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Show Peppery Backstop Sets U I Fast Pace With Braves j I "Mickey" O'Neill, Recrujt From Rochester, Is Making Boston Fans Glad With His Snappy Work Behind Bat for George Stallings' Crew BY JACK VEIOCK, International News Sports Editor. j NEW YORK. May C Goorgo ("Mickey") O'Neill, youthful catcher of the Boston Braves, Is one of the best looking rocrults uncovered hy a major league club this season. O'Neill has been going great guns behind the 'sticks" for Stallings ever since tho opening of the season, and should ho maintain the fast pace ho sot out to follow, the veteran Hank Gowdy will probably find himself warming the bench for quite a spell. When tho Braves opened tho season here with the Giants, O'Neill got into action with a mask, mitt and wlndpau, and attracted an unusual amount of attention. He is a wide-awake, fa'st-movlng, fa'st-movlng, natural-acting catcher, with a good arm, and apparently, a mighty good head. He is going to learn fast in the big show, and with his natural nVillltvf lr V. C,l I- l -, the heat backstoppers In the senior league. New York fans woko up to the fact that the Braves had uncovered uncov-ered a young star when O'Neill picked several Giants off the bags and held up the Boston pitchers like a voteran, with all tho grace and mechanical finish of a thoroughly seasoned catcher. The Braves obtained O'Neill from Rochester late last season, and ha finished fin-ished the schedule with Boston batting .214 in eleven game3, and showing much promise In the way he handled the pitchers. This spring when the Braves hied themselves southward for I spring training, O'Neill reported in 5 l MICKEY" O'XEILI;. w superb condition, and so far heha.i done the bulk of tho backstopplng tor tho Bostonese, f He was born in St. Louis. April 12, jj 1S9S, and for a 22-ycar-old he Is H ' i wonder. He . stands five foot ten IH incnes tan ana weighs 105 pounds. He 1. It MMM is a fairly sizeable mark for the pitch- j j iH ers to throw at and has just the right d ( L weight for his size. He played his i 1 first prqfc33ional ball with Alton, 111., j In the Three-Eye league in 1917. Since 1 that 'time he has played with McAlcs- ter, Okla.; Nashville and Rochester. Tho Giants had O'Neill In the spring I of 191S, but turned him back for mpra j seasoning. I , M His best baseball performance? vs Probably his consistency in getting Into the gamo every day. He has j caught 375 games in the last three r years, or 125 per season. O'Neill bats and throws right-hand- M ed, and he was a .2SS hitter In the In- M ternatlonal league last year. . |