The day book. [volume], April 12, 1915, NOON EDITION, Image 7

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
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mony Wednesday to mark the game
as the first of the season. Believing
that the fans "are coming out to his
park to see a ball game rather than a
cabaret performance, however, Pres
ident Thomas plans to button down
on much of the pre-battle stuff and
get the combat under way promptly
at bell time.
The Cards are due to arrive to
morrow morning and both teams will
have a session on the diamond. Morn
ing practice will be a regular thing
for the Cubs during their first home
stay.
Joe Tinker's Whale team looks like
a major league aggregation. One
game is not enough on which to pass
final judgment, but the north side
squad goes about its work impressive
ly. As was predicted, there is noth
ing of the slam-bang nature in the
Whale bating, as the men lacked
practice on their spring trip.
Various batters went after the
slants of Eddie Plank Saturday in an
uncertain manner, Wickland and
Beck, left-handed wallopers, being
particularly weak. Tinker used his-1
double-entry outfield, and the first
trial indicates that the plan will prove
valuable. He is fortunate in having
two sets of gardeners of almost equal
strength.
Jimmy Smith, the new shortstop,
is the center of interest. At the bat
the youngster shows some rough
spots which will have to be ironed
out. He was having his baptism Sat
urday before a big crowd and was
naturally nervous, which may ac
count for some of his shortcomings.
His swing appeared too full for the
class of pitching that will be en
countered in the Federal league this
season. Men who swing hke Smith,
knock the ball a considerable dis
tance when they connect solidly, but
their percentage of failures is large.
In the field the new fellow looks
like a star. He and Johnny Farrell
form the youngest keystone combina
tion in existence. Their youth will
result in a few mistakes, but it also j
means the defensive work around
second base will be fast and furious,
In practice the pair worked well to
gether and gave promise of many
double killings.
Mann looks good in left field. The
entire team is alive on the bases and
run with excellent co-ordination be
tween head and feet.
St Louis also looks fair, though .
the infield can stand for some im
provement. There are still a few people who
believe Jack Fournier can be kept out
of the regular White Sox lineup. Evi
dently they have not perused last
year's American league batting av
erages or followed the work of the
Frenchman on thep resent exhibition
trip. No matter how slow Fournier
may be, he can slam the ball. And he
can hit it far enough to progress
around the bases and send in men
ahead of him.
Quinlan, the youngster from the
coast, has also done well since being
put at the head of the batting order,
an dthe fact that he is kept there
m"akes it appear that Rowland will
start him against the Browns in St.
Louis Wednesday. Collins and Felch
have also hit. But Fournier has done
better than bat in exhibition games.
He has hit over .300 in a major
league season, and such batting in
sures a regular position. Either Quin
lan or Felch will have to give way to
him before the season is very old.
On the last lap of the homeward
journey the Sox have been batting
viciously against good pitching. Ed
die Collins seems to have imbued his
new playmates with the idea that
they can hit, and Felch and Brief do
not feel the hoodoo of a Sox unifonn.
For the first time in many seasons it
appears that the Sox pitchers in their
noble work are to "be backed by
strong bating.
Browns lost St. Louis city series to
Cards, getting only two games in six.
John McGraw retains the title of,
the most licked manager in baseball.
Yesterday a Richmond, Va., fan"
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