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Show Honolulu Fans Believe That Detroit Has Signed Star in Pitcher Williams C John Brodie Williams, only Hawaiian in major leagues today. Hawaiian-American Curver Will Be Watched by Residents Resi-dents of Islands. By H, G. LOWBY, Sporting Editor Honolulu Commercial Advortisor. AJoba Nul to our rrmllhlnl player, meaning mean-ing welcome to John Brodlo Williams, the lutcst acquisition to tho Uctrolt pitching Htnif. John Brodlo Williams, who hails from Honolulu, Ohu, lt-landa of Hawaii. Honolulu John, as ho ia known In his homo town of Honolulu and on the Pacific coast, will bo tho first of his race. Hawaiian-American, to breJk Into major league hasnball clrcleB. Ono other pitcher, and" tho only part-Hawaiian ball player to seek bin fortune away from homo. Bpent a season lu the Pa- ' cine Const leapuo In 1907, but when drafted draft-ed by tho Boston Nationals tho call of trie nula hula, and the pol bowl was too stronK for him and he turned his back on tho opportunities offered to become be-come a tlc leaguer. Not no with Honolulu John. The thirst for fame and glory and ambition came to the duslcy son of. the Paradlso tho Pacific, H8 the Hawaiian Islands are called, and when opportunity knocked at hla door Johnny trraaped Its hand and held on llkfi srtm death. To bo a success suc-cess In baseball was his ono desire. Only Local Fame. Up to three years ago. or in isil. Honolulu John's fame bad spread only within the bounds of hl native home. He was like many other O'oung8trs great on playing ball and when not at horns one could find Johnny cavorting on tho town lots of Honolulu. Ono day Charley Graham of Sacramento Sacra-mento was handed a straight tip about tho Hawaiian youngster and ho nnt for Williams to come to tho coast and try his luck In faster company. Johnny was llko all. buahcrs, shy on funds, but a Htaiiuh friend, J. J. Sullivan, Sulli-van, stood sponsor for Johnny, and In February. 1911, he left Honolulu for Sacramento. At home Johnny had played baseball In a primitive way and there whk much to learn. He was willing and ambitious, thougji. and possessed a lion's heart, and Granam saw that with a bit of seasoning Williams would soon rank among the stars of the west. With this Idea In mind Graham sent Williams off to the Victoria club of the Pacific Northwest league, recalling him at the close of the 1IU1 Heason. Poor Team in 1912. In 1912 Williams pitched fur Pacra-nicnto. Pacra-nicnto. but tho team behind him was a green one and his record was nine won and sixteen lost. Following are his records for his two seasons in the Coast league, showing tho vast Improvement last season over that and, despite the rapid growth of the pan-time, pan-time, th development of flrst-clasa ball players ha 8 been decidedly slow. Williams, though. Is an exception to thofruln and there Is llttlo doubt among tho home town fans but what John Brodie Williams will be a winner for tho Tigers. Williams and his wife will leave Honolulu for Detroit early in February. PITCHING- RECORD. G. in. P. W. "L. Flu- T.O. R-A. S.O. B.B. H.B. W.P. B.K. tDlo ..41 'JCC 9 IC J4 7 H:. 109 JOS f ' 9 0 1913 m 217 17 7 S 17 uM 92 f.l 5 6 1 FIELDING UEUORU. G. P.O A. E. IDii .. 41 9 79 2 1913 ! 40 14 51 2 In 1912 Williams went to bat 94 times, made eleven runs and nineteen hits. In 1913 he went to hat seventy-two times, made three runs and ten hlis. Wlllams was born In Honolulu Jn 1SS9 and In consequence he will be 25 years of ago his next birthday. He stands six feet one-half Inches In height, weighs 1S5 pounds, and pitches, bats and fields right-handed. Williams' Is of si quiet disposition, bift aggressive and hard working on the ball field. He is married and 1 from a largo family, of which four of his brothers arc ball players, being memhers of various teams about the Islands, Interests Honolulu Fans. Tho going of Williams to Dutroit and his work there will be watched with close Interest by tho fans of Honolulu. Baseball Base-ball la -still n Its Infancy on the Islands "DUMMY" TAYLOR TO BE SIGNED AS UMPIRE FORT WAYNE. Ind.. Jan. 31. President Presi-dent Louis Hellbroner will take one of j the most novel steps ever taken by a baseball magnate next season If he signs Luther H. ("Dummy") Taylor as an um-I um-I plre and gives the famous old Giant I pitcher a chance to demonstrate that an arbiter can manage ball players without the use of tho human voice. Taylor was on the New York National roster for eight years and has had nineteen nine-teen seasons lu the game. He was last year In the International league, but was not particularly successful. Hn now Physical Instructor In tho Kansas school for the deaf and dumb at Olathe. and Is In dead earnest In making his application. appli-cation. HO says that he can conduct tha game by signs so that the players and tho spectators will understand him. and that he wilt earn an assistant at his own ex-pensa ex-pensa to call the batters and to announce an-nounce any changes that may bo made during the game. President Hellbroner Is Impressed with the Idea of giving Taylor a chance. He Is fully acquainted with bnecball and a mute umpire would certainly be something some-thing entirely new In the game.i and when the mul happened to bn a man with a hlg reputation the Idea, looks like worth putting Into execution. |