with an nvernge of .370. Eddie Collins of the White Hox lost six points nnd dropped to third plate with .368. Collins Improved his record for stolen liases and now tins 26. A gain Six Horse* Nominated in Latoniu Derby Today Initonifi, Ky., June 30.- A small, but select field of thoroughbred* will •tart in (lie $15,000 added Tditonln der by, which will bp contested over the Ijatnniii track tomorrow. Six w»r# named over night to *ince for th# honors nnd the $16,500 pursa which will go to the winner of the one and a ho If mile race. New York —Tnm O'ltourkc, Polo Grounds Athl**tln club tuui« tinutkor. un nounifd that ho hud signed llnriy Ornh. I’ll f*0.nigh, and Johnny Wilson, II opt of. middle wrighi t hantplon. foi « 16 round r|n. Inh>n tlit# bout at tha Polo ground*, oh Auguat 31 of two over the previous week. He also ran his string of sacrifice hits to 20. "Habe" Kuth has been unable to Improve his longdistance hitting mark of 14 homers, but Increased his record as a run getter, by two runs, making a total of 58 tallies to his Ircdit. Ituth's total base record of 187 Is being endangered by Heil mann, who has a record of 188 total bases. Hellmann's string Included 21 doubles, three triples and eight hom ers In his collection of R.‘> hits, while Ituth's mark Is 71 hits and embraces besides hla homers, 14 doubles and five triples. Paul Murray Picks Dempsey to Beat Tommy □\l li MI'RR.W, professor «f boxing at the North Side dub, lias the rout-ill of July hat tie between Dempsey ami liihbnns all figured out. Murray boxed with Dempsey when Iteinpsey xvas here several months ngo and lie knows consider able about the rliaiitphm's form and pulirh. Moreover, Murray tins suc cessfully picked the winner and the knockout round In the last two championship lights, lienee his view la of some Interest. lie believes Dempsey will gel tiili hons in tlie lllli round with a body blow, lie declares that (lie clinm* plan's body blows are of terrific power and mure to lie feared Ilian blows to the fare, lie also believes that- Gibbons’ stomach D weak Gate Receipts in Bi^ Fistic Goes of Past Following is recorded receipt* of all hig fistic encounters in recent years since the gate receipts took the major interest away from the fart that two individuals were seeking world's honors: IlenipseyCarpentier . . $1,600,000.00 Dempsey Willard . 455.525.10 Jeff lies Johnson . 270,775.00 Dcnipoey ltrennan . 162,76000 W illard Moran . 152,000.00 Leonard Mitchell . 136,106.36 Wilson O'Dowd . 108,61963 I .canard-Welling . 99,750.00 Johnson Hums . 97.000,00 Jackson Kansas . 86,365.60 L> ru h-Herman . 82,683.10 t lianey Sieger . 75,384.85 tians-Nelson . 69,715.00 Jackson ritisiinmons .... 68,873.30 Willard Johnson . 68,006.00 llritton l cw is . 66,910.00 JctTricsSharkey . 66.300.00 Jeffrles-Corbelt . 63,340.00 Corbett-McCoy .. 36,350.00 Mctiovern Krne . 57,000 00 Jackson Dundee . 51,836.70 Dundee Welling . 31,749 50 lirennan-Martln . 51,579.65 Smith tl'Dowd . 50.157.50 1 hr I »V & (ilhwil liaorlitlll tram will piny thy Penvrr division club si ] .3C» p. m Hun day at Fort Omaha Abraham I Incoln Baiilyl I mhe llallrr, AHutha uiti lu r, has born retun.r.l to the Now Or lr*n a rlub of the Houthrrn aa •Delation. VtrruiiM* only fho nmiiagrri of hair <Mty Irague t*«tna were preaent at a reau lar mhilnif last nlfht. It was Inipneaihl# for th« Ira gun to transact anv buatnsoa. Vba mrrtlng was held at thl city hall. N at inn ally ranked fcnnU |tla> rrt nrrr In action In t he I’ailflc roaat trnnta chain nkanship >cM«ida> and all but on# ad yaaced Tbr qualifying round for Ihs faknma roTipiry club «t*if t hainplunshln will start thia afternoon, weather conditions per mitting The nnmmf t lmmbrr <»f f otnmerre gttlf tlnriiaiurnt will t «• held over the <»mah* rain * eerie* wit la ICrnta Holim* White noutuad this morning Omni* furry anti Newahiiy llrown, J*i«»ux t’lty bantam*. have been matrhrti fnt a bout in Hious City na*t Tuesday night. Tit* i tilstirv tf»av Hot, colored tram of ball playeYa have canceled their thf*r Field • Inti emirate July 1?. It waa in $«»* The fnt gem** of the at^rim waa at hnduletl for the Huffaloea’ pat k this af ternoon. Mn nag rr Hoag Hat 4*f the Foirhnry rlub of the Nrbraak v Htate league ttaa aoltt OntnflrIdrr Hlla* to the llmiatoti tram of the Tpih* letigue for $1,100 Itllaa joined Kalrburv from the Omaha club, coming to thy Buffaloes us a pitcher. Titleholders From Hyer to Jack Dempsey Here is a list of the heavyweight champions of America and the years each held the title: Jacob Hyer .. Torn Hyer .1841-1847 John Morrissey .1853-1858 John C. Ileenan.1858-1861 Joe Coburn .1862-1884 Kill Davis t0.1864-1865 James Dunn .1865-1866 Mike Met note .1866 1809 Charles (iallaglier .1969.1869 Tom Allen .1869-1876 Joe Doss ...1876 1880 Paddy Ryan .1880 1882 John I„ Sullivan . 1882-1892 James J. Corbett. 1892-1897 Robert Fitzsimmons . 1897-1899 James J. Jeffries. 1899 1905 Tommy Burns .1906-1908 Jack Johnson .1908-1915 Jess Willard .1915-1919 Jack Dempsey .1919-1923 New York.—The proposed bout between f’arpentler and Mike McTigue. world* likht-hea vywelKht champion. set for A uirutit 11. was definitely called off by Tex Rickard. Schlaifer’s Poor Showing Against Rock Smith Causes Lots of Talk S ‘‘Kid" Schlaifer about through as a fighter, or was his poor showing against Rock Smith Friday due to his ring idleness? To those who witnessed the "Kid's" battle against Smith in a Council Bluffs ring last night, it appeared as if Schlaifer Is about at the end of his rope. Perhaps he wasn't in the best of shape and then again maybe he didn't try his best. Whatever it was, Schlaifer didn't shrew the same brand of ring warfare that he displayed against such boy* as Wells, Shade, Karr, Sehoell and others. About a year ago Schlaifer knocked Smith out in the second round of a bout at the Omaha bull park.’ Last night he knocked Smith down for a count of nine in tlie fourth anil ninth rounds, but failed to kayoe his nppo> nent. although he won the fight on points. If ring idleness was responsible for his poor showing last night, then h» should get busy and round into con ditlon before he fights again. He propelled his mittens like a windmill. Hock .Smith is not a clever fighter, yet he made the "Kid" miss tint* and again. Schlaifer was not ac curate with his wallops and neither could he tjme very many of his punches. He was slow on his feet and several times during the bout caught rights from Smith's shoulder. The "Kid"^ howrever, can still lake ’em. Schlaifer won five frames of their 10-round bout, some by narrow mar gins and others by wide margins. Three rounds were called even by the writer. • Smith, if he was a smart fighter, would l>e the victor over Slorrie this morning, via the foul route. Schlaifer hit Hock low several times, twice in the fourth round and once in the ninth, that would have caused any fighter ti^flop to the floor. Burgess-Nash Company "everybodys store” Cool Tropical Suits Summer Comfort Their Tailoring Gives Style and Fit Cool, light weight tropicals, styled and tailored as these are, make an Ideal suit for summer. In business, for sports, or outing, they have an air of comfortable smartness that we dressed men appreciate. These offer a maxi mum of value, too. “Styleplus” Palm Beach Suits $15.00 Cool, comfortable suits of the better kind as their trade-murk attests. 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