Nebraska Newspapers

    THE OMAHA' SUNDAY BEE: DECEMBER 2, 1917.
13 A
MAT GAME STRUGGLES ON;
WILL ATTEMPT UMPSTEENTH
COME-BACK FRIDAY NIGHT
v
Joe Stecher and Charlie Peters to Make Second Attempt
. to Revive Wreitling Game Which Hts Died In
numerable Deaths, Only to Spring to
Life Again Soon After.
High Champs of Southwest Nebraska
Will the wrestling game again be successful in staging a
come-back in Omaha when Joe Stecher and Charlie Peters
clash at the Auditorium Friday night?
The mat game has had a gay timeO-
in Omaha ever since a local pho
tographer donned a pair of tights and
downed the champion here more than
30 years ago. It has succeeded and it
has fllvvered; it has staged come
backs and it has staged frosts. What
wiil it be this time?
Ten years ago Omaha was a thriv
ng center of wrestling. Grapplers and
bone crushers from all parts of ths
world headed for Omaha as soon as
trey eould raise the price of trans
portation. Frank Gotch, Farmer
Burns, Freddie Beell and a carload of
foreigners made the Gate City their
stamping ground.
All kinds of matches were held
some on the level, others well, what';
aone is done.
Detect a Fat.
Finally the public detected a rat and
mused to cough, up its dollars every
time a match was made. And wrestl
ing suffered slump.
The it was revived five vears aero,
A number of matches were held. The
game was just coming back when the
older Zbysrko and Yousiff Hussane
staged a two-hour draw. And the
wrestling game was kissed goodby.
After a brief rest, Joe Stecher and
ijnafley Uitier tangled at Kourke
park on July 5, 1915. Immediately the
wrestling game was back on its feet
ana yelping lustily tor breaktast.
All was well for a year. Then
Stecher and Strangler Lewis staged
a merry little fiasco out at the Doug
las county air grounds. The match
went five hours to a draw and 10,000
persons solemnly vowed they would
never look at anotner wrestler.
I his time the game didn t Stay
buried so long. It emerged from its
grave last February when Stecher and
Charlie Peters grappled. It was a
good match and the game came back
again. The Stecher-Caddock go made
it more solid than ever.
Then came the Stecher-Plestina
match last Labor day. Another match
without a fall, only this one wound
u in a fight and Stecher was given
iftfwision. A doctor was called for
the mat game and he pronounced it
deader tnan a door nail.
Now come Toe Stecher and Charlie
Peters, who revived the game once be
fore to attempt it again next Friday
nignt. Will they succeed? We pass
for verily, the wrestling fan is a queer
bird.
Dreyfuss Confirms
Report Hans Wagner
Will Quit Diamond
President Barney Dreyfuss of the
Pittsburgh Pirates while in Louis
ville at the minor league meeting con
firmed reports that Hans Wagner has
played his last game as a Pirate.
"Yes, Wagner has definitely and fi
nally retired from the game," said
J)reyfuss. "He really should not have
' iirijed to play last season. He found
it impossible to play with the speed
which the fans had grown accustomed
to expect of Wagner. In his day he J
undoubtedly was the greatest short-1
stop or all time. He has a long and
honorable career on the diamond.
"Hans quits the game to which he
has been a credit and an example for
all young men to follow with prob
ably as many friends as any ball
player ever had. Wagner has a snug
income irom nis investments ana as
he is now married he will live in re
tirement at a suburb of Pittsburgh.
"No, there is no chance for any club
to sign Wagner to act as scout. He
does not wish to travel and being
well fixed financially the salary would
be no inducement to him. The ans
have seen him play his last game of
professional base ball."
fcase Bali Men Find Out
Cravath's Regular Name
Base ball men at Louisville who
made the trip to Camp Taylor ran
into a husky looking sergeant who
was busy directing affiairs around the
big bake shop, where they turn out
60,000 pounds of bread a day. He In
troduced himself and saying his name
was Gravatt remarked that some of
the base ball visitors might know his
brother.
;'He plays ball for the Phillies,"
said the sergeant.
"What's the name you said?" in
quired some one.
"The name is Gravatt Gawy
Cravath is my brother."
"I thought you said your name is
Gravatt."
"It is. The correct name is Gravatt
Gavvy was labeled Cravath when he
started playing professional ball. The
fys didn seem to like Gravatt,
cttanged it to Cravath and it finally
got to be Cravath. That has hung to
him ever since." ,
Old Gavvy's brother is sergeant A.
A. Gravatt and he has been in the
army off and on for .tenyears. He
just got back from Europe, where he
spent' 18 months "in the trenches."
He went "over there" with a Canadian
detachment.
Sergeant Gravatt's title is instructor
on cooking. He is busy teaching the
boys how to prepare "mess" and from
the sample served he is a good
teacher.
FIELD DAY FOR
IRISH LOOMS IN
BOXING CIRCLES
Mike 0'Dowd and Mike Gib
bons, Both Irish, Both From
St. Paul, Claim Middle
weight Ring Title.
By RINGSIDER. I Cambridge High school eleven has
Chicago. Dec. l.-There is liable to c,Ptur?d ? interscholastic foot ball
be an Irish insurrection in St. Paul championship ot southwest webraska.
most any time now that will make , tn8 J-am"ago team nas a ciean
the Sinn Fein fraeas seem peaceful as sUj.! Tories and has even n
a skat match. Two Irish kings are vded tv Kr"s9 ,jP0,nU he,r
inrone. ana xne ngni jan wno cannot r.,hr,
Ctmbrldr, ' Mlnden, 8.
Cambridge, 40; Decatur, Kan., 14.
see possibilities of a ruction in that
situation has no understanding of the
insh.
Mike O'Dowd, a Celt of purest rav
serene, clipped Al McCoy, who is not
as Irish as his name implies, on the
chin in New York not long ago and
thereby annexed what he and his
friends always will claim is the mid
dleweight title. Mikes habitat is
St. Paul.
St. Paul long has been the home of
one Michael Gibbons, whose admirers
consider him to be the smoothest
piece of fighting machinery in the Ma Pink Humor- Vnnut Uhoro
mll..i0.t nV. Mil,- I... w viuu vmici rvuuwa ifiivin
claiming the title for many months.
No one ever has questioned Gibbons'
right to wear the green,
The question just naturally sug
gests itself: Will St. Paul be big
enough to support two world's cham
pion middleweight3 when both of
Ctmbrldf, ll HMtlnt, S.
Cambridge, 4ft; Oxford. .
Cambridge, IS; Red Cloud, 0.
Cambridge, I; Norton, Kan,, 0.
Those in the above picture are
as follows! -
Upper row, reading left to righti
Clinton John, coach: Lawrence Car
ver. Tiff Minnick, Loyal Vest, Carl
Staley, Alvie Thompson, Harold
Wage, Clarence Jenkins, C. L. Little,
supenntenaent.
Middle row, left to right: Joe
Brungard, Francis Redferd, Charles
Kinder, Hugh Carroll, captain; Wal
ter Babcock, Eldrige McComb, A
C. Easton, principal.
. Front row, left to right: Harold
j-auntson, Oeorge taster.
NEW DRAFT LAW
MAKES IT HARD
ON B.B.MOGULS
He Stands Regarding Play
ers Eligible for His Team
Next Year. ,
them are fullblooded Irishmen?
It might be interesting to delve
somewhat into the way both Mike
Gibbons and Mike O'Dowd came to
acquire the claim to the title each
of them puts forth.
Mike's Claim.
Gibbons claims the crown because
he says he has beaten all of the best
middleweights in the country. It is
true Mike has beaten several good
Since a new ruling has been an
nounced at Washington, in connec
tion with, the revision of draft regu
lations, base ball magnates have some
thing else to think about Many of
the players, wljo were within the age
which made them eligible for military
service, filed claims of exemption and
in a number of eases their claims
were granted. Others were not called
in the early lists.
Managers of clubs in the various
Peoria Almost Certain of Berth
In the Western League Next Year
Illinois City Which Made Good in Both Three-I and Cen
tral Leagues Last Year, Slated to Succeed Den
ver, Even Though No Other Changes Are
Made in Dickerson Loop.
men, but he never has stepped the circuits were anie to ngure out wnat
marathon route in any bout that had they considered a pretty fair outline
title at stake. He might be able
to win the titfe in a decision bout.
but that matter is open for argument.
O Dowd claims the title because he
lipped McCoy a dream puncm Mc
Coy acquired his claim to the title
by trimming George Chip with a
heavy swing to the chin. Chip got it
by twice clouting Frank Klaus of
Pittsburgh for the count. Klaus be
came an alleged title holder by beat
ing Billy Papke,
rapke s claim was based on the
fact that he was the last man to meet
Stanley Ketchel, who died with the
crown in his possession. Papke also
once stopped Georges Carpentler, of
France, but he claimed the title on
his last contest with Ketchel.
Badly Muddled.
This makes it evident that the mid-
Billiard Champ to Play
In Omaha Last of Week
'."iS'c Heppe, world's champion
Billiard player, will give exhibitions
in Omaha next Friday and Saturday.
He will be accompanied by Charley
Peterson of St. Louis, fancy shot ex
pert. Y.fd. C. A. Man to Referee
' Stecher-Peters Wrestle
Fred Selee, wrestling instructor at
the Young Men's Christian associa
jlk"1' w'" referee the Joe Stecher
Carlie Peters match at the Audito
rium Friday night
dleweight situation is as badly mud
dled as the political affairs of Russia.
Fans probably would be willing to
recognize the winner of a Gibbons
O'Dowd fight as the legitimate holder
of the title.
"I'll beat Mike Gibbons for the
title some day, just see if I don't, was
O'Dowd's declaration months ago
when he was little more than a pre
liminary fighter. It seems, the threat,
or promise, or preoption, is near iui
fillment. '
The two Mikes surely would make
a great 20-round battle, and perhaps
it may come some time. And what a
day that will be for the Irish I
Gibson Has Fright.
Billy Gibson, who handles the af
fairs of Benny Leonard, was jn Chi
cago a few days ago, headed for Den
ver with the noted Benjamin in tow,
and while he was here he told one on
himself that seems to be new.
Gibson is an astute and capable
manager, but he makes his little slips
every now and then along with other
managers who are equally keen.
borne time "back Gibson matched
Leonard with Leo Johnson, a colored
lightweight, who i known as a ter
rific hitter. There was a lot of se
cret apprehension that Benny might
step into one punch and the light
weight title be acquired by a colored
man.
Gibson was advised against the
match, but argued that he knew
what he was doing. Leonard also
was anxious for the fight and the
bout went through.
As the bout started and the referee
ordered the ring cleared Gibson, who
was in Leonard's corner, jumped off
the stage, and when the bell sounded
he was under the overhang of the
rim. arransrin the bucket, bottles
and other appurtenances for use at
the end of the first round.
of the number of men who might be
left on hand, from which to form their
teams for next season. Ot Course,
they realize that any of the younger
athletes might be called for army
duty at any time, with the, exception
of such men as had been pronounced
exempt on account of physical de
fects or because they had depend
ents at home.
Under the latest ruling, appeals
for exemption already made, auto
matically cease to exist and the men
all go back to the status which ex
isted prior to the time they were
called before the draft board. This
means that approximately 90 per
cent of the players whose names now
appear upon the reserve lists of the
two big leagues again are subjected
to the call to arms. The club own
ers and managers can count upon
none with any degree of certainty
for next season's championship races,
unless they are either under '21 or
over 31 years old.
Those who may have been
exempted on account of flat feet or
otner sucn aisaDiuiies now may oe
admitted into the army. It has been
ruled that many of these, while not
qualified for field service, may be
fitted for special duty of such nature
as operating army motor cars and
similar work. All who have . been
registered again must undergo the
physical examination. This new rul
ing means that only a very few play
ers on each team can be counted upon
for the game next year.
mat me army dratt will greatly
reduce the roster of all clubs is con
sidered quite certain. Were all the
young men of eligible age to be mus
tered into the service of Uncle Sam
before the arrival of the training sea
son of 1918, it would leave less than
three dozen players in the entire Na
tional league. Of course, several of
the managers might get back into the
harness, reviving the days of the
playing pilot. In the event of the
Brooklyn leader getting upon the dia
mond, Charles Ebbets would have
one of the best drawing cards in the
Tener circuit, for what fan wouldn't
travel miles and miles to see Uncle
Wilbert Robinson lumbering around
the bases with his nearly 300 pounds
of beef?
The American league faces a situa
tion almost the same as that of the
National. Ordinarily, both major bod
ies might depend upon the minors
to supply them with some material
in the emergency, but the little cir
cuits likely will need all the men
they can muster upon the diamond,
for they. too. will send many of their
t stars to the front
CALL FOR VETS!
WILL MAJORS BE
MADE LIKE THIS?
Old Timers to Flourish in Big
Show Next Year When
Uncle Sam Takes Youths
to War.
Peoria ia almost certain to be a Western league city next
year.
According to all reports the Illinois town is slated to suc
ceed Denver in this loop even though no other change is made.
V Lat Vfir Panri. ..... I- it. - T
j ., vwi ii vr j iii me 4 nrgc-l
league. It was the only city in the
league which held its own in the
way of attendance. In the middle
of the season, the Three-I quietly ex
pired. The base ball trraveyard was
occupied by seyen of the eight clubs
that were in the league, Peoria alone
refused to croak.
So Peoria grabbed a franchise in
the Central league, which happened
to be vacant at that time, and con
tinued to do good business,
Now the Central league is done.
It's magnates have had enough. The
Three-I will not attempt to start
again.
No Place to Play. '
So Peoria has a team and no dace
to play. The Western league netds
a club to take over th Denver fran
chise. The Western league will not
permit Uenver to remain unless
large guarantee is forthcoming.
Hughie Jones has announced he can
not possibly offer the guarantee.
Peoria isl the best possible city the
Western can get to fill this vacancy.
Jack Ryan, president of the Peoria
club, is anxious to get into the West
ern. He believes the Illinois city will
noia its own in attendance.
This probably will come up at the
Western! league meeting at St. Jo
seph next Sunday. Disposal of the
Denver problem is to be made at
this meeting and it is expected plans
to accept Peoria will be made.
Peoria used to be in the Western
league and was a pretty good town.
Then the town slumped and lost its
franchise. Now Peoria is one of the
livest towns in the country and is
expected to make a good. Class A
city.
Not Superstitious Says
Collins, Just Peculiar
Base ball players are a superstitious
lot and the stars of the game are no
exception. Billy Evans, American
league umpire, is certain they are and
is in a position to kno During the
winter months Evans vViws a series
of weekly articles for some of the
newspapers of the country and in a
recent article Evans cited a case that
came up in the recent world's series
to show how superstitious players in
the big show really are.
In the last game" of the world's
series Evans, according to his own
story, attempted to pick up Eddie
Collins' glove for the player when he
was surprised to hear Collins shout
to him not to touch it. "Supersti
tious?" Evans remarked. "Not su
perstitious, just peculiar," was Col
lins' answer.
Coppers and Nonpareil Tug-of- War
Teams! to Settle Old Feud Friday
An old feud existing between the
tug-of-war teams representing the
Omaha policemen and the Nonpareils
Athletic club will be settled Friday
night at the Auditorium as an added
attraction to the Joe Stecher-Charlie
Peters wrestling match.
The coppers and the Nonpareils
tage great pride in their pulling
teams. When the coppes were pre
paring their match with the Denver
policemen they trained with the Non
pareils. One real tussle was staged,
the others were merely brushes. In
this real pull the coppers emerged
victorious by the scant margin of one
point -
Pronto, the copper., became. chesty.
One inch was a decisive victory in
their eyes. That made them the su
periors of the Nonpareils and they
announced they could trim the ath
letic club boys any old time.
The Nonpareils, of course, had dif
ferent ideas on the subject. What
was a mere matter of an inch? And
it was a practice pull anyhow. Could
they trim the coppers? just give 'em
a chance, that's all. v
So Jack Lewis; who is prompting
the wrestling go, offered to match the
two teams and Lis offer was prompt
ly snapped up.
The pull will be winner-take-all.
Lewis has hung up a large purse, the
winner takes it all and the loser
gets nothing for his pains. ;
Bad blood exists between the two
teams, so wrestling fans, who see the
big Ripple also will be treated to an
additional dish.
Veterans are likely to flourish in
both major leagues next season in
view of the number of recruits who
expect to, be called to the colors. Pro
vided your Uncle Sam asks for all the
young players eligible, the news from
the base ball training camps of 1918
may read somewhat after this fashion:
St. Petersburg, Fla., April 7. Jesse
Burkett, the slugging rival of Ed
Delahanty Jn4 the 90's, dttJye two
homers over the right field wall in the
Dodgers' practice session this after
noon. Joe McGinnity was pitching,
but Burkett's bat swung in old-time
form. He i will be used as clean-up
hitter this season. ,
Marlin Springs, Tex, April 7. Wil
lie Keeler laid down eight perfect
bunts in as many attempts this afternoon.-
Manager McGraw declared
after the game that Keeler would take
George Burns' place at the top of the
battine order. Aictraw, nimseit, ex
pects to play third base instead of
Heinie Zimmerman, wno at present is
in France throwing hand grenades in
the general direction of the kaiser.
ShreveportMiss., April 15. Man
ager Mathewson of the Reds declared
today that he was in hopes he would
land Billy Sunday to play in the Red
outfield this year. Sunday came
down to train with the boys for
recreation and looks to be as fast as
he was 25 years ago. Kid Gleason
iniured his ankle while trying to steal
home today .and may be out of the
opener.
Columbus, Ga., April 7. Manager
Fred Clarke of the Pirates, who came
to the rescue of Barney Dreyuss aft
er Hugo Bezdek had been drafted
into the national army, switched his
regulars in this afternoon's practice
game. Jake Beckley will be sent out
of the lineup until he has his beard
shorn. Other players objected to
Jake's camouflage. Deacon Phillippe
was a little stiff after working seven
innings against the Yannigans, but he
expects to pitch the opener against
the Reds next Wednesday. Beau
mont's good form in center field
means that Leach win be at tnira
base, which ought to be pleasing
news to the fans back in Pittsburg.
The newspaper men with the club are
unanimous in the opinion that Honus
Wagner is due for a big season. He
is in fine trim and will bat in the
clean-up notch.
Only Ump8 Noticed
, This Prize Boner
Berle Casey, the umpire, who Is
wintering in Portland, Ore., tells
what he considers is the prize
"boner" story of the Coast league.
It passed unnoticed. In the last
series between the Angels and Ti
gers "Red" Killifer was playing
third. The Angels were jn the field
with tvo Vernon players on the
sacks. Casey was umpiring behind
the plate. The ball was tossed
around the infield. When it came
to Killifer be looked at it and, see
ing that it was slightly roughened,
tossed It to the Los Angeles bench,
calling for another ball.
Casey waited a moment, then
tossed another into play. Boles,
who was catching, turned around
and said; "Did you call time?"
"Sure," said Casey, grinning
broadly. ; ,
He hadn't, and the Vernon play
ers could both have scored had they,
been "wise" to the situation. .
Neither crowd nor players of
either team noticed this lapse of
memory on the part of Killifer.
WESTERN, JHREE-I AND
CENTRAL ASSOCIATION
REORGANIZED RE? OR T
Dickerson Loop to Acquire Three Cities From Disbanded
Tearney Circuit in Order to Maintain Eight-club
Strength is Suggested as Scheme to Keep
Base Ball Fires Burning.
That a reorganization of the Western league, Three-l
league and Central association will take place this winter is a
report current in base ball circles.
Q When the National Association of
Professional Bast Salt leagues failed
to carry out their widely-heralded
plans to redistict tha bass ball map,
magnates of the abovs three leagues
beean to consider a reorganization
project of their own.
The Western, Threi-I and Central
association control the minor league
territory from Peoria to Denver. Th
Western league is Class A, the Three
I Class B and the Centra aisociaUon
data D. ! i
Two Blew Up.
Last year, both the Thrie-I and
Central association blew up in mld
seaion. The Western league abne.
survived and to do so was forced
to take deiperste emergency meas
ures. Neither the Three-I or Central as
sociation will maka an effort to start
tha 1918 season as they stand. 'The
Western probably will, out tha poflsi
bility of finishing is uncertain.
9a. i t - . 1
Sexton, former president of tha Na
tional association and veteran lists
ball man, that these threa learues
might get together and pool their
clubs in tha ring when tha 1918 sea
son opens. '
The Western eould strengthen Its
circuit by getting Peoria, Davenport
and Rockford from the ihree-i.
GfllF SETS FAST
PACE IN DRIVE
FOR ARMY FUND
Washington Leader Shows
Record Speed in Campaign
. for Ball and Bat Fund
for Soldiers.
to
By JACK VEIOCK.
New York, Dec. 1. Hats off
Clark Griffith.
Tha' forceful little msnager of the
Washington Senators is doing a great
and grand thing; for the benefit of
Uncle Samuel s soldiers and sailors.
He Is doing mora than that, for his
bat and ball fund, besides being a
blessing to tha boys in uniform, is l
great thing for base ball
Griffith addressed tha minor league
magnates at their annual meeting in
Louisville and give them tha lowest
of tha low downs on the bat and ball
fund plan. He told of tha good re
sults ha has had so far and of his
plans for the future. Ha made an
appeal for tha aid of the national as
sociation and after he had finished
talking tha association voted him a
unanimous promise to lend its valu
able assistance.
As a result of Griff's visit to Louis
ville every minor league club that is
operating next season will turn over
25 per cent of the gate receipts to
gether with a collection taken up
among tha fans on a certain date be
tween June l and June IS. Griffith
has it figured that this Will bring in
enough money to supply every regl
ment in tha cantonment camps with
base ball paraphernalia for months
following its receipt and he told the
minor leaguers at their meeting that
he nas ways .and means provided to
supply all camps with bats, balls,
mitts and masks.
When it is remembered that Griff's
kits of base ball tools have been sent
to onr boys in France, as well as to
every cantonment camp in the coun
try, tha extent of the undertaking can
be appreciated. And just as fast as
new soldiers enter the camps they will
be provided, for the departing boys
will take their base ball outfits with
them.
Plans to Continue.
Griffith plans to keep on furnish
ing the soldiers and sailors with balls
and bats for the duration of the war,
And by the time the war is over
Griff's bsse ball paraphernalia will
have made a belt around the world
if his hopes come true.
In addressing the leaguers at Lou
isville Griff called their attention to
the fact that base ball owes its great
est impetus to the period just after
the close of the civil war. When peace
came between the north and south
and the soldiers returned to their
homes, thousands of them hard as
nails and in great condition, they had
to find an outlet for oent-uo enerarv.
They had to have exercise and recre
ation and they took up base ball with
a vim and vigor that made the
growth of the game remarkably rapid
from that time up to the present day.
Pastime for World.
When the bier world war ends Grif
fith hopes to see the national oastime
played in every coun'.ry on the globe.
He said so at Louisville and it is not
an Idle dream with him. ' A recent
report from London showed that base
ball was the most popular sport in
tngiana during the last summer.
At first the games drew crowds of
1,000 or less. But as the Ennlish
sport-loving public began to get ac
quainted with the game it became
enthusiastic and during the autumn
it was common for games to be
played with crowds of 15,000 and
more looking on. The British vouth
and the sports public in England gen
erally goes in for sports with a
whole-heartedness and enthusiasm
which is characteristic and once base
ball gets a real foothold in the Brit
ish Isles it is bound to grow by
leaps and bounds.
Peoria Is a good town and Davenport
should be Class A, because Rock Is
land is right across the river and is
without a team, Rockford is larger
.t.n mltlmm M ..t In ill. VJaat..
em lesirue and in addition has a camp
of 40.000 soldiers stationed there.
Ntw Three-I. -r
A new Three-I league eould be conv
rvstff as! ft "iiiini-v Xltfinat Rlrtnmtn o-
ton, Decatur, Burlington, and Dubu
oue, six clubs, Freepoit, Keokuk, Clin.
tion. Cedar Raoids. Muscatine, and
Waterloo would be left for tha Central
association.
The Western league will hold a
meeting at St. Joseph next Sunday.
It is probable this subject win come:
before the msgnates. '
The Western is rather favorably
situated to territorial possibilities!
It can gobble up Three-I territory.
or it can go soutn to invsae tne
Western association, which also has
aviated. It ia exoected the morula
of tha Dickerson loov will follow one
Central Furniture
Organizes Basket
Tossing Quintet
The Central Furniture company
has organized a basket ball quintet.
Tha team will ba composed of F. J.
Bender, H. M. Hawkins and John
tional bank five last year; Walter
Hansen, Milt Moskowlts, Dr. Balder
son, formerly manager of the Town
sends, and Jim Edwardson. who lasi
year played on the Missouri flnlver-'
sity hve. . Walter usrtner, formerly
business manacrer of the Townsends.
wilj be business manager. A sched
ule Is now being drawn up. For
games call or write Walter Gartner,
care of Central Furniture company.
10 i J nowara street.
Some Gossip of Interest
To Western League Fans
June Cass, the little leftfielder, and
Bruce Hartford, shortstop, hsve been
sold by the Des Moines club to the
Washington Americans. It is a con
ditional sale. If both escape the draft,
Cass and Hartford may make good in
the American league if the class of
ball played deteriorates as expected
on account of the inroads the war will
make in the ranks of the stars.
Morrie Schick, who came to Omaha
from the Chicago Cubs last year, now
is in the army. He was drafted.
Schick played right field for Omaha
about half the season, but was given
the gate when Fin Yardley joined the
local club.
The Lincoln club has paid the dues
it has owed the Western league. Ac
cording to reports, President Dicker
son warned Ducky Holmes that Lin
coln was likely to lose its franchise if
the dues were not paid, so Ducky
scrambled the coin together and liqui
dated the league debt.
Carl East, pitcher, and Johnny But
ler, shortstop, have been released by
Lincoln to Waco. Tex. Both' East
and Butler have filed claims against
the Links. East demands that he be
made a free agent and Butter wants
salary for the full year of 1916, al
though he was invalided home in the
middle of the year.
Ed Hanlon is ready to sell his
Sioux City franchise at a rock-bottom
price. t Hanlon is tired of base ball
and will sell all be owns for whatever
he can get. '
The Western association is disap
pointed. It had dreams of a revival
through opportunity to get Wichita
and Joplirt from the Western league,
but now the Western will not release
either of these cities. And the West
ern association beat it back to the
graveyard where it is expected it will
spend the summer.
Peoria, slated for a Western league
berth, drew 75,000 people last year
and has $6,000 in the club treasury.
How many of the present Western J
league cities can b'hst of this? What? '
Johnny Dodge Peeved When
. Papers Will Not Print Name
Johnnv Dodge, the unfortunate ball
player who was killed in Mobile by a
..-. . i, -
pucnea oau a lew seasons ago during
a game between Nashville and Mobile
in the Southern association, had ' a
weakness for publicity and .nothing
pleased him more than to see his
name in print.
Johnny had managed to get in
wrong with the scribes of hip home
town and the result was that his name
was as unknown to the sporting pages
as if he hadn't been in the league.
Dodge noticed it and felt it keenly and
after remaining silent as long as pos
sible he approached one of the scribes
who was on the bench before the
game began:
"Say, you, why don't you ever men
tion my name? The only time I ever
get my handle in the paper is in the
box score, while the other guys are
always getting their pictures printed
and boosted to the skies. I'm not
such a bad guy as that and I want
you to say something, one way or
the other. Roast me if you like, but
for the love of Mike don't lay com
pletely off me. I'll do something pretty
soon that will be worth putting my
name in the paper. I'm long due."
The next afternoon Atlanta and
Nashville played a 17-inning game and
it was a two-base drive from Dodge's
bat in the 17th that decided the is
sue. 1 He had made himself such a
hero that the scribes were glad to
make him the headliner and use his
picture, which didn't come close to
making him half mad.
December Victor List Is
Appropriate to Holiday Season
The December list of Victor rec
ords just issued shows a wealth of
music for the holiday season. In
cluded in tha list are selections par
ticularly appropriate to Christmas.
Tha Victor people anticipate a big de
mand for war songs ana martial airs.
There are several numbers by fa
mous artists like Caruso, McCor
mack, Schumann-Heink, Galli-Curci
and De Gogorsa.
Music lovers will be gald to know
that the list includes another record
by Galli-Curci. , The new number is
"Thou Brilliant Bird," from David's
opera, The Pearl of BraiiL" Galll
Curci'a voice is of such purity and
under such perfect control that every
note is a delight. This is especially
so in the enchanting duet between
the voice and flute, in which she imi
tates the song of the bird. '