Show HEELERS Smallest Man Han on New York Team Gets Biggest Salary He is the midget on the New York team or the American league but he be gets gots the star salary Billy Bill Keeler Keelar is the lucky luck luckman man and 10 a 8 year is the lucky fig figure figure ure I Although about the size of some same of his team mates not one of oC them can send the ball ban farther than he can n I At batting Keeter K is a wonder For two years he ho heM held hel the e batting championship I II of the league Never Naver r since he h began playing pla professional proe Vu n eleven years rears rea IS ago has hit he h been lower than third or i I fourth on the list At hitting the beI Wesley Keeler K er is at the head I of the class He fe a was the originator orl of I the t e idea Ide ot of holding H g the bat in the middle and stepping forward to meet the curve This Idea of oC stepping forward enables en the batter to reach the ball before the curve CUe has a t chance chaBe to fully develop It never has ag a chance to deceive the batter as the pitcher Intended tended it to Besides that the he motion of stepping In III to the ball gives gIes the blew blow ef of e the th bat much greater power Just Justas as stepping forward and throwing the I weight of the body behind I d a blow en enables i ables ft fIghter to 10 deliver a knockout o t ten Besides the advantage a that these info inn have given Keeler he has the most remarkable Judgment in placing the baH ball He Is able hie to place the ball ban to an aninch aninch aninch inch and aDd no momentary opening ever es escapes escapee escapes capes his bf eye Before Beto e the th little right fielder from Brooklyn made ma such sucha a itt hit in the game it was always supposed that a man must be he big In d to ta become eme be a heavy batter Keeler exploded that fallacy He cap can ca send a ball as far as any of ot the men boasting greater gr ter size sih ant ana development Billy Heeler was born in Ia Brooklyn in 1872 which makes him 31 this year ear He went vent to school In his native town but while still a youngster discovered that he had more of a liking for the national game me than t an for books Consequently he left without graduating from public school For that matter many of our millionaires rh have td dope done the te same in J their time Keeler KeIer had spent Ms his and re recesses recesses ceases as well as a few days upon which i he lg played 4 hookey bookey in learning learninE l to play ball bail bailHe i ifie He fie succeeded d so well that ih t when he was 20 29 having played with some souse of the local teams he be was induced to become a pro professional o al and play with the Binghamton nine I Ward ard at that time tint w with b the New Wew Yorks took wok a fancy to Keepers work and land landed landed II ed him hint with his team Here he be was put en ep third base but the fact that he ho threw I banded was regarded as a draw drawback drawback drawback back and he be was allowed to go ge over the theline line IRe to Brooklyn Here he be played pla ed his I game right field Hanlon of or the t e Brook I lyn lInt aggregation saw w and aa appreciated Keeler ler and Induced him hint to go down to tote i tie te Oyster City Under Hanlon Keeler developed Into the best bast batter In the league eague When Hanlon Radon came to Brooklyn Heeler eler accompanied acco hips him and held his I old position again but at a larger salary I Ithan than ever eve Than came the advancement t that flint his i iy y ot hard and conscientious work ork I merited He signed a personal contract I with Ban Bam Johnson for Ws present com corn compensation 0 p Ten fen thousand d dollars doUrs Is tint the I It I t oj notch in baseball salaries LarI a Keeler color is i I Ia a at the apex at ell f th the baseball pyramid j |