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Show TIGERS SEE FLAG FOR COMING YEAR Believe Presence of Johnny Tavener Assures Them of a Pennant. Ever superstitious, the Tigers believe be-lieve that in the presence of Johnny Tavener on the roster they are assured as-sured a pennant for the coming year. Through a magnifying glass, the midget shortstop wouldn't look much bigger than a microbe, but the new mates are certain that he Is the left hind foot of a rabbit shot in a cemetery cem-etery at midnight. That's the greatest great-est harbinger of luck known to "science." When Tavener was born his fairy godmother waived her wand over Johnny's Infant head and chanted these words: "You shall not play on any baseball clubs but those that can win pennants." Johnny's fairy godmother has a record for always having the right hunch. Johnny has played professional profession-al baseball for years and he never had the experience of being with a team that finished out of first place. In 1921, Tavener was with Columbia, Colum-bia, S. C, in the South Atlantic league. Columbia won the pennant that year. The next three seasons, 1922, '23 and '24 he served the Fort Worth club capably and rode with it to a pennant each campaign. Soon as the other clubs in the league hear about this they can be depended upon to cancel their engagements en-gagements and prepare to attend the world's series between the Tigers and the winners of the bunting in the National league. During the season Tavener would do well If lie stuck with the rest of the fellows when entering the ball park, otherwise he is apt to get into a lot of arguments with the gate guardians. Tavener is smaller than Bush was when Donle broke in with the Tigers. Donie was obliged to get a letter of introduction from Manager Jennings to the park officials to get past the guards on the clubhouse doors. Fans around the circuit won't believe be-lieve that Tavener is one of the Tigers' players until they see him actually In a ball game. Quite easier to mistake mis-take him for the bat boy or the son of one of the older players. To fit him out in a uniform this spring, a tailor had to cut away considerable of Rigney's last year's uniform. In the future, outfits for Johnny will have to be made from his measurements. The smallest uniform in stock would be too big. Dan Howley had the right idea when he saw Tavener and in surprise, remarked: re-marked: "Say, that kid would have to stand on a stool to kick a duck in the bill." |