Newspaper Page Text
SPORTING PAGE,
DECEMBER 28
The Atlanta Georgian
PERCY H. WHITING
SPORTING EDITOR ’
[ NOT NEWS, BUT VIEWS
By PERCY H. WHITING.
Not content with the full grown job of trying to keep run.
ning races clean the City Park track in New Orleans has compli
cated affairs by running Rome steeplechases.
Really this is no complication, however. It is perfectly sim
ple. You can sum it up by saying that wherever you have steeple
chase races and betting you will have crooks and crookedness.
If there are any exceptions to this rule we should be glad to
have somebody stop by and tell us about it.
One of the most “smellful” examples of a bad looking jump- ‘
ing event was that run December 23—prophetic date—at City
Park. Six horses out of the eleven that started fell and Bank
Holiday, at 30 to 1, got the money—the horse and the bookies,
that is.
Racing in the South, like our old friend booze, is in a bad
way. They’re after it from all sides. One state after another has
closed up its tracks and put betting under the ban.
If New Orleans wants to keep playing the game the only
chance ia to cut out the steeplechases and ran the other races as
decently as is consistent with the general deRire of the owners and
bookmakers to get all the money. ,
The tennis people are working up a couple of lovely rows.
They have started a rumor that somebody gave somebody the
worst of it in the yearly ranking. They have also begun an agi
tation to get the national championship away from Newport.
Seems as though everybody really interested in tennis would
be glad to see the Rhode Island burg passed up on the national
championship proposition.
As a society center in the summer it has it on Bay Ridge,
but as a location for a tennis event possesses its weak points.
Tournaments in years past have been too strong on the fash
ion feature and too short on tennis. You can get the bunch there
to talk almost everything but tennis.
If the event is switched from Newport to Bay Ridge it will
loso considerable of its social brilliancy, but it will be decidedly
more notable as a tennis event.
Says our old college chum, 0. Rice, of The Tennessean:
Percy Whiting, In The Georgian, Is making a bard tight for
a “three ball" regime. Not the brand of "three balls” where
they tako your overcoat In exchange for 98 cents and a ticket,
but a sllco Into tbe present base-on-balls output which numbers
a quartet of wide ones. This seems to be one of the beat solu
tions yet offered to help the down-trodden batter, and the odda
are that If any change at all la launched In the rules, thla will
be the plan adopted. The only trouble la that the baseball muck-
a-mucka are not quite as keen about scrambling up the rule
book every year as tbe football moguls are. Tbe policy of tbe
former bunch la to "let what makes good alone."
On the first count “ ’taint so.”
It doesn’t make a frazzling bit of difference to us whether
they have three or thirteen. We opined thnt it might not be such
a punk idea to try the three ball scheme for awhile, but confessed
that wo weren’t going to get tearful nor hysterical about it either
way.
We’re not making a‘‘hard fight” for anything just now.
This is the one season of the year when we can be peaceful and wc
are making the most of it
FULLER, ONCE FAMOUS JOCKEY,
NOW IN JAIL FOR VAGRANCY
THE ALL-EASTERN ELEVEN OF 1097
COSTS MORE TO RUN BALL CLUB THAN
IT DOES TO RUN FANCY RACING STABLE
Dillingham. Waih, Dec. IS.—Occu
pying a cell at the city Jail, mingling
with the worst class 'of hoboee and
petty thieves, la Grover Cleveland Pull
er, who two yean ago told a New
York Judge he had spent 1160,000 In
two yean. He was once one of the
most famous of American Jockeys.
Puller hns been sentenced to serve
thirty days for vagrancy, pending an
LEAGUE MEETING POSTPONED;
TALK OF WAR HAS DIED AWAY
Chicago, Dec. ft—What only a few
days ago threatened to be one of the
flerceat baseball meetings In history, at
which a baseball war waa to be made
against tba major leagues, now looks
as still as the ordinary American Aaso.
datlon meeting. War talk haa cooled
and tt la almost certain that while
much of the time will be devoted to In.
vaalon talk, the meeting will end leav
ing the present condition unchanged.
Moat of the aolons of tbe A. * *
scheduled for today, has been postpon
«d until Monday. The men will then
meet and take up their yearly bust
neks.
Joseph D. Bryan, president of tbe
American Association, waa the llrst of
the magnates to arrive. When asked
as to the latest war news, he smiled
and remarked with a knowing glance:
"There le no war.'
•There has bee
vaalon and war.
I expect the war cloud will pus over
ara in town, tho a taw ore still on tha without any great damage."
PLAYING GOLF
NOW IN MACON
Bpedal to The Oeorflan.
Macon, Go, Dec. IS.—All Is ready for
tha wind-up of the annual golf tour
nament being played at the Log Cabin
Club. Today ths finals In ths handicap
wlU be the program, and on Monday
the next , play start* In the annual
handicap tournament. This Is to be
followed by the annual challenge tour
nament. The handicap that starts
Monday will be at medal play all' the
way thru. Handsome prises are of
fered for the winners In all the events.
Tbe best score made so far baa been
14 (the bogey for the eighteen holes le
71). In a practice game yesterday aft.
ernoon Professor George W. Macon, of
Mercer University, made the double
circuit In tt strokes. He le the scratch
man In the handicap tournament and
tba highest handicapped player will re-
calve twenty-seven strokes.
Macon ladles ara taking quite a good
deal of interest In the game this win-
ter, and every fair afternoon numbers
of them are on the links. During the
mornings others have been learning the
game, and next spring will And several
clever lady players In the club.
National Club
Sours on Burns
Big Boxing Club
For New York
New York, Deo. It.—Plane are un
der way for tha organisation of a big
boxing club In thla city patterned after
the National Sporting Club of London,
before which Burns and Molr recently
settled their differences. Many promt,
nent sporting men and politicians have
agreed to subscribe for Stock In the
New York rlub, and that enough money
will be raised to build nn amphitheater
and club houses large as the Metropol.
Itan Is possible next fall.
New York. Dec. 28.—“It cost* me
nenrly a hundred thousand to run my
boll club." soys Frank Farrell, owner
of the New York Highlanders. "My
racing stable costs about ten thousand
less than half as much."
Althn Mr. Farrell le as silent
about l)la winnings aa he is when he
loses, It can safely he snld that racing
pays him welt In the long run. In fuct,
it Is several years slnco his stable has
failed to pay expenses.
As for the hall team on the hilltop. It
has hern a financial success from the
start. Mr. Farrell was recently asked
which he liked Hetter, racing or base-
ball.
"It’s hard to eay which I like the bet.
ter—racing or baseball;" he answered.
Frank Farrell’s Expenses
Racing.
Horses (keep) 6 9,000
Kntry fees.. 6.000
Stake forfeits 10.000
Jockey fees 6,000
Traveling expenses... ... 8,000
Betting commissioner*.. ■ 1,000
Baseball.
Salaries (25 players) $ 60,000
Total... ; ) 40.000
Traveling expenses....
Hotel bills
Training trip.!.'
Clerks and attendants..
Total
Grand Total.-.
11.000
. 6,375
. 6,000
. 15.000
.» 37,175
.1187.176
BILL KIRK’S DOPE
Washington belt
“As a steady money-maker, baseball
Is undoubtedly the better, but there Is
a fascination about the turf which I
can not get over."
Mr. Farrell admitted that as a per-
aonal amusement he would choose the
ponies, hut he thought that as a scien
tific sport baseball had a much deeper
hold on the public. The proof of IhU
la that baseball draws enthuslaatlc
crowds year after year without the aid
of the subtle attraction of gambling."
Brooklyn Team
Better Than Ever
Brooklyn, Dec. 21.—The Brooklyn
team for next eenson ought to moke
It Interesting for any In the National
League. Here are the member! of the
club:
Outfleldere—Lumley, Maloney, Hum
med and Botch.
Inltelders—Jordan, Alperman, Lewis.
Casey, Bheehan. Paitee, McMillan and
Zimmerman.
Pitchers—McIntyre, Scanlan, Strlck'
lett, Bell, Rucker, Pitstorlus, Wilhelm,
Holmes, Hunter and Hess.
Catcher*—Bergen. Ritter and But
ler.
That Ebbet* will not keep f«ur out
fielders, eight Infletders and ten pitch
er* goes without saying. The Brook
lyn club Is especially strong on Infield-
ers. They are all good men. too. Pat-
tee I* declared a wonder by those who
have seen him In action. Ball players
who have played with and against him
In the Trt-State League, among the
number being Fred Jackslltch and Joe
Doeschcr, say he Is a sure enough find.
KELLY-PAPKE BOUT
COME8 MONDAY NIGHT.
OOOQOOQQOQOOQQOQOQQOOQQOOO
O O
O THE PLAINT OF THE O
JOBLESS DOPESTER.
O By Qrantlsnd Rice. O
O Over the hill* and far away O
O Lie* young and tender spring— O
O Over the hills and far away O
O The merry swatlets ring— O
O But In the meantime. Old Kaxlp, O
O Dope’* very scarce, by Jltig! O
OOOOOOtWOOOOOOOOOOOOlWOiKiO
New York. Dec. 28.—Hugo Kelly and
Bill Papke meet Monday night at Mil-
nukce. The dope Is to bet on the
comer ngnlnst the old-timer, hut West
ern sports are making Kelly favorite
and backing Papke men off the bnurds.
ROAST KULP
FOR FAILURE
T0ST0PB0UT
De* Maine*. Dec. 28.—Captain Oliver
Kulp, of the Iowa. national guard, com
manding a Davenport company, was
convicted of disobedience of orders In
fading to stop the prise fight In Daven
port. November 12, and Is to be rep
rimanded. •
The verdict was communicated by
tho oourtmartlal to Governor Cum
mins and was disclosed today with the
findings of the executive, who says of
ficially that-us he has no power to in
crease the penalty and no desire to
lessen it, he Is compelled to approve It.
The telegraph companies are held to
have acted "absolutely without justi
fication or excuse." and to be guilty of
"gross negligence" In falling to deliver
tho telegrams from the adjutant gen
eral to the captain of the Davenport
company. - *
Pop WdikartMay
Lead Galveston
Oalveiton. Tex.. Dec. -21.—It begins
to nppear that "Pop" Wetkart, the old
Shreveport player, will captain the Gal.
veston team again In 1108. There le a
fetllng that a younger man might do
better work, but probably this feeling
will die young. "Pop" will, of course,
play first base. ,
The playere who have signed Salves,
ton contracts-are Dnn Rllsy, Christian,
Torrey, Jenkins, Muson. Whlttenberg.
Blumberg, Jerry Kane and Joe Baird.
Eight were w-ltli last season's team.
Harry Blumberg, the new pitcher. Is a
left-handed youngster from Ohio. The
other new men are Shortstop Smith—
not Tony from last year—and Vaughn,
an outfielder. Several others are ex
pected to sign their numes to a contract
In a few days.
It has been three years slnre Galves
ton has had a team that made any kind
of showing In the race. With a nice,
convenient park and a good hustling
team that would be near the top; fans
of Galveston would be loyal and lib
eral with their patronage.
LOUI8VILLE SIGNS
TWO GOOD PLAYERS.'
Louisville, Ky„ Dec. 26.—Joe Stan-
By WILLIAM F. KIRK.
This diverting story I* going tbe rounds about
player named Kay:
"One day Case Fatten approached Kay and said, *77*11, my robust
friend, I understand you came from Martlnsburg, W. Va.’
" ’Yes, I did,’ shot back Kay. as he looked Patten over, 'and wouldn't
you'""
This ripping wheexe Is hardly up to the high standard set by the play,
ere more experienced than young Mr. Kay. It Is very good, we grant, for s
young leaguer Just weaned from the day-coach circuit, but we feel sure thtt
Mr. Kay can do better.
Baseball players have their own peculiar Idea* of wit, humor and
satire. The pun, regarded In all the beet circles aa the lowest form of
wit, they pass up entirely, feeling that even a bod play on the Infield
fa better than a good play on words.
, Their best bet In the field of wit Is what they classify a* "dry kidding."
DAHLEN A “DRY KIDDER."
"Dry kldders" pride themselves on keeping their facet aa aolemn aa the
fence around a monument.
Bill Dahlen Is probably the most perfect specimen of a "dry kldder" ever
In baseball captivity.
One day last summer he was riding on the Slxth-av*. "L” to the Polo
Grounds when an admiring rooter who recognised Bill’s familiar features,
chirped, "Hello, Dahlen, I suppose you remember me?" Dahlen nodded dis
tantly and the pest continued: "I never came up here on the “L" before.
I suppose I’m about half-way to the grounds, ain't I?”
“How can I tell you,” answered Dahlen, “when I don’t know where you
got on?"
Oh another occasion some Enthusiastic fan shouted at Bill: "Hello,
Dahlen. old boy! Do you remember that home run you made yesterday"
"No, I don't remember,” replied Dahlen; “that was too long ago.”
When we consider the wofully short memory of the average baseball
rooter Bill's come-back appeals to us as possessing not only wit but a great
deal of philosophy besides. V
Humor does not seem to thrive much In the field of professional base
ball.
M’GRAW ON THE JOB.
But satire! Satire, thought to be a lost art. Is not departed, nor will it
depart so long ns the ball player shall endure.
In one of the lost season's games a pitcher named Dorner was thrown
a new ball, and stooped down on the grass to rub off a little of Its shiny
surface, us ull pitchers do. "Oh, you fat-head! You look like nn old
scrub woman!" shouted McGraw from the coaching line*. Wasn’t that sub-
tie satire—what?
A well-known Nntlonal League player, whose wife was suing him for
divorce Inst season, taunted a rival player from the coaching line, saying
something about meanness. "Mean?" flung back his enemy. "How about
you? Why. you're so mean your wife won't live with youl” Wasn't that
satire—grand satire? Ask yourself.
A few years ago a catcher In tho Southern League found two rotten
eggs under the grand stand, and put them In the umpire's pocket while
that worthy was officiating behind the bat. Then he broke the eggs wltn
his elbow. Wit, humor and satire combined, each In lta highest and beat
form.
GAME IN CHATTANOOGA.
Chattanooga, Tenn., Dec. 28.—Man
ager Armour, of the Toledo baseball
team, which will train here this spring,
has announced that the Cincinnati Reds
will play an exhibition game hero
Match 28. The Reds will train in Flor
ida, and while they are playing here
the Cojts will play the University of
ley and Suter Sullivan have signed with I Tennessee at Knoxville. Manager Ar-
Lnulsvllle. Sullivan will play first buse I mour has also arranged for a game
and Stanley will work In center field. |wtth tbe Chicago Nationals.
It Happened in Birdiand—But it Might Have Happened Anywhere.
Caprrtsbt. 1007, by Amities*.
Jourasl-Eismlaw.
New York, Dec. 28.—Tommy Burns
will not meet Jack Palmer at the Na
tional Sporting Club at London. The
English gentlemen In the big club will
not stand for Palmer In any form at
all, and as for Burns they will not
break their necks offering him purses.
TINY CHAMPS
MAKE WEIGHT
San Francisco, Dec. 26.—Everything
Is going with a swing at the training
camps of (he two little champion*.
Abe Attell and Owen Moran, and tne
men who are preparing for the prlnci-
pal New Year's fight are thoroughly
satisfied with results. .
In Attell's case there I* an offlci-u
declaration that he Is safely
the weight limit, and from the Ent-
llshman's camp comes the lnfo™*“ d|
that the latter can make 120 pound
at two hours’ notice. . lh>
Attell Is a strong favorite with
betting contingent, the pressure or-'
tell’* money causing the price -
the English lad to lengthen to 10 to
today.
Branch Rickey Is to enter Ohio Stale
University for a course of law.
“Moses’ Farewell Address"
JUD6E.J0HK T. PENDLETON,
Sunday, 3:30, Y. M. C. A'