Show 4 4 Don Dan Brouthers Was Babe Ruth of his era in baseball Brouthers Grabbed Five Championships With Bat Prowess By Harry Grayson NEA Sports Editor Dennis Brou Brouthers hers was a a. giant of a man behind a trim trini black mustache mus mus- ache tache with a a. wagon tongue in his hands t p Dan Brouthers was the Babe Ruth of the and early Like the Barn Bam bin bino ino he took a tremendous Series swing from froni the thes left side of the theOf theof theof Of a plate 8 and d start ed as a pitcher Brouthers became a first baseman base man when he joined the Buffalo Nationals in 81 When they were sold to Detroit in fn n 86 86 Brouthers Shortstop Jack Rowe Third Baseman Deacon Jim White and Outfielder Hardle Hardie Richardson Richardson Rich Rich- ardson became the original Big Fou Four That Detroit club is considered one n of the greatest ever assembled assem- assem bled led bled and from it sprang prang the immortal immortal im im- Immortal Im- Im mortal Orioles for Ned Hanlon who revolutionized the game in Baltimore was its center fielder That Detroit club bagged the rational National l league pennant and won eight ight of the first 11 of a a. game 15 traveling raveling world series from Charey Charley Char- Char Icy ley ey Comiskey's St. St Louis Browns champions of the American asso- asso lation It t Took to Top Him We slugged em to death said i Old Did Dan shortly before he died Ini Inthe in the he summer of 32 Old Dan died i with his boots on at the age of 74 John ohn J. J McGraw with whom he played in Baltimore toward the fag ag end of his illustrious career gave him Mm a job on the press gate gatet at t the Polo grounds Brouthers led the National league eague league in batting three times and tied led for the championship on another another ari- ari an an- other r occasion Following a seaon sea sea- son on in the Players' Players Brotherhood leagie eague e. e ir in il 90 he topped the American American Ameri Amen can association Oddly enough in his best year 87 87 when he hit he lost the championship to Cap Adrian Anon Anson An An- son on who batted for his Chicago Chiago Chi Chi- ago cago White Stockings He batted in the Eastern league in 97 97 wh when n he was was finished Brouthers was cont contemporaneous with two other ther famous slugging 1 first basemen basemen Cap Cap Anson and Roger Connor of the Giants Brouthers left a year 16 major league League eague average of With the disbanding of the remarkable re remarkable re- re I Detroit combination folI following fol- fol lowing owing the campaign of 88 88 Brouders Brouthers Brou- Brou I them ders joined the amazing King Kelly telly I in Boston jumped with him himo I to o the Players Players' Brotherhood the following year when they again were on a pennant winner Brouthers was as clean living livings i LS as s King Jing Kel was the other way The plate was a long way from the he fences when B Brouth Brouthers r 0 u t h r rs s smacked the sphere There Ther were no lo o yawning bleachers into which 1 to o hit the ball just ball just a little In screened stand behind the plate and nd sun seats down the foul lines Old Dan recalled the Ule first steel stands being built in Boston while 1 he e was with the National league club lub there ther in 89 They burned town down own one afternoon while the were playing the Orioles Brouthers marveled at modem modern playing laying fields fielde per percent cent better I than han those on which he played He 1 never never ever saw a ground until h in 10 pl played in Bro Brooklyn kl n in 92 Prior PriorI Prioro I to in o that infielders raked their ter ter- ter- ter Brouthers Batted In Ia Runs Pitchers dreaded Brouthers' Brouthers power power lower and he moved up in a clutch like ke Star of Pad Padula l does in mud With the bases empty and a man man or orVo r two Vo out he was just as likely to o pop up or dribble an Inoc oui I grounder But Bu with men on the paths and I runs needed it was an on odds-on L wager rager that Brouthers would hita hit- hit a home r run n as likely as a single 4 Once a pitcher his otherwise brilliant performance ruined mined by P a home run run chased the big man mar with the long swing swing swing-Brouthers Brouthers I stood tood 6 feet 2 2 weighed pounds I around round th the bases blubbering You big bully You ought to tc toe be e ashamed of yourself going 4 around round the country with a a. telegraph tele tele- graph pole poi for a a. bat and knocking 4 I the bread and butter out of pitchers pitchers' pitch pitch- ers era rs mouths Dan Brouthers hit the old meal I ba bag ag from town to town Next Three-Finger Three Brown Drown Bertelli ertelli in jim Center Angelo Bertelli passing erback is is' playing center field on or I the Notre Dame baseball team teem |