Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 130, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 June 1917 — WATCH FIELDER JONES [ARTICLE]

WATCH FIELDER JONES

Manager of St Louis Browns Satisfied With Outlook. Has Shifted His Men Around and Only; Weak Spot Appears to Be Third Base—Will Be Formidable Team in Pennant Race. When 20,000 fans tujn out to a St Louis ball park on a Sunday In the spring it’s a sign that the sport is popular there. That’s the number that turned out at Sportsman’s park and the crowd was rewarded by a double victory over the White Sox—one of the battles being a no-hit affair. Fielder Jones is getting under way again. Predictions were made before the season opened that Fielder had profited by the 1916 campaign, and had noted how the combined players from American and Federal leagues shaped up. This has evidently been coming true. Jones has shifted his men around and now is fairly satisfied with the results. The only spot that can be called at all weak is third base, where the veteran Jimmy Austin holds forth. St. Louis fans are impatient because Austin is kept there —or at least a good percentage of them are —but Austin is a crack fielder, and hits in streaks. He is the best they have for the job at present. Jones, according to St. Louis scribes, would rather beat the Sox than any of his other rivals. He'drives his men to do their best against his old team, and has been sensationally successful of late. Fielder Jones is unquestionably a great manager, one of the best in the history of the game. He always gives the best he has to his men and superiors. He plays every game to win, at no time does he give up. In this respect he is an exact counterpart of Hughie Jennings, the great leader of the Detroit Tigers. It’s too early to do much predicting, but one can be fairly safe in stating that the St. Louis Browns will be a formidable team in the race this season, and cannot be too closely Vvatched, Jones won a pennant with a less effective team 11 years ago, and has his eyes set on the same direction In 1917.