Undiluted Spring Sunshine Still Cures the Worst Cases of Holdoutitis
FOUR OF ROURKES
SICNJONTRACTS
Documents of Krug, Carrie,
Shag Thompson and Wat
kins in Fa's Safe.
START TRAINING MARCH 19
The signed contracts of four mem
bers of the Rourke family now re
pose safely within Pa Rourke's safe.
The four athletes who have accepted
terms and attached their signatures to
the documents are Manager Marty
Krug, Pitcher Murphy Currie. Out
fielder Shag Thompson and Infielder
Johnny Watkins.
All four accepted the terms Pa
offered them without so much as a
murmur of objection. Catcher Tony
Brottem, who was obtained from the
St. Louis Cardinals, sent his contract
back with an accompanying kick be
cause the contract neglected to con
tain a clause which called for Rourke
to pay Tony's transportation to Oma
ha. Pa put the clause in and sent
Tony a letter informing him his
worry was needless because he al
ways paid transportation costs any
how. So Tony is as good as signed.
The Omaha magnate did nof send
out any contracts except the above
five until yesterday. He waited until
the last minute so that the players
wouldn't have any time to bellow
about the size of the figures. Ac
cording to the rules of the National
association contracts must be dis
patched on their way so that they
will reach their destination by March
1. The Omaha contracts, being sent
oat only yesterday, will just arrive
under the time limit. Ordinarily Pa
send his contracts out in January,
but this year he waited until the last
moment because the players' strike
bubble at that time looked like a pos
sibility, if not a probability, and some
of the athletes might have warned to
chew the rag about terms. '
Expects No Trouble.
Rourke does not anticipate any
trouble, however, because the five
athletes to whom he did send con
tracts earlier did not make any kicks.
The first of the Rourkes will prob
ably report for the spring training
period on March 19. Pa and Manager
Marty plan to have the pitchers and
catchers report that date. The rest
of the athletes will report a week
later.
This will give the pitchers and
catchers four weeks of training and
the infielders and outfielders three
weeks. Having the battery men re
port earlier is an innovation for Oma
ha. Big league clubs do it right along,
but Western league magnates have
never taken the trouble.
But Rourke is out to repeat his per
formance of 1916. And if he can't
win the pennant, he intends to have a
team that will be in the thick of the
fight throughout the season. If the
battery men report a week earlier, it
is the belief of Pa and Marty that
when the other athletes arrive the
practice can oroceed that much faster
and the team will be in much better I
shape when the season opens.
Chicago Cubs to
Play the Rourkes
In Omaha April 6
The Chicago Cubs will play an ex
hibition game with the Rourkes in
Omaha April 6.
The Cubs will be journeying
through Omaha on their way back to
ihe Windy City from California. They
wanted to stor off April 7, but that
date was already booked, so they
agreed to stop on April 6. It will be
ihe Cub second team that will appear
in Omaha, but as the Cubs have
something like fifteen athletes on the
string, the second team is likely to be
almost as good as the first.
Kansas City will play exhibition
Karnes in Omaha April 7 and 8. The
Milwaukee club will play two games
here later in that week, the exact
date of which has not been definitely
determined. Rourke may bring the
5ft. Joseph boys here for a couple of
pre-season games April 14 and 15. if
they can be arranged. The only other
exhibition game this spring will prob
ably be one with the Brandeis about
April 1.
'Frisco Promoter Seeks
Stecher-Caddock Bout
Gene Melady yesterday received a
wire from Frank Schuller, San Fran
cisco promoter, who staged the
Stecher-Ernst bout Thursday, offer
ing to hold a Stecher-Caddock match
at the Golden Gate on March 13.
Schuller offered Melady 30 per cent
of the gross receipts for Caddock and
vouchsafed the information that the
Stecher-Ernst clash drew $12,500 into
the box office.
Melady refused the offer, however,
explaining both Stecher and Caddock
lived so close to Omaha that this
was the logical point for the match.
He also informed Schuller he had
iuade arrangements to hold the event)
here in April himself and intended to
make good his plans.
Alfred Hearn to Assist
Johnston at the Hollow
Alfred G. Hearn of the Brantford
(Ontaria) Country club has been ap
pointed assistant to Charley Johnston,
coif professional at the Happy Hol
low club, to succeed Bobbie Christie,
who has been made professional of
the Kewanee (111.) Country club.
Hearn will arrive in Omaha about
March 15.
The new assistant served his ap
prenticeship under Charlie Gibson at
Wcstward-Ho, Devonshire, Eng., and
comes to Omaha highly recom
mended. Jimmy Canavan will again be in
charge of the shop at Happy Hollow.
Benson Rifle Club Holds
Prize Shoot On Holiday
, Tte Benson Rifle club held a shoot
ing tournament in its rooms Thurs
day evening. Out of a possible per
fect score of 50. the prize winners
finished in the following order:
tleorge Sloltenberg. 49K. Itenaon 4b
r. 1.. Carlaon. . . . ,4SNeff Sowerwlne. . . . .44
li. T. Rnbblne 47 Sam Koberlaon 40
rVoc Tjoleja 46
The club members have an open
challenge ta any shooting club in
the. vicinity.
17-Year-0ld Lad
Makes New Record
Columbus, Neb, Feb. 24. (Spe
cial.) What Columbus pin tum
blers believe is a new record for
Nebraska was marked up on the
Columbus club alleys here yester
day by Bobbie Dolan, a 17-year-old
Columbus lad, who weighs but
125 pounds.
Dolan rolled a total of 1,717 pins
in seven games, an average of
224 1-5 per game. He rolled over
200 in every one of the seven
games, and the first and last
games narrowly mfesed being per
fect ones, Bobbie shooting 290 both
times. Scores of the seven games
were as follows: 290. 253, 234, 224,
207, 219, 290, making the 1,717
total.
Columbus bowlers do not believe
Dolan's achievement has ever been
duplicated in Nebraska,
OMAHA HAY LOSE
"JAWOEMSON
Dynamic Leader of Luxus Re
ceives Flattering Offers
From Out of Town.
HAS NO OMAHA TEAM NOW
The Greater Omaha league may
lose Johnny Dcnnison, the dynamic
leader of the Luxus, two times win
ner of the Greater Omaha league rag
and tormer city champions of Omaha
Dennison, it has been discovered,
has received half a dozen flattering
offers to leave Omaha and pursue
the pastime ot the ash and horselnde
in foreign fields. While Johnny does
not admit for publication that he is
contemplating the acceptance of anv
of these offers, the fact that he has
not yet announced whether or not he
will manage a Greater Omaha nine
this year prompts local amateur fans
to suspect that he is at least giving
them serious consideration.
Two of the offers received by Den
nison are from professional clubs, one
in a Class D league and the other in
Class B. Both of them are mana
gerial offers. Johnny is also said to
have been approached by a Western
league magnate. Another managerial
offer is from a prominent Chicago
semi-pro club which makes a tour of
the central states during the summer
months.
The Luxys team managed by Den
nison the last two years will, of
course, not be in the field this sea
son and as Johnny has not announced
affiliation with any of the other local
clubs sandlot enthusiasts believe he
may be tempted to accept one of
these out-of-town offers and forsake
Omaha.
Pa Rourke Sends
Arthur Capper Cup
To Ducky Holmes
Pa Rourke last week shipped the
Arthur Capper cup which Omaha
won last year by having the largest
attendance of any city in the league at
the opening game, to Lincoln.
At their recent league meeting the
moguls ordered the cup sent to the
various cities for exhibition purposes,
so Rourke sent it first to Lincoln,
which city will send it along to an
other city and so forth until the cup
has been displayed four or five days
in every city in the circuit.
The cup was put up last year by
Governor Capper of Kansas for the
largest attendance at an opening
game. Omaha won it with a good
margin. If Omaa wins it again this
city will get permanent possession
of it.
Joe Wood Is Sold
To Cleveland for
Fifteen Thousand
New York, Feb. 24. Joe Wood,
who, because of salary diffeences re
fused to play with the Boston Ameri
can league club last year, was sold to
the Cleveland American league club
today for $15,000.
It was a straight sale and no other
players were involved. Robert Mc
Roy, business manager of the Cleve
land club, came to New York and
made the deal with Harry H. Frazee,
the nevf Boston owner. Wood has
not pitched since 1915, when he was
troubled with a sore shoulder which
caused his differences with the Boston
management.
Johnston Lays Out New
. Golf Course at Wymore
Charley Johnston, professional at
the Happy Hollow club, journeyed to
Wymore, Neb., for three days last
week to lay out a ne wnine-hole golf
course for the Wymore Country club,
which has been incorporated with
about forty members. The officers of
the Wymore club are Dr. P. B. Gil
lispie. president; J. S. Jones, vice
president; James Gardner, secretary
and treasurer. Dr. L. V. Douglas and
L. E. Lefferdink are also on the board
of trustees.
The course is 2,500 yards long with
a bogey of 39 and par of 33.
Johnston within the next ten days
will go to Hastings, Neb., to lay out
a course for a new country club
there.
Chicago Cubs Arrive
On the Pacific Coast
San Bernardino, Cal., Feb. 24.
Members of , the Chicago National
league base ball club arrived here to
day and left immediate for Pasadena.
Cal., in automobiles. A large gather
ing of base ball fans and sporting
writers met the special train and
many of these escorted the Cubs to
Pasadena, where they will have their
spring workouts.
Smyth Holdout.
.Tlmmr Smyth, a Brooklyn rookie, la a
holdout. Jimmy bases his demand for more
salary on hla record for heavy hitting In
the International league laat aeaann. but
Boss Rbbela wants to see what kind of
hitting Smyth can produce In the National
league before boosting the, player's salary.
Wants to Sell BnlTalo.
.Toseph J. Lanntn, who aold the Boston
Bed So soma time ago, la now trying to
dlsposa of nis Buffalo International league
club.
OVER 100 TEAMS
ENTERTOURNEY
Beatrice, Champions Last
Tear, Are Not Expected to
Out Much Figure.
DARE HORSES LOOM UP
By JAMES E. LAWRENCE.
Lincoln, Feb. 24. (Special.) En
tries for the seventh annual Nebraska
high school basket ball tournament,
under the auspices of the University
of Nebraska, to Be held in Lincoln
March 7, 8. 9 and 10, were completed
tonight. One hundred and twenty
five of the best high school fives in
the state will compete in the greatest
tournament of high schools ever held
in the middle west and Reed believes
it is by far the largest ever held in
the United States.
Entries mailed after midnight to
night will not be accepted. Prac
tically all of the favorites in the 1916
tournament will again be represented,
although in a number of instances
these teams are not expected to be so
strong. Beatrice, the tournament
champion last year in Class A, has
had an off season and is not expected
to cut much of a figure. Based on
comparative records, Sutton and some
of the other smaller schools of the
state arc very likely to spring sur
prises on the larger towns.
Humboldt and Hebron academy
are two other fives which may prove
to be dark horses during the tourna
ment. The tournament will bring the lar
gest number of high school athletes
ever gathered in Lincoln, upwards of
700 being on hand during the lour
days. Reed has completed practically
all! of the arrangements, but has not
definitely settled whether to hold a
consolation event for those teams
which go -out on the first round. Fol
lowing is the list of entries and the
record of each team during the sea
son: Alms Veiie Dean. Ira Hethr. l.auranre
Heallnga. Mitchell Kveraon. Venltli Hi-olt,
Claude .Martin. Gilbert Uolgan. Lawrence
Metzrar. Clayton Uould. Seaaon'a record:
Won four, lent atx.
Arnley Bert. Knapp. Plorlan T.l-wey. (fil
bert Mllla. Henry Scott. Tom Mackey, Well
and Hayslfp.
Arlington Glen I.udwie. Robert Steele.
Hiram Alexander. Lawrence Echtenkamp.
Major Gllfrey. Leonard Flaming. Lloyil
Brown. Season's record: Won three, loal
three.
Arnold Lloyd Nane-t. Ward Zimmerman.
Floyd Lucas, Kloyd TVBae. Charles Nanael,
Harold Gettya. Nolan Alexander, Ksten Rons.
Seaaon'a record: Won five, lost one.
Auburn Paul KIHott, Harry Harrla. Harry
Anderson. Maurice Hannaford. Robert Cul
well, Asa Redman, Davis Harold. Season's
record : Won five, lost one.
Beatrice Mervln Kyle. Donald Bodwell.
Pyrns Sherwood. Kred Sloll. 'red Mulligan.
Hugh Pobbs, Lawrence Kills. Walter Murray.
Lloyd Kline. Glen Layman, Lwey Jackson,
Tom Under. Season's record : Won one,
lost nine.
Beaver Crossing George Ross, Albert
(Continued on Page Two. Column Five.)
Freddie Beell to
Go After Title at
Age of Forty-Two
Freddie Beell docs not believe in
that modern sporting adage ''they
never come back," at least he doesn't
believe it applies to Freddie.'
That he will shortly move to Omaha
to make this city his headquarters and
go into active training for a campaign
for the middleweight championship of
America, is word received from Beell.
Freddie's wife is ill with pneumonia
and as soon as she has recovered
Freddie is coming west from his Wis
consin farm.
Beell says he will not have any trou
ble in making 158 pounds, the middle
weight mark. He also believes he will
have no trouble m downing such foes
as Mike Yokel, Pet Brown, Chris Jor
dan and other stars of the middle
weight division.
Freddie is going out after a title
at the afc of 42 years, an age when
most athletes have been laid safely
away on the shelf. But, although he's
admittedly not the same man he was a
decade ago when he won the world's
championship from Frank Gotch.
Beell is still a pretty shifty wrestler
and he has many supporters who be
lieve he will clean up the middle
weight ranks.
Cam Carder Makes an 86
Over Happy Hollow Links
Despite the fact that a sharp breeze
made it a wee bit uncomfortable on
the high spots, quite a number of
golf enthusiasts played eighteen holes
on the Happy Hollow course yester
day. Sam Cardner turned in an 86, while
A. H. Bewsher, after keeping up with
bogey for fourteen holes, turned In
an 88. Among others who played
were Harry Koch, Elmer E. Thomas,
Rev. Titus Lowe. Herb Cardner,
James Burness, P. M. Garrett, Frank
Barrett, George Graham, Harvey
Morrow, S. S. Montgomery, Harold
Montgomery, A. W. Rouman, A, E.
Houghton, E. F. Montgomery and
Brycc Crawford.
New Orleans Man Wins
Southern Golf Honors
Houston, Tex., Feb. 24. Premier
honors in the midwinter golf tourna
ment here today were won by Louis
Jacoby of New Orleans over George
Aldredge of Dallas, Tex., in a thirty-six-hole
match for the tournament
championship. Jacoby shot the last
eight holes in thirty-two strokes and
defeated Aldredge 2 up and 1 to play.
Farrell Puts His 0. K. on
Topeka-Joplin Transfer
Auburn, N. Y., Feb. 24. Secretary
John- H. Farrell of the National asso
ciation of Professional Base Ball
leagues, announced tonight that the
franchise and players of the Topeka
club of the Western, league have been
transferred to Joplin, Mo.
Walter Johnson Has
Won Two Hundred Games
Walter Johnson has won 227 games
since he became a member of the
Washington cUib. With a harder
hitting team behind him the speed
king would be close to the .300 mark,
perhaps beyond that figure by this
time.
Will Not Trad.
Manager Connie Mark aaya there It no
troth In tha report that Mclnnaa, Strunk,
Buah and Sonant ara to be traded. Accord
ing to Connie, the quartet of atar paa
tlmara will aureljr with with the Athletlca
thla aeaaon. y
SPOR TS SECTION of
The Omaha
Sunday Bee
COMMERCIAL LEAGUE LEADERS Omaha National Bank
championship last year and bid well to repeat this season.
If '
TAYLOR TO MEET
CUTLER MONDAY
Newest Nebraska Heavyweight
Makes First Home Appear
ance in Lincoln.
PESEK WRESTLES EKLUND
A number of Omaha wrestling fans
intend to journey to Lincoln Mon-H
day to see a grappling program which
will be staged by Ray Page that eve
ning in the Lincoln Auditorium.
The main attraction of the evening
will be a two-hour decision clash be
tween Jack Taylor of Lincoln and
Charlie Cutler of Chicago.
Taylor is the newest heavyweight
to come to Nebraska to make his
home. Taylor is the Canadian champ
and one of the best heavyweights in
the game. Cutler is the chap who
nnwillingly gave Joe Stecher a start
on the road to fame and the cham
pionship by losing to Joe in Omaha
in 1915.
Taylor ranks a favorite among the
Omaha fans, although there are
those who arc inclined to string along
with Cutler. That Cutler and Taylor
will make a good match, however, is
an almost unanimous verdict. In
case Taylor wins he will wrestle
Marin Plestina in Omaha in March.
Another feature of the Lincoln card
will be a tangle between John Pesek
of Shelton, Neb., and Clarence Ek
lund of Lincoln. Pesek is the lad
who had such a scramble with Jim
Londos in the semi-vrlndup to the
Stecher-Peters go here. Eklund is a
crack light heavyweight and boasts
a victory over Tony Stecher.
The third event will be a finish go
for a side bet of $200 between Claude
Swindell, sensational Lincoln feath
erweight,, who has been cleaning up
everything in this part of the coun
try, and Young Riley of Wray, Colo.
These youngsters are said to be the
best featherweight in the business.
This Hurler Had
No Reason to Put
Speed Into Game
Tommy Sheehan. former DoHtrer
third baseman, took a team of barn
stormers to play the convicts at San
Quentin prison the other day.
On the slab for the orisoners was
a big "cullud gentleman," who consid
ered nimselt a clevah man.
Billy Orr, leadine off for the Shre-
hans, missed the first ball and the
colored pitcher hoping to catch Bill
napping, snapped the ball across the
plate. Orr rapped it against the
boards for two bases.
Dick Egan was the next man up.
The pitcher secured the ball from
the outfield and without a winduo
jumped into the box and shot one
over, again hoping to find the batter
with his head down. Egan duplicated
urn smasn ana the lirst run was
over. .
From the crowd of convicts assem
bled in back of third base arose a
shrill cry:1
"Take yo' time, niggahl Take vo'
time Yo' is in heah to' fo'ty yeahsl"
Heinle Bunch Retiree.
Heinle Buech. a well-known minor league
manager, who haa piloted teama In the
..aiuniiH vir;uu wun notanie
eucoeaa for aeveral yeara, haa retired from
the game to engage in the Insurance bual
Btae In Cincinnati.
OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY 25. 1917.
ISBELL SAYS PLAN
OF WESTERN IS BAD
Wichita Magnate ., Declares
Denver and Sioux City Do
Not Belong.
BOOSTS KANSAS TOWNS
Frank 1 shell, sage of the Western
league, who was the only representa
tive of that organization to attend the
redisricting conterence called by Al
Tearney of the Three-I league at
Cedar Rapids back in January, seems
to have imbibed some of the ideas set
forth by Tearney at the time, even
though no fruit was borne of the con
ference. Isbell is out in an interview
m which he strongly criticizes the
present makeup of the Western, out
lines changes that he thinks should
be made and predicts the league never
.will be a success until some such
changes are made. He says Ihe pres
ent circuit is jug-handled, lop-siued
and altogether undesirable, lie as
serts that Denver is too distant from
the remainder of the league and he
puts Sioux City in the "not wanted"
class along with Denver. Instead of
Sioux City and Denver, izzy would
take Topeka back into the circuit and
plant a Western league club at Hutch-
in-n'n, ran.
The apathy toward base ball which
cost Topeka its franchise is attributed
by the Wichita mogul to the fact that
the Topeka ball park has been poorly
located. The park, he declares, was
remote from the business center and
the street car facilities were distress
ingly inefficient. According to Izzy,
Topeka would patronize Western
league base ball and keep the sport
on a paying basis if the park were
planted at a spot where the fans
would not be compelled to devote an
extra half-afternoon to traveling to
and from the games. The views of
the Wichita leader on the circuit ques
tion are set forth in the following
statement:
"I would like to see Topeka back
in the Western league. I would not
be in favor of Topeka under the con
ditions that existed in the past, how
ever, but with a downtown base ball
park I would consider it a safe busi
ness proposition. No small city can
be a seit-supporting proposition in
base ball with a park that is not easy
to reach from the business center.
I consider it more than a possi
bility that not only Topeka, but Hut
chinson as well will be in the Western
league in the near future. A circuit
composed of Omaha and! Lincoln, Des
Moines and M. Joe, Topeka and Jop
lin and Witchita and Hutchinson
would make ideal groups, for arrang
ing schedules and would save thous
ands of dollars for the league in trav
eling expenses. Such a circuit would
make one of the most prosperous
leagues in the country, and I am for
it now and all the time. I know that
Hutchinson with a downtown ball
park would be a money maker in the
Western league, and the same is true
of Topeka. I look for the club own
ers to get together in the near future
and quit giving all their receipts to
the railroads."
Phil Lewis Falls Heir to
Ten Thousand Bucks a Year
Phil Lewis, with the Kansas City
team last year, is reported to have
fallen heir to an income of $10,000 a
year through the death of his parents
and he is not expected to play ball
this year.
basket ball quintet, Which won
BRANDEIS CLASH
WITH MILLS' FIVE
! First Conflict of Three-Game
Series Will Be Held Friday
Evening,
'PUT UP NEW BLEACHERS
The Crcighton-Brandeis three-game
series for the city basket ball cham
pionship will start with a game at the
Crcighton gymnasium this coming
Friday evening. Arrangements were
completed yesterday.
Basket ball fans have been anxious
ly awaiting the date for the first game
of the scries since the announcement
tnat the two teams would meet aoon.
Nightly practice has been the rule
for the Brandeis squad and will be
vyiiuiiucti up tu i uursaay, wnen
i.oacn Loiin will give the men a rest.
Despite the absence of Burkenroad
and Stryker, the Brandeis showed the
effects of their hard practice by trim
ming the Omaha National Banks,
wiass d cnampions, last jnursday.
The Brandeis haven't lost a game
to a local team since they were first
organized, and have defeated num
ber of the leading floor fives of the
country. They are , determined to
keep up their unbroken string of vic
tories in the local camp at the ex
pense or i-reignion. lommy Mills ts
just as determined to defeat the store
men, because of their imposing record.
me game will Bring tormer team
nates into action against each other.
Dutch Platz, Creighton star, having
competed in the national tournament
with the rlrandeis last season.
Arrangements are beine- made tn
seat 2,000 people at Friday's game, the
new oieacners tor tne Lreighton gym
nasium being in use for the first tune.
ine biggest crowd that haa ever at.
tended a basket ball game in Omaha
is expected to avail themselves of this
opportunity to see the two leading
items ui una vicinity in action.
This Athlete Had No
Desire to Be Martyr
inn uonovan ot tne Yankees told
this yarn the other dav in the offices
of the New York club. Bill swers
that it is true.
"An old-time Buffalo nlaver." hea-an
Wild William, "was having quite a
strenuous afternoon at third base. The
visiting players were constantly driv
ing tne Pall down the third-base line
at a mile-a-minute gait. This player
fielded several of the drives, one of
which nearly knocked him off his pins,
ana men ne accioea that ne would
let any others that came his way go
by. '
"The opposing batters kept driving
them down, but the third baseman
made no apparent effort to stop the
ball.
"When he came to the bat in the
next inning the crowd booed and
hissed him without any regard for his
feelings. He was game, however, and
after turning around and taking off
his cap, shouted:
"'I signed with this club for my
skill, not for my bravery.'"
To land Home Cuba.
George Rtovall. who la to manave the
Vernon Parlflc Coaat league team, expect to
land anmo ot tne c:una- aurplua talent be
fore the Chlcegoana return homo from Cali
fornia. ftlgna TO Laeurua Talent.
It lnoka aa It John Oaniel, the near Kan
aaa City manager, haa outplayed tha other
American aaaorlatlon pllota In tha znattar
oi aignlng up major league talent.
TURF MAGNATES
AREOPTIMISTIC
Otis Smith Says Great West
em Men Look for Greatest
Year in History.
TALK UP MATCH RACES
By RUSSELL PHELPS.
Great Western Circuit magnates
predict the greatest year by far in the
history of harness horse racing, ac
cording to Otis M. Smith, secretary
of the Omaha Driving club, who rep
resented the local association at the
annual meeting of the loop in Chi
cago last Tuesday, when dates were
made for the season's meetings and
other turf business transacted.
Bigger purses, faster classes and
larger attendances than ever before
are in prospect for the different meet
ings. The notable revival of the har
ness game in the United States in the
last couple of years was nowhere so
much in ,evidence as in the middle
west and west, and this season, from
all indications, the sport will be at its
zenith.
Choice Dates August 21, 22, 23
and 24: Were parceled out to Omaha
for the driving club's fall meeting.
The racing season is at its height at
this time of the year; horses are al
ways at their best then, and fans turn
out in the greatest numbers to see
the turf battles. "Omaha is certainly
going to have some metropolitan
horse racing this season," commented
Mr. Smith and Edward Peterson on
their return from the Windy City.
Tom Dennison, well known Omaha
horseman, who owns the famous
string of harness speeders, headed
by the favorite, Hal McKinney, and
J. W. Linnehan, a prominent sports
man of Weymouth, Mass., have not
as yet come to terms for the pro
posed match race between the local
horse. R. C. H., and M. L. J., and
eastern phenom.
The local horseman some time ago
challenged Mr. Linnehan for a match
race to be held at the Omaha Driv
ing club's meeting at Benson on June .
12, 1.1 and 14, inclusive, Mr. Denni
son guaranteed that the express
charges on the eastern horse would
be paid, the two stars to meet here
for a side bet of a couple of thou
sand dollars.
Wants Race in Eeast.
Mr. Linnehan now comes back
with a proposition for a match race at
Erie, Penn., at the meeting there in
July, R. C. H. and M. L. J., to fight
it out for a side bet of $1,500 or any
part of it. The easterner also said he
would consider a sweepstakes with
other horses, whose owners may wish
to enter, $1,000 an entry, winner
take all.
Mr. Dennison does not see hts way
clear to match R. C. H. against Linne
han's horse in the east unless the lat
ter would consent to another contest
on the local track. A compromise
may be effected anda race staged
which would be a big drawing card
for any meeting anywhere. . :
Another match race which looks
promising for the June meeting, is
one etween bR. C H. and Miss Rex
etta, a fast mare witha rak of 2-M'A,
owned at Avoca, la, by Barney Mc.
Coy. Miss Rexetta did not start xrt
any of the 1916 meetings, having been
given her mark for a performance
the previous year. Mr. Dennison be
lieves that R. C. H., 2:11,, has the
edge on Miss Rexetta at least, $1,009
worth, and will wager that amount
on his stepper for a match race either
at the driving club's July meeting or
the Great Western Circuit classic at
the Benson oval next August At the
June meeting it would be a two out
of three heats proposition, the three
out of five rule to apply at th fall
match. , ,
Defies Single G.
Efforts are being made to match
Ben Earl, 2:0054, Grand and Great
Western Circuit pacing champion,
owned in Omaha by Edward Peter
son, president of the driving club,
against the famous eastern star, single
G., whose mark is two minutes flat
Mr. Peterson, through Otis M. Smith,
secretary of the Omaha Driving club,
haa issued a defi to F. D. Woodland,
owner of Single G.
The driving club president wants
to match Ben Earl against the two
minute pacer fora $1,000 aid bet and
another $1,000 to be put up by the
local association! for a race at the
June meeting at Benson. Mr. Peter
son is also willing to stage a similar
match over the twice-around track at
the Youngstown, O. meet in July.
In his challenge on behalf of Mr,
Peterson, Mr. Smith said that any
pacer in the United States, with the
exception of Directum I, can start in
either of these meetings, winner to
.Six UtS Smith closed check
for $500 aa forfeit money in the chal
lenge sent to an eastern turf paper.
The offer of the local man must
be accepted before March 10.
mater Defeatta Friend.
Enter. V-h v,h el yo. ... .
day night Exeter took the meaeurementa
alT trial sTl-laaiul milniei tr a a . .
- - uj ij, ins ram
wm fut throavhout In iplt of tha fact that
Friend' oanuir and Extr's Htrle forward
wr both, out of tho am. Tho lou of
thw two men waa an vn drawback to
hath iMms Pnm j .
from th horw ..V i. r . "
tar, officiated aa raforeo. Tha llnup;
EXETER. J FRIEND.
Hiiwarth . T. W Ir
coateiia r. r'.ln. f:'""'"".''"v
fS" y2l?-i J-at
Smith L. a. L. o. Y ....
lrier r.B. a. n. a.. .: " jbrX.:
SubatUataa:. Bamer for Rouae.
. lovp City atria Wha.
Loan nit ar-i. .... ...
Loup Cltr High achool girl.' oefeVtif th.
Ravenna High achool baakat hall team." IS
i airta .iav. seen vtctorloiM
In av.rr game thla rear. Loup Cltr Bar
------- - -.un. aor. BCOUta, as '
Newark Probably Will
Train at Virginia Town
Tha Mewarl. Tr4.'. t.-1.) .,
...... -""'-'to aivuauij will
taka Avar thm f" m n -, f I.. ,,.
Va., vacated by the Washington team.
They have been offered the use of the
university oi Virginia grounds and
gymnasium.
Athletics Release Two' '
Hurlers to Atlanta Club
The Philadelphia Athletics hare re
leased Pitchers Rube Bressler and
Tom Sheehan to the Atlantic clnb ol
the Southern league. The reUaue fai
both cases were cmtright ,