THE BATTALION
A^qqie) SporK/ 3
yVs’S'l:. EcL J. fi'Sx.kop.
EclitorJ < D.W. C^tpI-t
gA^j^po. Ed. J.P <?cl|u.ltzLi>
or\j?
A 991. Ed. T). .
BRIGHT HOPES
FOR WINNING
BASEBALL TEAM
Baseballers Showing up in Best Form.
Many Trying Out for Coveted
Places on Aggie Squad.
Baseball prospects are improving
rapidly with the showing that is be
ing made by the men who are des
tined to take the places in the affec
tions of the Aggie fans left vacant
last year by graduation of the -Old
Guard.” Billy Disch, the famous old
Texas coach, says that upon the pitch
ing staff of a college team rests the
success or failure for the year. If
this be true, Texas and Baylor will
not have to fight out the championship
of the Southwestern Conference be
tween themselves, as newspaper re
ports from these places seem to indi
cate, but will have to consider Coach
House’s proteges.
The pitchers at this stage of the
game are further developed than they
have ever been in any previous sea
son. This early season form is un
doubtedly due to the pre-season train
ing they underwent at the hands of
Coach House and Trainer Sprague.
Their arms are strong enough at this
early date that they might safely
flash their stuff for a few innings, but
the coach is holding them in order
that the catastrophy that befell Pat
Olesen last year, will not be repeated.
This stamina will be invaluable later
on in case extra-inning games have
to be played.
The right-handers will probably
bear the burden of the conference
schedule and consequently are re
ceiving a world of attention. Gill, the
sensation of last year’s team, is lim
bering up after basketball practice
every day, and will soon be in shape
for diamond duty. Olsen, who pitched
great ball last year against the Hous
ton and Omaha professional clubs, is
showing even more stuff that he had
last year and by the time first games
are played, he will be the same old
Pat that threatened to bum up the
conference. Giffin is one of the most
effective pitchers that has flashed his
wares this year.
Chandler, Grove and Byrd are all
good men that will make someone
work for his place when they hit their
stride.
At the present writing it appears
that for once the Aggies will be repre
sented by a crew of left-handers that
will give the southpaw batters on the
other teams something to worry about.
This style of pitching is a valuable
asset to a college team, for most col
lege teams do not develop a good
fork-hander every year and conse
quently labor under a terrific handi
cap when oposed by one “Lefty”
Rogers, “Bloody” Mike McCreary and
“Boomerang” Prewitt are all port-
The Athletic Department
wishes to announce to every
one that when they so desire
to watch the ball players and
track men work-out, they
are requested to stay in the
grandstand and off the field.
■*$*
siders, and have been mowing ’em
down in practice this week.
The job of catching will likely fall
upon the shoulders of Jack Fargason,
the squat little San Antonio boy. Jack
is a natural catcher. Even in his
football days the short, quick steps
of the catcher were part of his make
up. He handles the ball quickly and
cleanly, and his hitting and throwing
are features of his game. Dodge, al
though handicapped by lack of weight,
is a good receiver and is fighting it
out with Wilson and Bradford who
are working for a general utility man
and may land a regular berth.
At the hot corner we have an array
of material and all of it is of first
class calibre. But none as yet have
begun to show the fielding ability of
the fighting Irishman “Pat” Dwyer.
There has got to be some hard work
done in finding a man to fill this
mighty hole. The men striving to fill
the gap are Steineker, Weaver and
Johnson.
For second base there may be a
radical shake-up and as to who will
finally fill the position will not be
known till the first game. Those mak
ing a creditable showing for the posi
tion are “Petie” Wilson of last year’s
squad and his present showing is in
deed gratifying to all of us; Amberg
also of last year’s squad is whipping
into form and his prospects are prom
ising.
At short Captain “Bugs” Morris will
very likely fill but no one knows that
he wouldn’t make a good outfielder
as “Buck” Clayton is showing some
rare form at short and is hitting the
ball nicely.
At third a battle royal is in full
session. For here is one position that
has three men of about the same cal
ibre and all are fighting hard. To at
tempt to pick the best man of Craig,
Chapman and Puckett, would be fu
tile, for they all have the “stuff.”
Some of these good men may be
shifted for a try-out at other posi
tions.
The out fielders are having a
“tight-fight” and those making the
best showing are: Simpson, Womask,
Jim Forgason, a coming “Babe Ruth.”
Gang, it has been a long, long time
since we have produced a complete
winning combination. This year our
chances are very bright. We have a
coach that is as good as any in the
South. IT SHALL BE DONE.
It is certainly gratifying to know
that our basketball team has won the
championship ahead of the Texas se
ries. Heretofore it has always taken
the final two games to decide the title
holders.
LONGHORNS WIN
EASY MATCH
WITH AGGIES
Wrestling Team Easily Defeated by
Varsity Graplers. Aggies in
Poor Condition.
Before a crowd of six hundred Ag
gies the Longhorns from Texas Uni
versity won an easy match from A.
and M. Texas won six out of the sev
en matches wrestled.
The Aggies were and have been
seriously handicapped in developing a
winning wrestling team due to the
fact they have no coach and have prac
tically no equipment to work with.
Captain O. B. Haney has been put
ting all of his time in an effort to
AGGIES FOURTH
TIME BASKET
BALL CHAMPIONS
Work of Captain “Tiny” Keen and
Gill Sensational. Final
Score 34 to 30.
With Captain L. S. “Tiny” Keen
playing the most brilliant game of his
entire career in an Aggie uniform and
King Gill covering vital objectives at
critical moments made the first game
of the Baylor series the deciding one
of the Southwestern Conference as to
the 1923 champions. The entire crowd
marveled at the wonderful playing of
Keen, the massive giant from Kerens.
We are frank to say he has never
played anywhere near this form be-
develop a wrestling team and he has) fore; if he had, there would be little
succeeded wonderfully considering
the difficulties he has been working
under. Haney could not enter this
meet due to an injury to his knee.
In the 115-pound class, Frazier of
Texas threw Welch of A. and M. in
3 minutes and 44 seconds with a half
nelson and body hold.
Turner of Texas defeated Clark of
A. and M. on a point decision in the
125-pound class. Ford of Texas won
from Stevens of A. and M. on decis
ion after a twelve minute period in
the 135-pound class.
The Aggies won an easy victory
with Sanderlin over Lloyd of Texas
in the 145-pound class. Lloyd was the
more aggressive until Sanderlin
downed him on a scissor and half-nel
son. Time was four minutes and 47
seconds.
Campbell found it easy going in his
match with Rubb, who gave up.
They were 158 pounders.
Gorman of Texas threw Short of
A. and M. in the 175-pound match in
4 minutes and 47 seconds. A nice
match.
The final event was a hard scrap
between Craddock of Texas, who won,
and Howdershell of A. and M. in 4
minutes and 31 seconds with a body
hold and head lock.
The referee was J. Rudnick of Hous
ton Y. M. C. A.
It was “Hooty” Williams that is res
ponsible for a great share in the won
derful season the Aggie five have had.
Before the football season was over he
took the basket squad in hand and
they had all the fundamentals and con
dition when Coach Bible took them
If Captain Keen had played the type
of ball in the other games of the sea
son as he did in the Baylor series he
would easily be a Southwestern pick—
but this was not the case.
* ❖ *
The Aggie ball playei’s are whippnig
into form and will soon be in fine con
dition when the supply of “water-
wings” and “row-boats” arrive so
they can get on the field again.
doubt that he would have placed on
the conference five. Keen scored 16
out of the 34 points made by the Ag
gies in the first game and 10 of the
34 points made in the second game.
High point man in both games.
At the end of the first half the
score was 14 to 13 in favor of the Ag
gies. It had been a fast game from
the very beginning and our forwards
could not get the chances to shoot
at will due to the wonderful guarding
of Williamson. Lyons for Baylor, did
some nice shooting during the first
half but Gill put a stop to this in the
second half.
At the beginning of the second half
Woodson made a pretty crip shot from
mid-floor, but Captain Keen volleyed
through with an easy tip-off shot. The
second half was characterized by the
shooting of Woodson of Baylor and
Keen of the Aggies. Woodson mak
ing four baskets in the second half
with Keen making six. At the close
of the game the battle became fur
ious and both teams were forcing for
the meager few points which spelled
victory for either team. It was the
astounding shooting of Keen that kept
the Aggies in the lead. Keen’s final
two points were made amid the con
glomeration of flying hands, feet and
other human paraphrenalia from a
a difficult position. Fullingim was
high point man for Baylor. Darby
got right in the second half and was
greatly assisted by Washburn.
The score:
A. and M.
Points
Darby, forward 5
Megarity, forward 6
Brient (for Darby) Forward. ... 0
Keen (Capt), center 16
Gill, guard 2
W'ashburn, guard 5
Baylor:
Points
Lyons (Capt.), forward 8
Woodson, forward 8
Fullingim, center 10
Bell, guard 4
Williamson, guard 0
Referee: Sweeney (Betheny);
Timekeeper, Weir; scorer, Williams.