S S
Some noses, it seems, were unjointed to see a fat party in clover,
Then m an old twtlMr uw Jinx
Who wrot knt vlf aad tho link
Whn story hdMll
He'd nkt for spell
Bot, not dpob too or hi risks.
Than aa aid aaaean maaml Teal
Waa kaata (or daoka a (real deal
Tba daeka ware all taana
Aad ka flatlaaed ka aana
With the Una of hla aotoraobUe.
a So tAejf Aad- a commission appointed to look the commissioner over
THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: JANUARY 28. 1917.
ft
Judgments,
AVY FULTZ' very cote nd
I " foxy move of seeking affilia
I I tion for the players fraternity
I J with the American Federa
tion of labor has missed fire,
according to reports from Washing
ton, which say the Fultz application I
has heen denied by the labor leaders. !
. Notwithstanding anv merit the strike i
. of the players may or may not have,
the labor leaders have taken the right
action. If Fultz could have secured
admittance of .the frat it would have
been a ten-strike for him and would
unquestionably have been a big aid.
But the players' fraternity has ex
isted three years now and not until
few days ago did it apply for mem
bership in the federation. A strike is
impending. On the surface it is ap
parent the Fultz move was a strike
move,' that the players' fraternity
hoped to use the labor federation as
a club, not that players really desired
to take a part in the work of the fed
eration. Can you imagine one of our
--$10,000 a year athletes taking any in
terest in a bricklayers' or carpenters'
strike? Can you see the players' fra
ternity paying any dues into the fed
eration after the players' strike has
become a lost issue? What? Evi
dently the labor leaders savtit in the
same light and refused to fall for the
sly political move of- the foxy Fuhz.
But you have to hand it to Davy at
that; he's a shrewd bird and over
looks few bets.
The automobile speedways of the
United States apparently have made
. a discovery, said discovery being that
co-operation is a better method of
doing business than cut-throat com-
. petition. The speedways have banded
together and have secured the passage
of legislation which will force the
five leading drivers of the country
to appear at every championship
event Last year when contest di
rectors of the various speedways tried
to sign up drivers they encountered
trouble among the leading stars. The
big fellows wanted guaranteees or ap
pearance money. As a result some of
the speedways didn't get some of the
big stars, they didn't have the money
to pay for them. If any automobile
driver deserves appearance money it
is the little fellow, the chap whose
car isn't fast enough to win prize
money for him consistently. He has
a hard time getting along, while the
big fellow, who has a swift machine
and makes enough in prize money
to net him a substantial income for
the year, goes out and collects a lot
more ia guarantees and appearance
money. But that day apparently has
passed and the goose that laid the
golden egg for the big drivers has f
t
Ejecn juueu,
Mr. Waldo Zbyszko lias announced j
to the palpitating world that he in
tends to start immediately in pursuit
of the wrestling championship of the
United .States, Europe Afghanistan,'
Mars ana a tew otner points winch
we fail to recall, and furthermore, as
severates that Joe Steaher is destined
to be the ultimate victim, Mr. Zbysz
ko's intentions, no doubt, may be
very commendable and very laudable,
t but we' have a suspicion Waldo is
going to encounter some rough going
if he attempts to invade the dense
underbrush of the wild and woolly
frontier of barbaric Nebraska. If
Waldo will only come this way we
can refer him to half a dozen young
savages who will do their best to en
tertain him, and we'll also, risk our
share of the Bethlehem dividends
. he'll be ready to beat it back to that
dear old Broadway Georgie Cohan
used to write songs about after he
tangles with any one of them. And
we are confident Messrs-. Steelier,
Plestina, Peters, Caddock, Pesek .et
al will bear us out.
Base ball critics seem to be award
ing the 1917 National league pennant
to John McGraw already. On paper
Muggsy's crew of prize pippins have
all the earmarks of flag winners.
Hollie, Zimmerman, Fletcher and
Herzog look like the classiest infield
in the business. And what better
outfield could one ask than Robert
son, Burns and Kauff? McCarty is
about the best of the National league
catchers, while Benton, Perritt, Tes
reau, Schupp, Sallee et al make up a
formidable hurling staff. And in ad
dition, of course, McGraw has a score
of rookies any one of whom may
prove sensations. On paper it looks
like a McGraw pennant But pecu
liar things happen in base ball; you'll
remember the- Braves once beat the
invincible Athletics four straight, and
even Cincinnati might even take the
Giants to a cleaning. There is an
old adage that's almost become a bro
mide about "don't count your chick
ens," and it's one proverb that bats a
thousand irf base ball.
If the Western league observes one
new rule established by the big
leagues, a few of our hurling experts
are croin&r to have a tou?h time. The
majors have prohibited the use of J
rosin by pitchers. Ball games in the
Western last year generally ran from
one hour and forty minutes to two
hours and thirty minutes, and about
half oftae time was taken by pitchers
digging into their pockets after ' a
chunk of rosin. Some pitchers never
threw a ball without plastering it with
40 cents worth of the gummy sub
stance. The Western league moguls
would be wise to put the ban on rosin,
not only because it is an artificial aid
to the pitcher, but it wastes a lot of
perfectly good time and long drawn
out, tedious ball games are not rel
ished by the fans.
Once more has Dan Cupid been
dealt a k. o. blow in the world of
sport. Charley Weeghmann has in
formed his athletes that the training
trio to California is no joy ride a.na
that wives and families will be
strictly opposed, barred and tabooed.
It will be entirely a stag affair, be
cause Weeghmann avers the presence
of the fair ones has a tendency to re
moves the athlete's attention from his
work. Which should now start the
aro-nment all over aeain. Is the mar
ried or single man the 'iest ball
player?" Beatrice Fair.. . - please
Bote. -
TALK OF SECTIONAL
TODRMS IS HEARD
Increased Size of State Basket
Bali Event Leads to Specu
lation Over Problem.
SIX
TEAMS
ARE
FAVORED
By KARL LEE.
The increased size of the annual
state basket ball tournament, coupled
with objections offered by larger
schools, has brought .up the question
of a sectional tourney and asking
whether a big majority of the teams
of the state shall be eliminated, ac
cording to locality, at a smaller tour
nament in their own section of the
state, after which winners will fight
for the highest honors in a central
metropolis, or whether the present
system shall be allowed to maintain
itself, growing larger and larger each
year. State university officials, of
course, will be on the latter side. '
The question concerning the cen
tral tournament has been successfully
solved by Guy Reid, assistant director
of athletics at the Nebraska univer
sity. According to records for the
season the hundred or more teams
are divided into three distinct classes.
A, B and C, and the championships
of each division fought out during
the four days of the tourney, the final
winning team receiving a silver cup.
This system is as excellent as could
be conceived, provided the classifica
tion committee doss not discriminate.
Leading teams arc lining up in
splendid order thus far and at this
late pre-season moment give promise
of affording the keenest competition
yet witnessed on the university floors
next March. New men form the ma
jority membership of practically
every squad in the state, while for
the most part all of the new recruits
have been experts in grade school or
Young Men's ' Christian association.
Beatrice opened the season with not
an old regular in the lineup. Fre
mont had but one, but since the re
turn of the Nebraska National Guard
has since added three veterans. Lin
coln and Central High are practically
together in preserving all of their last
years fives, while Sooth High re-
cruitea Dut one man. the tight for
the championship, to all appearances,
will center among six teams, Central
High, Lincoln, Fremont. Friend. Ge
neva and South High. Lineups of
tnese tavprite teams this year and
last are as follows:
CENTRAL HIGH.
Mulligan, Coach.
- 1H.
Maxwell
F.'F., p.tly
Patty
......F.'F
,p""'r
. . Smith
Payntar
Koneky
. Logan
I Urovea .Q'a. .'.''".'.
. . r in
Logan o.jci
, . . SOUTH HIGH,
: Patton, Coacb. ...
I Ul. liu.
Corr .'.r.l... Wll.on
srinunon f.;f. Graham
Nixon
C.IC Cott
O la Emlffb
O IG Ktter
Shainholta '
Bott
MNCOUf BIQH.
Reese, Coach.
1911. HIT.
Alhrecht ,....P.F Albrecht
Cyproaneon ... F.F.-. .'. Cypraannon
Brian C.lf! Brian
Smith O.IO Smith
Schrocder O.IO PlUard
FREMONT HIUH.
Grinhell, Coach.
11I. 1117.
Gardiner F.IF.....' Oardlrar
Ellprbrock ....... .F.IF. ,. Fltialmmona
Dana CMC '. Dana
Telgler Q.lo Chrlitalnaon
Uldam O.'O...' Anderaon
BEATRICE HIGH.
Arnold. Coach.
191.
Cosford
Shellenbarg ,.
Ward
Burroughs . . .
Hubka
1917.
F.IF Kyle
...t.F.IF :.. Btevena
C.lc Ellla
O.IO Patrick
O.(0 Stoll
COLUMBUS.
Webb, Coach, '
1917.
F.IF Weavar
,,i..F.F P.. Newman
C.C.. Llsco
1911.
C. Newman...
Weaver ......
I.lnco
Miller,
O.'O Miller
Brock O.'g
A. Newman
GKNBVA HIGH.
Thelaon, Coach.
ltie. ii7.
Otia F.IF
Martin ' F.IF
Ashton C. C
.1. Kiwnt-r O.'O B.
B. Koehler O.'O..
UN1VKR8ITT PI.ACW.
Jonea, Caacb.
HIS. 1(17.
Payne .1..F.IF.
Burke F.IF
Amoa C'C
Martin
. Camp
Fnosetl
Koehler
. . Otla
Harper
Baney
Oaten
Baney G.iG Cnmmtnfra
Hint G.ja Aden
Harry Hooper Puts
. Money in Auto and
Then Burns It Up
Harry Hooper of the Boston Red
Sox invested, his world's series money
in a big automobile. It took fire out
in California the other day and
burned up.t Hooper now has good
reason for "hoping there will be no
strike. He wants to get to 'work
early and earn the price of a new
automobile. '
Wallop of Omahan Knocked Cubs'
Catcher Into Chance of Career
By "SERK."
Billy Dilhoefer, known in Cleve
land, O., under the pseudonym of
"Pickles," possessor of an enviable
reputation as a classy amateur back
stop, has just been given an oppor
tunity to try his luck with the Chi
cago Cubs, all because an Omahan
hit him across the head with a ball
bat and swiped a bicycle away back
in 1906. t
Joe Harris, concessionaire at the
Gayety, is the Omahan.
In 1906, Harris, who now wears
glasses and drives a flivver, was slabr
man on a sandlot crew which had
Dilhoefer for its catcher.
One day in a practice game, Joe
was at iat and Dilhoefer was catch
ing. Harris swung his willow and ac
cidentally caught Dilhoefer on the
head, flattening him. Dilhoefer's bi
cycle was on the ground neartiy, and
Harris saw in it a saiety-out. pe
seized it and pedaled for dear life
down Euclid avenue as -fast as he
could go, with Dilhoefer, mad as a
"SCOTS WflA HAE" SPED THE STANES TO VICTORY Balmoral Rink, who won the
Omaha championship at the roarin' game and now hold the John L. Kennedy trophy.
From left to rijhtj Alex Melvin, Ed Tracey, Boh Gait and Boh Melrin, skip.
I , "
L r 1 K
i -1 II I Jf 1 I W V WIM
aMBtt3aal l i
PLESTIM-CUTLER -MATCH
POSTPONED
Win Be Held About February
20. on. Account of the
Stecher-Peters Mill.
MAY CHALLENGE WINNEE
The wrestling match between Marin
Plestina and Charley Cutler, originally
scheduled for Omaha on February 12,
will be postponed probably until about
February' 20, because of the Stecher
Peters match here February 9,
After hit match with Freddie Beell,
in which he threw the.little Wisconsin
man two straight fall, Plestina chal
lenged Cutler and Cutler wired back
"name the date." Plestina named
Fchmarv 12. hut when Steelier and
Peters were matched, for February 9
it was decided this date would be too
close, so .Cutler has been advised that
a later date will be selected.
Cutler is.the man who came out to
Omaha two years ago to make Joe
Stecher's reputation for. him. Cutler
made it by succumbing to Joe's cele
brated scissors hold twice in about
twenfy minutes.
- Hopes to Meet Stccher.
Plestina, who has high hopes of
some day wresting Stecher's laurels
away from him, Says he intends to
throw Cutler in even quicker time than
Stecher did. He will have to show
some speed, though. .
It is said Plestina is contemplating
challenging the winner of the Mecher
Prrrra match. Plestina has been
thrown by both Joe and Charley, but
that was when he weighed about 250
pounds and was in no shape to wrestle
anybody, let alone men of the caliber
of Stecher and Peters. He now hits
the scales at about 210 or 215 pounds,
is in good shape, trains faithfully
every day and believes ' that In his
improved condition he can throw
either Stecher or Peters,
Pittsburgh Stove
League Will Hold
Doings for Wagner
The Pittsburgh Stove league is
planning a big celebration for Hans
Wagner on his birthdajf, February
24. It will be the. first "public ap
pearance" of Wagner since his mar
riage, and the occasion is to be made
of more than ordinary interest, with
some gift for the veteran player that
he will appreciate.
Michigan Will Not Play
. Foot Ball With Princeton
The University of Michigan will not
meet Princeton on the gridiron next
fall. The reason given for the failure
to arrange a game is that Princeon
would not enter into a two-year con
tract The eastern institution was
willing to play one game with Michi
gan, but would not agree to a return
contest.
wet hen, in hot pursuit. As he ped
aled, Harris was explaining that it
was all an accident. ' .
"If you wouldn't get sore so easy,
you'd be a good catcher, Pick I" Joe
alibied, his legs still clawing the ped
als. ' .
"Stop, you son-of-a-giin! Stop'
begged Dilhoefer, still running. .
"Honest, Pick, you're the best III"
ol' catcher I ever sawl If you'd only
stand a little farther off from the
plate you'd be the best in the world,"
answered Harris, still pedaling.
He finally winded Pickles and got
away. In a couple, ot days ne maae
up" again with Dilhoefer and the lat
ter acquired the habit of standing
dark from the nlate.
"I made him what he is today,"
proudly declared Harris when he saw
the story of Dilhoefer's rise to fame,
as nublished in a Cleveland newspa
per. "He'd have died on the gallows
if I hadn't cooped that bike and made
my getaway that day. and sow look
it where he il
ThetivpodermicNeedle
By FRED S.
YES WE WOULD.
We care not if the players strike,
For we can get along,
. For ball games, bo, mean work
for us,
And work that is no song.
But, oh, .what gloom 'twould be
to us,
'Twould change our life aobut.
Would make us worry, fume and
fret.
If the wrestlers should walk
out.
Freddie Welsh, aftef getting
his can knocked off by Ritchie
Mitchell, came to bat with the
alibi that he was suffering from
a cold. In the feet perhaps?
The' principal objection, it is
said, to Gene Melady"s boxing
bill is thati boxing is too rough,
showing the objectors have never
seen our modem fighters in ac
tion. Boxing as she is practiced to
day is about as rough and uncouth
as a croquet match.
., Hoodooed. :
'. Speaking of useless labor, Illi
nois box fight enthusiasts are try
ing to put a bill through the leg
islature with No. I J (tagged to It.'
THE REASON.
"I'm going to strike," the player
cried.
In accents wild the world defied.
"I don't know what 1ft all about,
But I am going to strike," I shout,
"Because Fultz told me to.
. Like the players we are not sure
what the strike is for, but we
have a hunch it so Davy can hold
his job.
Fultz has called the players'
strike for February 20. A most
propitious time, the players
don t go to work until April.
Which leads to a point of ques
Upton, Wyo., Says
Caddock Does Not
Belong to Anita
New York is said to be fiercely
jealous of Chicago, St. Paul of Min
neapolis, Portland of Seattle, San
Francisco of Los Angeles, but now
comes to light a rivalry of cities that
promises great results.
Upton, Wyo., has come to bat to
dispute Anita, Ia.'s right of proprie
torship to Earl Caddock. '
Union declares that Caddock is
from Upton and not Anita and its
citizens protest strenuously against
all references to Caddock which aver
he is from Anita. Upton bases its
claim upon the fact that Caddock is
said to have a homestead at Upton
and is only absent now on the five
months leave allowed all homestead
ers.
Let the fun go on.
Tom Andrews Issues
Sporting Record Book
The T. S. Andrews Sporting Rec
ord Book published for 1917 has just
been published. Among the features
of the new issue are the complete
ring records of about 150 prominent
boxers, including the sensational Les
Darcy and Jimmy .Wilde, the new
world's champion in the fly weight
division. A fund of miscellaneous in
formation regarding the record events
in all departments of sport is in
cluded. The book is for sale at all
news stands, or will be sent by mail
on receipt of 12 cents in stamps. Ad
dress T. S. Andrews Publishing com
pany, Milwaukee, Wis. r
Nephew of Pat Flaharty
Will Get Another Trial
Young Ed Flaherty, nephew of the
famous Pat, will get another chance
to make good, Clark Griffith having
decided to take him to the training
camp.
HUNTER.
tion, how can a guy strike be
fore he gets a job?
There is no truth in the rumor
that Ban Johnson has compli
mented Dave Fultz on his astute
business judgment. ( .
There is also no truth' to the
rumor that Ban Johnson called
Fultz "one of the nicest chaps I
know."
Harvard foot ball players have
started winter training in the
base ball cage, it is reported. A
padded cell would be a better
place for gridiron guys who prac
tice at this time of year.
Or Tom Thumb.
L Darcy, 'tis said, will meet
Al McCoy in his first bout in
America. Why didn't Les choose
Vernon Castle?
Oscar Stanage has been ex
pelled from the players' frater
nity, which .should make Oscar
feel woefully woeful.
Horrible Thought.
A players' strike would be a
terrible thing, but just imagine
what a dire calamity it would be
if the peanut venders walked out.
Fred Fulton and Frank Moran
are to fight in Havana, which is
some relief to the much-oppressed
United States.
The paramount issue now is
whether the European war will
stop before Jess Willard pulls
another fight.
When it comes to speed in
signing up for matches, Jess
Willard makes the well known
snail look like Dario Resta and
Eddie Rickenbac&er rolled into
one. f
Les -Darcy says he will enlist
after he has had three fights. 'At
his present speed Les should be
ready to enlist about three years
after the war is over.
South Dakota Will
Not Have Place on
Creighton Schedule
After nine years, during which the
two elevens clashed every Thanks
giving day, it is said to be probable
that Creighton and South Dakota will
not meet on the gridiron this year.
When Creighton went after Syra
cuse for a Thanksgiving game the
Coyotes felt slighted and informed
the local school they thought they
should be entitled to first considera
tion for this date. Now, according
to reports from Vermillion, South
Dakota has decided it probably will
not play Creighton and is negotiat
ing tor a .Thanksgiving game witn
Ames or Iowa. ,;r ,
John Pesek Will. Tackle
One of Terrible Turks
John Pesek, the Buffalo county mat
marvel, who stood Earl Caddock off
without a fall for one hour ten days
ago, will clash with Bob Managoff,
one of the species of terrible Turks, at
Ravenna, Neb., Tuesday night. It
will be a finish match, two falls out
of three. Managoff is well known in
Omaha. He has appeared here a
number of times and was with the
Sells-Floto circus when it appeared
here last summer.
Get This! Speaker
Works' for $3 a Day
Tris Speaker and Bobby Roth,
Cleveland's great star and nearly
great star, respectively, are work
ing on Owner James Dunn's rail
road in order to keep in condition
for next season. For devoting
eight hours of their energies to
railroading they draw the sum of
$3 per day.
FIVE STATES WANT
TO TACKLE BOXING
Measures Introduced in Illinois,
Nebraska, Missouri, Cali
fornia and Michigan.
THAT WILLIAMS MATCH
By RINGSIDE.
Chicago, Jan. 27. Boxing, given a
black eye in days gone by because
of the shady actions of its adher
ents, may come back into his own in
1917.
Already in five states Illinois,
Missouri, California, Michigan and
Nebraska hills have been introduced
to Irtalizc the same of fisticuffs,
and there is every indication that they
will pass.
In Illinois colonel uarniy oi mc
Second Illinois infantry, impressed
by the success of boxing among the
men while on border duty, is behind
a measure to grant boxing to the
cities of the state under proper re
strictions, a
In Missouri, where boxing in lim
ited number of rounds is already per
mitted, a measure has been offered
to raise the limit to twenty rounds.
It is fostered by Dr. C. W. Wester
man, chairman of the St. Louis Box
ing commission. In St. Louis twelve
round contests, under police super
vision and without decisions, are in
vogue. In Kansas City and St Jo
seph fifteen rounds to a decision are
permitted or barred, according to
whether the police administrations
are favorable or unfavorable.' In Jop
lin short contests to a decision are
put on. The Westerman bill would
make all parts of the state equal.
Funds to Mothers.
In California the proposed law pro'
vided for r state boxing commission
and ten-round contests conducted by
reeularlv incorporated clubs. 1 he f e
mainder of the commission's receipts
above actual expenses would go to
the mothers pension tund.
Conditions in Michigan are oecu
liar, and over-eagerness on the part of
the promoters may spoil me cnances.
ernor Ferris both houses of the leg'
islature passed a measure legalizing
boxing. When the measure reached
the governor it promptly was' vetoed
Boxing enthusiasts were leading op
nonenti of the re-election of Gov
crnor Ferris and supported the new
executive, A. E. Sleeper, who is said
to look favorably upon glove con
tests.
Promoters Miss Guess.
The nroraoters. however, took too
much for (ranted, and no sooner had
Governor leeper taken omce man
they began staging bouts all over the
state, whereuoon the governor in
structed the sheriffs to clamp the lid
on and keep it on untij such time as
the sport had been made lawful.
Minnesota is in danger of losing
the game as the result of the boxing
commission's interpretation of the
law passed two years ago. George
Moeller, a representative and author,
of the law, intended that the entire
state should be permitted to stage
bouts, but the commission construed
it to apply only to St. Paul, Minne
apolis and uuiutn, ana moencr, an
orrrrl at what he believes unfair nil
ings, is asking for a repeal of the law.
Even South Doubts,
Even down in New Orleans, where
ihnv an? ilrnnff for the south and all
thincrs southern, there is some doubt
of the justness of the decision of Ref
eree Btfiy Rocap of Philadelphia in
awarding the bantamweight crown of
Kid Williams of Baltimore to Pete
Hermann of New Orleans after their
twenty-round mill. The papers gen
erally expressed surprise over the de
cision and frankly doubted whether
Hermann was entitled to any more
than a draw at best.
Rocjd. in a statement Issued imme'
diately after the decision had been
hissed and he had been booed in three
of the city's leading hotels, declared
that he based the award on the fact
that Hermann beat Williams to most
of the leads and the effect of the
southerner's blows. Williams, he said,
landed often and hard on the body,
but he asserted it required no skill to
do that
Those who saw the fight declare
that Hermann displayed a surprising
lack of aggressiveness, that after
'minute or so of whirlwind fighting he
invariably sought cover and did not
follow up his two knockdowns of the
champion. It might be mentioned
that when the pair met a year ago
Rocan was the third man in the ring
and gave Williams the decision when
all the speculator's believed Hermann
was entitled to it.
However, all arguments aside, Her
mann now is champion by virtue of
the decision. It would be only fair
that he give Williams a return battle
at an early opportunity, although he
declares he will not defend his title
for at least a year. He plans to pick
off some of the grapes irom vaude
ville engagements and Williams,
"Kewpie" Ertle and Frankie Burns,
as well as other championship aspir
ants, will have to wait until he is
ready to meet them.
Incidentally, a little sidelight on
how the new king acts in the ring
should be interesting in view of the
fact that outside of a few short en
gagements in the east, which failed
to attract attention, he has not dis
played his wares in many places out
side of his home city. "Red" Dolan,
now of Chicago, but who often boxed
with Pete while down south, has this
to say of him:
"He is a wonderful two-handed
fighter. He started as a bootblack
and acquired a reputation as a good
boy in rough and tumble scraps be
fore he actually became a pugilist
Like his countryman, Johnny Dundee,
Hermann is a regular jumping-jack
in the ring. When he first started
Frankie Burns stopped him in twelve
rounds and that has been his only
Serious setback. He is a whale in a
istance fight and the longer he goes
the better he seems to get."
'In case there is any curiosity about
it, Herman's right name is Peter Gul-lato-
. .
OPTIONAL BOYS
HORTBASE BALL
International League Makes
Ruling Not to Accept Play
ers on Such Agreements.
ZBYSZKO IS ON WARPATH
By JACK VEIOCK.
New York, Jan. 27. When Ed Bar
rows called his International leaguers j
together here during the early part of ;
the month they passed upon a ques
tion that has long been like a burr
under the saddle to minor league club
owners the country over.
The question was whether to accept
players from major league clubs un
der optional agreements, which give
the big league owner the right to re
call them before the season closes.
The International leaguers voted
against the practice, and from now on,
thev live up to their agreement,
no olavers will be taken off the hands
of big league managers unless they
are to be permitted to stick tnrougn
out the playing season.
the move was just one more evi
dence of the unrest that is prevalrnt .
within the minor leagues all oyer the
country. At the meeting of the .Na
tional association in New Orleans last
fall . the club owners of all minor
leagues talked over plans whereby .
they might better conditions, and the
optional agreement came in for a,
share of discussion, particularly i
among the magnates of the three big .
minor leagues.
Not Quits Fair.
It isn't Quite fair to a minor league
club owner to be called upon to give i
up s player in mid-season when his
club is likely to be in the midst of a i
fight for the leadership of the league.
Take one good player out of s lineup, ,
aud the winning combination it the
club is a winner is broken up. Un- .
der the optional agreement the minor
leaguer has no chance to protest. He ,
took players with strings tied to them, .
probably against his better judg-1
mrnt, but principally because other
club owners were doing the same.
thing and he had to do so in order to
build up a strong team.
With the International learue
agreed as a unit to keep away from
optional agreements, no club owner .
in the circuit will be in a position to .
benefit by grabbing good talent off
the big league benches and thereby
"putting it over" on his fellow mags.
That is if the Internatipnals Itve !
up to their pledges.
Club owners in the American asso-
ciation and the Pacific Coast league
nave long Been against optional
agreements. They realize that their
ball clubs may be weakened at anv
time it they carry such players on .
their rosters. Jimmy McGilf of the
Indianapolis Indiana Is one magnate
who has been strongly opposed to
purchasing such talent for his teams.
Even when he owned the Denver-'
Grizzlies. McGilt seldom took players
with strings tied to them, and he has
always managed to keep the ball clubs
in tne running. ;
Zbyeiko on Warpath.
Jack Curlcy tells us that Wladek
Zbyszko is preparing to go after the
catch-as-catch-can wrestling skv
piece with teeth and toe nails. The !
Pole, according to Curlcy, has nicked
off the championships of all of the
foreign countries at the catch-as-catch-can
Stvle. anrl itilt aa annn I
Joe Stecher announces his willingness '
to re-enter me wrestling arena,
Wladek is going after a match with !
him.
"I'm out for the championship and !
bar nobody," says Zbyszko. "1 will!
go to any country, any distance, to i
prove my right to the title. Frank1
Gotch is absolutely through, and he.
has so announced, so I figure Stecher
the logical man to seek for my first
match. .
"If Stecher doesn't want to wrestle
within a reasonable length of time I'll !
take on anbody else. There's Rogers, I
Hussans, Aberg, Lewis and Ainericus.
Any of these will do. All 1 want toi
do is establish myself as soon as I
possibly can."
Willard Surprised. ; .
Jess Willard was surprised, and not ;
without reason, when Fred Fulton '
topped Tom Cowlcr off his feet in one
round in their meeting in New. York. j
Jess was frank about it, too. Said he:
"It's the biggest surprise I ever had. ,
I had no idea that Fulton was as good
as that. I thought the match would
go ten rounds and that Fulton would j
manage to win it on points. I would
have bet a good-sized roll on that.
I ve always thought that eventu
ally I will get on with Fulton, and I
am satisfied now that the time is
coming soon. If he defeats Frank
Moran he will be entitled to a match,
though I would rather wait until
warmer weather comes so that the
bout can be staged out of doors,
"I don't like the idea of fighting in
a stuffy hall. The big outdoors is I
the place for me, and besides it is fair-.
er to the fighting public. , Where a
match is staged indoors the promoters
have a limited amount of space tor
seating the crowd. - They have to
charge big prices to get out with a
fair profit. In an outdoor arena prices
need not be boosted to the skies and .
I think it is much fairer to the fight
fans."
The managers of the sixteen big
league clubs are all named, the last .
to be installed being Jack Barry, at
Boston. They are as follows:
American League Boston, Jack
Barry; Chicago, Clarence Rowland;
Detroit, Hughie Jennings; St. Louis,.
Fielder Jones; New York, Bill Dono
van; Cleveland, Lee Fohl; Philadel
phia, Connie Mack; Washington
Clark Griffith.
National League Chicago, Fred
Mitchell; New York, John McGraw;
Pittsburgh, Jimmy Callahan; Brook
lyn, Wilbert Robinson; Boston,'
George Stallings; St Louis, Miller
Huggins; Cinncinnati, Christy Math
ewson; PhiladelphM, Pat Moran.
Puts Up 58,000 Bucks to
Break Into Base Ball.
Thomas J. Darmody, who recently
gained possession of the Vernon dub
in the Pacific Coast league, paid 458.
000 for the controlling interest in tUt,
club. . t . . '. '. .. ,
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