The day book. [volume], March 07, 1917, LAST EDITION, Image 10

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

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

                
BASEBALL SPORTS OF ALL SORTS BOXING
RISBERG AFTER TERRY'S JOB
WITH WHITE SOX
By Mark Shields
A young man entitled Swede Ris
berg will be the rookie to hold the
center of attention with the White
Sox this spring. He is a highly
touted infielder with a remarkable
reputation made in the Pacific Coast
league. He is avowedly after the job
of Zeb Terry, another coast product,
and will be in competition also with
McMullin, a third native son.
Picking infielders from the coast
league- is a popular pastime on the
. South Side, and Weaver and Terry
are two testimonials to the brand of
fellows developed out that way. Ter
ry is a remarkable ground coverer
and is very steady for a man who has
had but one year in the big show.
It is not likely Risberg will be bet
ter on defense, and that narrows the
choice down to one of hitting. The
Swede party is labeled something of
a clouter. But, unless he can hit 40
or 50 points better than Terry, he
will have to be a defensive marvel to
land the job. The Sox pack a healthy
punch in other positions, and the
great need at short is fast fielding.
Outside of this one job, and the
hole in right field, there are no jobs
open for the men on hand. Henry,
a, Virginia league first baseman, hit
less than .250 in his circuit, and that
is not a healthy recommendation for
the big leagues. Jourdan and Has
brook are also after the first corner
job, but Chick Gandil has a lien on it.
Recruit outfielders will be after the
right field job, but they have little
chance, with Liebold and Murphy
competing for the place of John Col
lins. Except for pitchers, the
chances are not bright for young
men with the White Sox this spring.
Rowland put the men to work on
'e diamond three hours after they
ded in Mineral Wells, and prom
ises a strenuous course of training
from now on. Military drill will be a
feature, but the plan for it has not
been decided on.
Ban Johnson is out with a scheme
to have a competitive drill between
the eight teams of his league some
time in July or August, with a prize
of $500 for the team with the most
soldierly appearance. And the drill
sergeant responsible for the showing .
will be slipped a reward of $100. It
is a novel idea and one that can be
developed into something 'worth
while.
Jack Fournier and his future fur
nish the great problem to White Sox
authorities. Jack has a contract,
made during wartime, calling for
something like $7,000 per annum.
Except for pinch-hitting purposes
there is no role for him to fill with
the Rowlandites. And there are some
other fellows around tox take care of
that assignment in case Jack is dis
posed of.
But it will be difficult to get some
other club to assume a contract call
ing for the sum named in Jack's
agreement. Some team in dire need
of a first baseman might use him,,
but Jack's shortcomings on that as
signment are well known throughout
both major leagues. He would have
a better chance in the National than
American and would be a tremen
dous "hitter.
Fournier is a natural .300 batter,
but no. place on a team can be dis
covered where his fielding deficien
cies will be small enpugh not to act
as a drag on his attacking prowess.
Harry Wolfe, much press-agented
recruit shortstop of the Cub team,
will hardly land a regular berth "with
the,big leaguers this year. Harry ap
pears to have all the natural attri
butes of a big league regular, but he
is.deficient in experience, and that is
a big item up in the big tent.
Wortman should be able to fight
him off. Chuck fielded sensationally