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Show SPEED IN FIELD AND ON BASES, HOLMES'S AIM tig ggREISPART OF BUTTE CLUB FOR 1914 RACE Butte Chief Is Keen for Making Mak-ing Union a Class C Organization. Oatcliers Lewis, Stevens, Willard and Witt. Pitchers McCroery, Robinson, Halla, Evans, Fitzgerald and Edmonds Ed-monds cm, Inflelders Coonoy, MacMiudo, Pendleton, Smith and McClelland. Outfielders MarshaU, DeMaggio, Houghton and Taylor. Spceiul to The Tribune. PROVO. April 11. C'outiuucd silence from "Ducky" Holmes, anil bis aggregation has been a source of considerable worry to other nuin-afjers nuin-afjers in tho Union association. Though "Ducky" believes in kecpiujr hus own counsel to a corlain extent, luck of nractico games more than anything else has kept the doings of his youngsters out of rtrint. Judging from the performances of men in camp during the last week and the reputations of those coming. Butte will have thiB season the strongest team that hus bceu its lot since the organization organi-zation of the Union association. With snappy fielding, speedy huso running nnd an excellent pitching . staff, "Ducky" confidently asserts that he cxnoctB to bo ablo to spot' somo of the other teams a few base hits', aud till cotno out iu the lead. "Roaring" Bill Big Help. "Roaring" Bill Stovens is helping out only during tho training- season. After ho gets the pitchers lined up, Stevens will drop from the list of catch' ors. Holmes is depending on Carl Lewis from Vaucouvor to bear tho brunt of tho work behind the bat after tho season sea-son opens, and it will bq up to Witt and Willard to fight it out for the ob of second string rocoivor. XuwIh ranks high among tho catchers of tho Northg western, both as a backstop and hittor. Willard and Witt are big, strapping fellows, ami promise a hard fight for a berth. Tho pitching staff looks second to none in the circuit. Both McCrcery and Eobinsou were with the team last year und did good work. Halla is a nig southpaw, with all kinds of speed and curves, and is a good hitter. Evans is a promising youugster. but will have his work cut out if ho displaces either of tho right-handers now in camp. Fitz-gerald, Fitz-gerald, the veteran from the cowt, and .Kdmoudsou from Venice, are both looked upon by "Ducky" as two of the best twirlera In the league, and if they live .up to their reputations will lirtvo no trouble in landing among the regulars. All the big pitchers now in camp have got rid of sore arms and other ailments incident to spring' training, train-ing, and aro cutting loose with all they can show. Infield Is Fast. According to tho present lineup, Holmes has practically decided upon his infield, the only scran in sight being between fucMurdo, tho veteran from Vancouver, and Cooney, u promising youngster. Both aro heavy hitters, fast fielders and baso runnors, Second base fits .lohnnv Pondleton, tho former Skyscraper, Sky-scraper, like a glovo, ami his ability in other respects is too well known to require commout. Smith at short looks like a second Bill Orr, lacking only tho slide, And if there is a third husoman (Continued on Pollowine Pag,) SPEED HOLMES'S AIM; IB LIVELY PLAYERS (Continued from Preceding Pago.) on tho circuit who can show McClelland McClel-land anything in tho handling of the ball and covering ground, the iaus will have something to talk about all season. sea-son. .Neither is there much of a fight in sight, for the outfield positions. Marshall Mar-shall seems faster this year than last and smco he has changed from a right-hand right-hand to a left-hand Matter, the "way he gets down to first looks as if ho were shot out of a gun. DoMaggio played good ball for Merkle last year, and looks .iust as good or possibly hotter now. Houston is fast and a good slugger, slug-ger, while Taylor will probably bo loft to warm the bench for a wlulo if ho gets by .the training period. Besides the four men now trying for the outfield, out-field, "Ducky" has been whispering mysteriously about another veteran from tho coast leaguo who will create a sensation. Tho utility position seems to have gone begging, unless tho Ducklings' manager has something up his sleovc. But that needn't worry tho Butto fuas, for Holmes is very omphatic in his declaration that he intends to place his club aroundthe top, and that if he hasn't tho players necessary to carry out his plans ho will get tlfcm. Keen for Class C Inside baseball will bo depended on largoly to make tho Ducklings ponnant contenders, but they can hit, if past rocords and appenranecs count, with, the majority of the clubs in the Union association. as-sociation. "Ducky" insists that tho Union association as-sociation is by far tho fnstest class D organization in baseball, aud is agitating agi-tating an application for a class C rating. Accordiug to the National association as-sociation agreement, any league showing show-ing an apgregato population of from 200,000 to -100,000, is eligible to a class C ratiug. Such a rating would allow Union association clubs $750 for each player drafted by nia.ior leagues, and $1500 for those drafted by class A teams. The leaguo would not only be civob more prestige in organized baseball, but also would be permitted it to draft plavcrs from class D organizations. In order to net class O rntiuir for tho coming season, application must bo made at once to tho national board and a special meeting called. It is'poB-siblo is'poB-siblo that this could not be accomplished accom-plished in time for this season, but even next year would oe a help if it were known to be coining. "Ducky" has been tho rounds and it pretty familiar with the majority of the baseball organizations in the couutrv. and from what ho has seen since coming to this region, he assorts without hesitation that thoc Union association as-sociation compares favorably with class B aggregations. Move Is Popular. With a grade highor rating and the special concession granted the Union association, tho club expenditures for players would be increahcd from $1050 to 522.i0 a month, iusurinjr even a still better grade of baseball. Whatever the officers of the Union association may decide upon, "Ducky" has given them something to think about. arfU in the clamor for better baseball tho movement move-ment will undoubtedly provo popular nmoug the fans and the players at least. The Provo Commercial club has been unfortunate in its arrangements for games and in having tbe grounds properly prop-erly cared for. Howover, tho diamond was thoroughly cleaned nnd rolled Thursday, and games have been arranged ar-ranged with Murray and Brigham Younrr universitv for next week. It is probable, also, that nolmes's men may meet with tho Salt Lakers about a wook prior to the opening of the rogu-laT rogu-laT season. TUo game has not yet been definitely arranged, although it is probable prob-able Hester and his Salt Lakors will stop in Provo on the Avay from Colorado to Salt Lake. |
