OCR Text |
Show celebrities of the old days. Van made a name for himself in eastern circles and was counted as one of the great fielders of his day. Going back to his early history It may be said that Van Haltren first broko Into tho game as a catcher with the Emerald club of Oakland, this being be-ing In 1883. Some few years later, this team adopted the name of the Green-hood Green-hood and Morgans and joined the California Cal-ifornia league. From the position of catcher "Rip" developed Into a slab artist and Immediately jumped Into fame. For two years Van used his left wing to good advantage and by reason of his curves and change of pace established es-tablished himself as one of the top-notchers top-notchers in the country. On the Alameda Ala-meda diamond he made his first big record, when he fanned fifteen members mem-bers of the St. Louis Browns In a game, and as a reward for this act. was given a place on tho pltching 6taff of the original Chicago White Sox team by "Pop" Anson. His first season sea-son in the box in big company was a record-breaker and nothing was too good for the California southpaw. Then his control slipped away from him and Van went to the outfield, which position posi-tion he has played since 18S6 up to the present day. He plajed several seasons with the Chicago club and then went to Baltimore. At this period per-iod of his career the big magnates engaged In warfare and van Haltren donned the uniform of tho Brooklyn club in the Brotherhood league. This was In 1890 and the following season found him a memfoer of the Pittsburg team. He became so popular In tho Stogie City that the management of the "New York Giants went after him. After gome difficulty Van's release was purchased from Pittsburg and for the next ten jears "Rip" became a fixture fix-ture in the center garden. It was in sliding to second base at tho Polo grounds in 1903 that Van Haltren Hal-tren fractured his leg at the ankle and was temporarily withdrawn from the struggle. At the time the doctors were certain that the famous outfielder would never play again, when lo! and behold! "Rip" Jumped back into the game and played . rings around his team-mates. In 1901 Van Haltren departed de-parted from New York to tako charge of the Seattle club. He did so well as a manager that ho was engaged to guide the Commuters. VAN HALTREN IS OUT OF BASEBALL GAME Veteran Baseball Player Has Been Re-j Re-j leased by Oakland. And so George Van Haltren. or rather rath-er "Rip," as he is more familiarly known by all fandom, has been given his walking papers by the management manage-ment of the Oakland Coast League team, says The San Francisco Bulletin. Bul-letin. This, after twenty-six years of active service on every diamond of note, in the baseball world, and at a time when the old boy was putting up almost as fine an article of ball as at any time In his long career. Of course, it must be conceded that Van has aged a trifle In the last three or four years, but to close followers of the game he still has the earmarks of a good player and may be able to 6hov the wise ones a few surprises. For more than a quarter of a cen-' tury, Van Haltren has been moving about in professional company, and his name is a 'by-word in almost every baseball community of class in America. Am-erica. With Charley Comiskey. Johu Clarkson, Mike Kelly, the famous prize catcher, Pop Anson and all the other |