Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, December 23, 1917, Page 13, Image 13

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    TEE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: DECEMBER
1017.
13 A
CONSISTENT PLAYER
OFTEN AS VALUABLE
AS A BRILLIANT STAR
Athlete Who Is in Game Every Day and Giving Best He
Has Holds Job Just as Long as the Flashy Chap;
Killifer, Wingo and Rariden Are
Good Examples.
Ey JACK VEIOCK.
New York. Dec. 22. A good many base ball managers
hold onto players year after year because they are consistent
performers day in and day out.
This is true in the big leagues, as it is in the minors, and,
though a ball player has to have a certain amount of class in
any company, he does not have to be an exceptionally brilliant
performer to hold a job if he is consistently good.
The player who chafes on theQ
bench is a valuable asset to any ball ! ftnilPII IP PllCM
dub. He is the player who loves to UUull 15 UllLll
BOSTON BATTLER MAKES BIG
HIT BY BOWLING OVER FOES
WITH RIPPING K. 0. WALLOP
Joe Eagan Startles Milwaukee Fans by Execution of Two
Handed Punches; Tom Jones on Trail of Revenge
Signs Walter Monaghan to Chase
Jess Willard.
Those Restless Big League Stars
Dc in there playing trie game tor tne
game itself. He isn't offering alibis
that will keep him out of the lineup
on every possible occasion, and he is
worth twice as much as the versatile
star who. has the temperament of a
prima donna.
In sizing up' players of this class
it is unfair to deal with the second
string men who do not have the op
portunity to get into the lineup that
is given the regulars. And in glancing
over the National league fielding aver
ages for the past season it appears to
us that for the amount of work they
arc called upon to do in a ball game
tli c catchers have the call when it
conies to mention for consistent play
ing. Players in other positions may
be in there just as often, but they do
not figure in as many plays as the
backstops, and when it comes down
to brass tacks they haven't the same
amount of thinking to do, either.
Three National league catchers who
were mainstays during the season of
V!917 donned the mask and protector
"and caught more than 100 games
apiece. We'll say that was a good
.season's work. The trio in question is
composed of Bill Killifer, Ivy Wingo
of the Reds and Bill Rariden of the
Pirates. Rariden was forced to shoul
der the heavy work behind the bat
with the Giants when Lew McCarty
was put out of the game with a
broken leg early in the season, but
Bill is a gent who loves work, and he
is at his best when he is m there
nearly every day. The fact that he
has the ability to catch so many
games shows that he knows how to
handle himself behind the bat.
During the past season Rariden
caught an even 100 games for the men
of McGraw, and that is just about
an average season's work for the hard
working Hoosier. When Rariden was
with the Boston Braves, before he
took the hurdles to the Federal league,
he was the first-string catcher for the
Hub team, and in the "outlaw league"
lie was known as the hardest-working
catcher.
Bill and Ivy High.
Dill Killifer. famous as the battery
mate of Grover Alexander, caught
1'0 games of ball for the Phillies last
season, and his work was of the same
high standard that has ranked him
as one of the greatest catchers in the
game for the past few years. Ivy
Wingo caught a like number of games
for the Reds, and his work behind the
bat with both the Cardinals and Reds
for the past four or five seasons has
stamped him as one of the greatest
catchers in the game.
i-'rank Snyder of the Cards was
also a hard-working individual during
the recent campaign. Snyder caught
4 sanies of ball for the Cards, as did
Tragressor of the Braves, who was
called upon to shoulder the heavy
work when Hank Gowdy enlisted in
the army. Rowdy Elliott and Art
Wilson of the Cubs, and Bill Fischer
of t ' i e Pirates, were among the hard
est working backstoppers in the Na
tional league last season, with 65 or
more games to their credit.
Toronto to Stick to Ship
No Matter What May Happen
"If the International league doesn't
start next year Toronto will remain
on the base ball map." says Arthur
Irwin, business manager of the
Toronto club. "We did a wonderful
business this year in spite of war
conditions, and we know that the fans
still want base ball. The Toronto
club, therefore, is prepared to play
many exhibition games with the ma
jor league teams at home, and it also
is possible that we may take the team
to England and France, where the
game is beginning to thrive because
of the large number of American and
Canadian soldiers on the nthcr side.
No matter what happens in base ball
Toronto will not quit.
Ebbets Sincere in Plan
To Assist International
President Ebbets of Brooklyn was
sincere and positive in his opinion that
the major leagues' should give the In
ternational real assistance. Besides
offering to permit the placing of a
club in Brooklyn, to use Ebbets field
for its playing ground, he declared
that the majors should advance money
to keep the International going. Its
loyalty to organized base ball in the
Federal fight, he said, demanded that
it be given every consideration.
Bill Clarke Leaves for
Overseas With "Y" Forces
William Clarke, who was a catcher
on the Baltimore Orioles, 20 some
years ago when John McGraw, Hugh
Jennings, Willie Keller and Wilbert
Robinson made them famous, is go
ing to France in aid of the Young
Men's Christian association in the
war. Clarke has been base ball
coach at Princeton for several years.
Nig Clarke Sends Out Big
Boost for the Marine Corps
Nig Clarke, who is now in the ma
rines, was in Detroit recently on a
furlough. He declared it is the only
life and said he is sorry that he didn't
enlist years ago and never played ball.
Clarke" is stationed at Paris Island,
N. C.
Former Philly Hurler is
Retained as College Coach
Stanley (Lefty) Baumgartner, form
er Philadelphia National league pitch
er, who coached the Delaware college
foot ball team the past season, has
been retained by the athletic council
L-K also coach basket ball and base
'I all.
PLACE AS T. COBB
OF THE NATIONAL
Red Outfielder Wins Batting
Championship by Consistent
Hitting and is Flash
on Bases.
Everybody expects Ty Cobb, of
course, when he sets out to do a
thing to do it a little better or a
whole lot better than any of his fel
lows. When Ty decides to lead the
American league as an offensive
player he leads it and that's all there
is to it. But it is something new for
the National to produce such a leader,
however, in Eddie Roush, who isn't
an American leaguer today because
Jimmy Callahan, then White Sox
manager, couldn't see him.
When Roush, now champion bats
man of the National league, was in the
American league, four years ago, his
batting average was just .100. He did
not figure in enough games with the
White Sox to have what he did re
ported by Official Statistician Irwin
Howe and he only was played regu
larly by Jimmy Callahan in two con
tests. In neither of these did he make
the hit that gave him the average
that was 241 points less than his
1917 credit.
It was on September 11, 1913, in
Philadelphia, that Roush, batting for
Jim Scott, formerly of Death Val
ley, but now of the United States
army, tore off the hit that gave him
his average of .100. The hit was
made off Chief Bender. It was a
single.
The two real games that Roush
played in the American league in
1913 were played in Chicago on Au
gust 20 and 21. Then he covered
center field. One game was against
the Red Sox, one against the Ath
letics. In each game Roush batted
three times and in each game he failed
to hit safely. The men he batted
against were Fred Anderson, now
with the Giants: Charles (Sea
Lion) Hall, who used to be a Red
Sox, and Bob Shawkey, at present
with the Yankees.
And Now for 1917 Record.
In only 29 out of 136 games in
1917 did Roush fail to hit safely. He
was one of the most consistent hitters
in the National league and will prove
a potent box office attraction before
long. In Boston, the worst city in
the world to show off a man's abil
ity on account of the size of the
Braves' field, a veteran critic said
that Roush was the only National
leaguer whom he saw that approached
Cobb in his actions on the bases.
It was his opinion that Roush was
the real second Ty Cobb.
Roush won the batting champion
ship of the National league by the
consistency of his hitting. In only
29 out of 136 games did he fail to
hit safely. Eddie's best consecutive
hitting stunt last season was to col
lect one or more safe blows in a
stretch of 15 conflicts. From June
30 to July 13, inclusive, the Cincin
natian peeled off 22 wallops. He was
stopped by Harry Sallce of the
Giants.
Another good run for Roush came
between August 1 and August 13.
Then he delivered 24 blows in 13 con
tests. Frank Killer of the Pirates
halted the Redleg when he was on
his second batting jamboree.
Four times during the year did
Roush kick in with a quartet of clouts
in games, the pitchers he lit on being
employed by Brooklyn and St. Louis.
The dope:
May 17 Roush, four singles, in five
times at bat, against Brooklyn.
June 22 Roush, four singles, in
four times at bat, against St. Louis.
July 23 Roush, two singles and
two doubles, in five times at bat.
against Brooklyn.
August 13 Roush, four singles, in
five times at bat, against St. Louis.
A Hard Man to Strike Out.
As Secretary John Heydler of the
National league, who always is in
troducing new features into the aver
ages, and who now is writing intro
ductions to them, has shown, Roush
was a hard man to strike out, whif
fing only 24 times. Eddie went until
the morning fracas of July 4 before
any pitcher was able to strike him out
twice and then Vic Aldridge of the
Cubs turned the trick. On August 24
"Chief" Bender and Eppa Rixey of
the Phils, collaborating, made a car
bon copy of the young Chicagoan's
feat. Jim Viughn, of the Bruins,
going it alone on September 11. made
Roush retreat twice to the bench,
after taking three futile swings at
the sphere.
These are the men who had the
honor of breezing the National
league's champion batsman:
Boston Nehf, 1; Allen, 1. Total, 2.
Brooklyn Cheney, 1. Total, 1.
Chicago Vaughn, 3; Aldridge, 2;
Demaree, 1; Reuther, 1. Total, 7.
New York Schupp, 2; Benton, 1;
Sallee, 1; Anderson, 3. Total, 5
Philadelphia Rixey, 4; Bender, 1;
Alexander, 1. Total, 6.
Pittsburgh Steele, 1. Total, 1.
St. Louis Watson, 1; Meadows, 1.
Total, 2.
Phillies Lose Recruit
When War Call Steps in
The Philadelphia Nationals, who
drafted Justin Fitzgerald from the San
Francisco club, need not figure on
him, for report comes from San Fran
cisco that he has enlisted in the quar
termaster's department of the army.
ir fA li '-'" ! ; v '1
k ' V -Sew - . 1 '
Charley Herzog will not be with
the Giants next season. He has asked I
President Hempstead to be relieved
because of his enmity to Manager
McGraw. It was learned that the
New York club is ready to let him go
as soon as a good trade can be made.
According to the terms of his con
tract Herzog must be consulted be
fore he can be sent to another club.
The Giant captain has expressed a
preference, to go to Boston, Chicago
Cream of Nation9 s Boxing Stars Now
Are Teaching Soldiers in U. S. Camps
Best Men in Fight Game Are
Engaged in Instructing Uncle
Sam's Lads at Can
tonments. The cream of the country's boxers,
from featherweights to heavyweights,
have answered the call of Uncle Sam
for capable boxing instructors, and
are now engaged in training camps of
the country teaching soldiers how to
defend themselves.
Realizing that boxing is the best aid
to bayonet fighting, military authori
ties are making the art of self-defense
compulsory, and the men are throwing
themselves into the work with more
earnestness than any other part of
their training. It has been demon
strated that a good boxer makes the
best fighter with the bayonet, as well
as hand-to-hand struggles which occur
in every trench raid. The men to teach
boxing are those who are the most
proficient in the game, and champions
from every division have joined the
roll to aid in the instructing.
No Small Job.
It is no small job to teach from 40,
000 to 50,000 men to box. but this is
the position which most of the boxers
find themselves in. Those chosen to
work in the camps are going into their
work with a will to master the job,
and reports from all over the country
state that they are succeeding.
Willie Ritchie, who is boxing in-
Brooklyn Hurling Corps
Is Walloped by the War
No other major league club has
been as hard hit as the Brooklyn
Dodgers when it conies to pitchers go
ing into service. Cadore, Smith, Miljus
and Joe Pfeffer have gone from the
club. No wonder President Ebbets
refused to consider any deal for Rube
Marqirard.
Revolt of Bolsheviki Players
Cossack Byron Saves Civilization by Clever Disguise
Scene National commission head
quarters, Zinzinnati, Grad, and wild
disorder when Bolsheviki revolt led
by John McGrawsky, John Eversky
and Heinie Zim Trotsky surprises
Base Ball's Triumvirs Caesar John
son, Ponipey Tener and Grassus Herr
mann, who were having a stormy ses
sion. Premier McGrawsky stills mob
of 200 base-hit hunters who are
searching for Bill Byron and Cy Rig
ler with bombs.
Enter triumvirate in chains.
Premier McGraw Long have we
waited, men, for this wonderful tri
umph of base ball democracy. Would
that Sid Mercer were encircled in the
secure links of that chain. I have not
forgotten that $1,000 fine and four
weeks' vacation in the dark days of
oppression and I will now gloat over
the capture of my oppressor, who will
crack under the strain before we get
through with him. What say you,
men?
Alibi gang shouts approval.
Premier McGraw Read the indict
ment, Comrade Eversky.
Minister Eversky Before indicting
the arch enemies of the players and
the friends of the umpires, I request
that Hank O'Day's picture which
hangs on the wall behind me be placed
in my full view so I will be sure to
have something hot to say.
Shifting of Hank's picture.
Minister Eversky Autocrats Tener
and Johnson, you are charged with
long-distance fighting, a much more
severe offense than the field argu
! or Cincinnati
It is likclv
he will
land in Boston as field captain. Re
cently Charles Weeghman said he was
in the field for Herzog's services.
Pat Moran, leader of the Phillies,
and late manager of the famous Gro
ver Cleveland Alexander-William Kil
lifer battery, absolutely refused to
consider a trade of Zachary Wheat,
the slugging outfielder of the Dodg
ers, for George Whitted, the versatile
member of the Quaker outfit.
Roll of Ring Men
Who Are Teaching
In Training Camps
Here is the roll of American pro
fessional boxers who have been ap
pointed to act as boxing instructors
in our army training camps:
Armstrong, William P., Camp
Hancock, Augusta, Ca.
Gibbons, Mike, Camp Dodge,
Des Moines, la.
Kilbane, Johnny, Camp Sher
man, Chilicothe, O.
Leonard, Benny, Camp Upton,
Yaphank, L. I.
Levinsky, Battling, Camp De
vens, Ayer, Mass.
McAllister, Bob, Camp Funston,
Fort Riley, Kan.
McFarland, Packey, Camp Mc
Arthur, Waco, Tex.
Mandot, Joe, Camp Sheridan,
Montgomery, Ala.
Russell, Frankie, Camp Pike,
Little Rock, Ark.
Mitchell, Ritchie, Camp Doni
phan, Fort Sill, Okl.
Smith, Jeff, Camp Dix, Wrights
town, N. J.
White, Charlie, Camp Grant,
Rockford, 111.
Dunn, Jimmy, Camp Taylor,
Louisville, Ky.
Ritchie, Willie, Camp Lewis,
American Lake, Wash.
structor at Camp Lewis, is instructing
classes daily. The former champion
Matty Peeved When McGraw
Offers Herzog for Groh
According to a report from Cincin
nati, John McGraw offered to trade
Charley Herzog to the Reds for
Heinie Groh. It is said the friendship
of years between McGraw and Math
ewson came near being ruptured
when Matty heard McGraw's proposi
tion. ments which you have often punished
with dastardly fines. You have called
each other everything but slackers
and in doing so have imperiled the
dignity of the great game. We who
fight on the ball field never fail to
draw a crowd, while the spats between
the heads of the leagues arc likely to
hurt the attendance. Both of you are
supposed to be brave men, but the
players are convinced that you would
quarrel over an all-day surker. And
then you take it on yourself to punish
a man who fights in the open. We
have nothing hut circumstantial evi
dence on Autocrat Herrmann, except
that he has comforted the enemy, and
that's enough in our opinion. What's
the verdict, comrades?
Minister Trotsky Zim I'm in favor
of getting them each a pair of ic
skates and sending them to Honolulu
with Bill Klein. We ought to move the
national commission to the Bronx,
too.
Sound of horse galloping madly
down street.
Enter Bill Byron disguised as a
Cossack.
Premier McGraw mistaking the
camouflaged Byron for John Gruber
on account of the whiskers starts to
embrace his greatest enemy, who up
percuts the premier with a heavier
wallon than the one hung on Byron
by McGraw last summer. Byron is
followed by his fellow members of the
Detroit Steamfittcrs union who sup
press the Bolsheviki and chase the
leaders to their club house
CAS ETa SJZHGZXr
While Charles Ebbets has not an
noimced the fact, it is almost certain
that he is planning to reconstruct his
base ball machine that won the Na
tional league pennant in 1916, only to
finish next to last in the past season.
Casey Stengel of Kansas City is on
the market. Wheat and Stengel both
had trouble with Ebbets on the salary
question last spring and the two out
fielders would not mind a change of
scenery.
Showing Forty Thousand Men
How to Fight and Uppercut
With Bayonet is No
Small Job.
is working hard, and he is well liked
by both men and officers at the camp.
Benny Leonard, lightweight cham
pion, is also in die game for Uncle
Sam, and besides he is boxing and giv
ing a purse to military funds.
Battling Levinsky, the New York
light-heavyweight, who is at Camp
Devens, writes of his work there. He
says:
Levinsky at Work.
"I have been here for the past four
weeks, trying my best to make the
men in Camp Devens as good boxers
as I can. It will do a lot of good in
the bayonet lighting and when they go
over the top. I am teaching class
boxing to noncommissioned officers
and they instruct their companies. I
am also trying to organize a class of
commissioned officers.
"All the men take a. big interest in
the work. I have a class now of about
96 men and expect soon to have a
class of at least 200. You would be
surprised to see them fall into boxing
I positions. J hey must be natural born
Doxers. noxin' will be a great pas
time for all the boys as soon as the
weather gets too bad for outdoor
games. It seems that every red
blooded man likes boxing either to
watch it or box themselves."
Ebbets Raps McGraw for
Young Player Proposal
Charley Ebbets of Brooklyn had a
few words to say about John Mc
Graw's proposition that each major
league club should sign a dozen or
so youths under the draft age and
school them in base ball for future
use. "The scheme of making ball
players out of mere boys is a bad
thing," said Ebbets. "They should
be in school, but not a base ball
school. Of course, lads of 19 have
got in the majors now and then, but
I do not believe in encouraging them
to leave school to become ball play
ers." Cubs Grab Frank Walker
And Boehling by Waivers
While making big deals the Chicago
Cubs are not overlooking lesser addi
tions. Recently they claimed Outfield
er Frank Walker from the Detroit
Tigers and now it is announced they
have claimed Pitcher Joe Boehling
from the Cleveland Indians.
Big Prices Paid for
Famous Diamond Stars
firmer flevdaml Aleinnder and William
Killifer, Philadelphia ( uhi, 1917 SIOO.tHM).
Trl Npeakrr. Ifcmton Red Hot bought
hy Cleveland Indium.. 1016 Price said to
have been over 5(1,000.
Kilille C'olllnH, Philadelphia Atliletlrn,
bmiht by 4'hlrao White Ko, 1911!
S.tO.OUO.
frunk Baker, Philadelphia Athletic,
Iwnrht by New York Yankee, 191S
35,001).
Joe Tinker, Cinrinnnti Kedn, boDKht by
Brooklyn Koblnn, 1913 (Never reported)
SM.OOO.
Marty OToole, St. Paul American nn
Roclntlnn, bought hy Pittsburgh Pirate.
1912 ,.VKI. i
Ijirry (hnppelle, Milwaukee, American
aMortntion. bought hy Chicago White Sox,
MIS KIK.OO0.
I.efty Kimcll. Baltimore, International
league, bought by Philadelphia Athletic,
11)111 13,000.
Frltt Maiiel. Baltimore, International
league, bought hy New York Yankee,
i!)isrj,no.
Kuhe Marquard, Indianapolis, American
asani intlun, bought hy New York iiantx
10.000.
Cy Seymour, Cinrinnnti Red, bought by
New York Giant 10,000.
Spike Shannon, St. lonl Cardinal,
bought by New lork Oiunt f 10,000.
Chicago, Dec. 22.
the praises these days of a new welterweight scrapper who ap
peared unheralded a few weeks ago and earned a large-sized
niche in the hall of fame by demonstrating that he is a real two
fisted fighter. He is Joe Eagan, a Boston youth, who has ap
peared in several scraps at Milwaukee.
Mack's Big Haul
Connie Mack has received a for
tune for the Athletics' former stars.
He sold Eddie Collins for $50,000,
Frank Baker for $37,500, Jack
Barry for $10,000, Eddie Murphy
for $10,000, Bob Shawkey for $5.
000, Jack Lapp for $3,000, and he
probably got $25,000 for Joe Bush,
Amos Strunk and Wallie Schang.
Mack, therefore, has cleaned up
nearly $150,000 since he decided to
tear his great base ball machine
asunder in 1915. Yet it is believed
that as a result of his policy the
Athletics have lost an equal
amount in the past three cam
paigns. Quaker fans were begin
ning to return to Shibe park last
summer because they believed that
Mack was building up a winner.
But under the present circum
stances another slump is looked
for next year.
OMAHA GRAPPLER
HURLS GAS BOMBS
AT NEW YORKERS
Marin Plestina, Armed With
Plenty of Coin, Bursts Into
Metropolis With Much
Noise and Clamor.
Armed with a large supply of gas
bombs, hand grenades, heavy shrap
nel, liquid fire and several United
States certificates of large dcnomina
tion, Marin Tlestina, Omaha heavy
weight wrestler, arrived in New York
Friday prepared to conduct a siege
against the big city.
l'lestina, in Chicago before he left
hind a heavy drumfire of challenges,
defies, defiances and dares. And at
last reports, Marin had his enemies
upon the run.
Strangler Lewis, Jack Curley and
the participants of the New York
wrestling tournament, were the prin
cipal objectives of Plestina's drive on
the big city.
l'lestina, in Chicago before he left
for .New York, told the writer that he
had made every possible endeavor to
gam admittance to the New York
tournament. "I offered to work with
out compensation," said Plestina.
"but they flatly refused. Thev knew
I could beat any man in the totirna-
... . .1 il... til ' . e .
inciH anil inai wouin nave nueriereu
with their program.
On Trail of Lewis.
The minute the Omaha heavyweight
arrived in Gotham he shot a challenge
at Strangler Lewis, winner of the
tourney. He put up his money as
evidence ot good taith and dared
Lewis to enter the ring with him.
He also offered to take on anybody
eise tne jncw Yorkers had to otter.
U.f I ...
oriure leaving inicago l'lestina
fired his batteries at several other
wrestling persons. He announced
that he had $1,000 to prove that he
could throw William Demetral 10
times m one hour. He further re
newed his challenges to Joe Stecher
and Earl Caddock. He agreed to
meet either Joe or Earl under any
Kina ot conditions and said he would
give his entire share of the Bate re
ceipts to the Red Cross if one of them
would meet him. Wladek Zbyszko
was another Plestina challenged to
mortal comnat.
Veteran Pitcher Breaks
Into the Aviation Corps
Jerry Akers, veteran pitcher, once
with Washington and after that in
various minor leagues, has enlisted in
the aviation service.
OMAHA BOY NOW ENSIGN IN
UNCLE SAM'S NAVY.
nsign I J f red SurneH
Ensign Albert Burnett, U. S. N., it
is now. It used to be just "Ebhie,"
when he was a foot ball star at the
Omaha High school a decade ago.
"Ebbie," as he was fondly known
to all Omaha High school gridiron
fans, was one of the best foot ball
l hackfield men the local interschol
! astic institution ever had. Later he
played at the University of Nebraska
and coached ti e local high school.
Ensign Burnett now is home on a
Christmas furlough visiting his par
ents here.
By RINGSIDER.
Middle west boxing fans are singing
iQ Eagan dropped into Milwaukee verv
quietly and asked for a chance to
show what he could do. He was put
on in a preliminary bout and demon
strated at once the power of his punch
by clouting his opponent on the chin
for a clean knockout.
Promoters then gave Kagan three
more bouts hand running and Joe's
snappy wallops lulled two more bat
tlers into the sleep that lasted until
the referee had finished counting ten
In the third fight Kagan was up
against Eddie Moha, a tough welter
weight, and only the final gong saved
Eddie from a knockout.
These performances by the Dean
town battler have convinced fight fol
lowers throughout the middle west
that Eagan is a youth who has a
bright pugilistic future. In his next
scrap he will be up against a real
test, for he will tackle Bryan Downe,
the Columbus, O.. boxer, who is under
the tutelage of the well-known Tom
Jones. Downey has been coming fast
in the last few months and may be
the welterweight champion before
Kagan meets him. If Eagan can stop
him as he has his other opponents he
will be just about at the top of the
welterweight neap.
Typical Scrapper.
Eagan is a typical scrapper in ap
pearance. He is a tow-headed youth
and carries the fighter's trade mark
a cauliflower car. His nose also gives
evidence of having stopped numerous
lusty punches.
In his ring style Eagan is of the
perpetual motion type. He staVts af
ter his man from the first bell and
keeps after him as long as the fight
lasts. The word "stall" apparently is
not in his vocabularly. Fans who have
seen him declare he is more or less
a counterpart of Terrible Terry Mc
Goyern in the way he keeps ever
lastingly boring into an opponent.
Eagan pays little attention to the
punches of his adversary. He is al
ways willing to trade a blow for the
chance of landing one. He is not very
effective at long range, but relies on
short punches. His blows seldom
travel more than a foot, but when
they land they jar an opponent from
his topknot to his insoles. Eagan is
not a boxer in any sense of the word,
but he is a real battler, with a knock
out wallop in either mitt.
Revenge, Howls Jones.
Some men will go to great lengths
to obtain revengCj but Tom Jones, it
appears, will go just a little further
than any of them.
Ever since Tom was tossed into the
discard by Jess Willard, the erstwhile
barber of Kewanee has been thirst
ing for a chance to get eyen. Tom's
prayers have all been that some
where, sometime, chance would
place him in control of a heavyweight
who could relieve Jess ofllis title.
There are a number of scrappers
who think they can whip Willard and
a lot of managers who claim they
have scrappers in tow who can wal
lop the champion. These have re
ceived their meed of publicity even
if they never have succeded in set
ting Jess to enter the ring with tHem.
Tom might have brought forth al
most any heavyweight from nowhere
and got away with it, but no one
ever suspected that he would take
charge of the boxer he has and put
him forward as a prospective heavy
weight champion. If it were not that
Jones is not in the habit of dallying
with scrappers who are in a state
of innocuous desuetude, his latest
heavyweight might find himself the
butt of much banter and a multitude
of jokes.
Is Old Training Buffer.
Jones' latest mastodon is none
other than Walter Monaghan. And
Tom declares in all seriousness his
belief that Walter, old boy, is the man
to dethrone the heavyweight mon
arch. Walter, it will be remembered, has
been engaged in the thankless pas
time of sparring partner for heavy
weight champions for years. He was
in Jack Johnson's camp when Jack
was training for his battle with Wil
lard, and the big dinge declared Wal
ter was a better man than any other
white heavyweight. Johnson offered
to bet his dough that Monachan
could whip any other heavyweight in
me worKs.
After Willard conquered Johnson,
Monaghan hooked tin with the
champion and for a long time allowed
big Jess to pummel him in the train
ing camp. Willard came forward
with the assertion that Walter pnnbl
whip any heavyweight in the busi
ness except himself.
Jones thinks that Monacrhan hat
learned all the tricks while sparring
with Johnson and Willard that hp
needs to know in order to become
an important factor in the heavy
weight situation. At anv rate, he has
assumed the management of Mona
ghan and declares he will pilot him
to the world's heavyweight cham
pionship. It may be that Tom has allowed
his desire to find a man to beat Wil
lard to warp his judgment, but if
he hasn't his cup of iov certainlv
would overflow if Walter ever should
happen to take the crown away from
big Jess.
Many Clubs Seek Players
Freed by International
Under the impression that the Inter
national league has practically sus
pended and will not be in operation
next year, inquiries already are be
ginning to come in regarding the play
ers that may be set adrift. Several
Southern league clubs and certain
Coast league clubs have asked for a
me on such players. One Southern
manager wired that he understood he
could secure several players from the
Toronto club, which already has an
nounced that it hopes to hold its team
together, even if onlv for indenendent
ball games.