Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 165, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1919 — SLUGGER FLAGSTEAD WINS REGULAR JOB [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SLUGGER FLAGSTEAD WINS REGULAR JOB

Rookie Got Into Line-Up When Shorten Was Injured. Has Played Excellent Ball, in All Departments and Is Hitting Above .300 Mark—Not Expected That He Will Fizzle. Ira Flagstead, who was secured by the Detroit Tigers from the Chattanooga team of the Southern association, where he gained a reputation of being a consistent hitter, went well during the training stay at Macon and subbed in center in the early games before Cobb* joined the club. Then he was on the bench and he expect-

ed to stay tliere, to be ready for emergency duty in the outfield. The rest is an old story. Shorten injured his leg near the end of the training trip, got in the opening game against Cleveland and then was forced out of the lineup when his leg again gave him more trouble. Flagstead got three hits in that second game against the Indians, has played excellent ball in all departments ever since and now is the club’s regular right fielder. He has been hitting more than .300 most of the time, much of it in pinches. Shorten’s misfortune wal* his good fortune. Many other ball players with batting marks almost as big as Flagstead’s have come from the minors and failed in the majors where they found the pitching too good. Ira may also fail for the same reason, but there seems little chance. He has faced the best pitching in league and hit far above the average; in fact that is why he is sticking in right, after starting there as a substitute. Many minor league phenoms have been curve-bailed out of the majors, but Flagstead has shown no weakness against this kind of pitching. He is fast on his feet, covers a lot of ground and has a strong arm. He has faced several trying situations and his judgment at those times has been good.

Ira Flagstead.