Major League teams from the Northeast and the Midwest are getting ready to attend spring training for the 1908 season. Why isn't everyone else going? There isn't anyone else. Only ten cities have teams (New York, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington). There are no Major League teams west of St. Louis, or south of the Mason-Dixon line.

In his hometown of Kansas City, Cubs catcher Johnny Kling (photo) isn't thinking of baseball quite yet. He is taking care of his brand new pool hall, and celebrating his 33rd birthday (Feb 25). Kling is a bona-fide pool shark. He'll sit out the 1909 season to pursue and win the World Pockets Billiard Championship.

He's also one of the best catchers in baseball; a grizzled veteran who is so good defensively, he caused former catcher Frank Chance to move positions (to first base). Ask Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown why he had such a great season in 1907, and he'll tell you that his secret weapon is Johnny Kling.

Kling (nicknamed "Noisy" and "The Jew") is loved by his teammates (because of his gritty attitude), loved by the umpires (because he doesn't swear, smoke or drink), and loved by the fans. He is the starting catcher for all four pennant winning teams in the first decade of the century (1906, 1907, 1908, 1910), and the pitchers will claim that his absence, and his absence alone, is the only reason the Cubs didn't win five pennants in a row.

After a salary dispute, the Cubs trade him in 1911.

In other news this week: