OCR Text |
Show Then yon feel Ww opening on the great ball pl7 with a Gatling gun filled with basoballi to tee him Jump. I fully believe, however, he would beat the gun." But with all the applause paid the brilliant diamond art 1st, baseball fame la nevertheless fleeting. The hero of It is not what you were ye may be a dead one and the player who U terday. It's what you are member of a championship club one year may be back In th minors before a year or bo has passed. Of the Chicago White Sox who won the American Icagn pennant in 1900 only one man, Frank Isbell, played with Ch cago this year. The other champions of the first year of the league were: Penzer, Katoll, Fisher and Patterson, pitchers; Sugden, Buckley and Wood, catchers; Paddcn, Hartman, 8hu gart and Charley O'Leary, lnfielders; Hoy, Dlllard, McFarland, Urodle and Shearon, outfielders. Of these, Charley O'Leary of the Tigers Is the only one left in the American league.. The following year the White Sox were made up as follows: Piatt, Grilllth, Callahan, Patterson and Katoll, pitchers; Sugden and Sullivan, catchers; Isbell, Mertes, Shugart, Burke and Hartman, lnfielders; Hoy, Fielder Jones, McFarland and Foster, outfkldtrs. Of the list Isbell and Sullivan are the only survivors either on the White Sox roster or In the American league. Clarke GriflUta was let out at New York last summer and hud charge of the Cincinnati team this season, while magnate In Chi Jimmy Callahan is a semi-prcago. The neason of 1902 saw Philadelphia win best Wfie to-d- ay to-da- fie la At 4 V.S- ITH the ending of some of the moat exciting races for the championship pennants in the history of the great national pastime In many leagues, the - i--" mjr EWS Ml . base- ball fanB must content themselves with recalling the exciting games of the past season ' u until the ring of the next gong spring starts the race for the leason of 1910. Ai!.J'-fr I When the rooter who was wont to screech his opinions concerning the Integrity of the umpire to the four winds seats himself quietly before the family hearthstone, gives 1 vent to a sigh and murmurs gently to himself, "Gee, It's all over, but golly It was some hot fight," then It Is that memories of some of the men who stood out most prominently during the thick of the fight flit through bis mentality. The failings of the stars at critical moments, the successes of the "dubs," the rising of some new luminary In the baseball firmament and the fall of Idols of years past, all tend to sketch-most vivid and Interesting picture. The names of two players stand But prominently again this season as result of their brilliant perform-ince- s 1 on the green diamond; these names are John Henry better known as "Hans" Wagner, and Wagner, ryrua Raymond Cobb, the bright and leading stars of the National and American leagues respectively. Wag-le- r Is the highest priced player In the y, tame but his first contract tailed for only $33 a month. When Barney Dreyfuss, president f the Pittsburg club, sends out bis -" i uib van piayers every rear he malls one to Hans Wagner that is free from Ink eXrOTlf thnt r,1nor ai ha nana few ta nrlntftp tin in "o amount for which Honus is to play, leaving that to the "1 "Big Dutchman." it 7be.Te'a noting surprising about that,' for Hans Is worth whatever he thinks Is right But when he signed his first contract, a few months after he won his slckname of "Big Dutchman," he signed up for $35 a month. And that was after he had been restrained by violent laying on of hands from wearing his uniform to breakfast George Moreland, a former plnyer and manager, who nw makes a business of supplying average's and otler brands of dope to the hungry baseball 1 fan, declares that Hans Wagner had no thought of becoming anything but pitcher until 1895 when he became a member of the Steubenville club In Ihe old Central association. At that time Al Wagner, Claude Hitchey and Frank Bowerman were on the team. During a slump the manager sent out t call for a pitcher and Al asked that his brother Hans be given a chance. The next morning a telegram was sent to the young pitcher, ordering Urn to report at once. There was no passenger train from his town until noon, but the youngster surprised the manager by appearing at 11 o'clock. He had Jumped on a freight train 10 minutes after receiving the wire. The recruit didn't get a uniform until the following evening, and the next morning he came to the breakfast table wearing hla'spangles. Brother K, backed up by the re3tof the team, convinced Hans that it was not customary to wear the uniform before noon, but they didn't convince him that It was Improper not mooch. Well, that afternoon lie bad bis tryout and lasted two Innings. He had V nothing but a sttalght ball that was so swift it went over the fence If hit or through the catcher if it wasn't Of course, he didn't make good, but Moreland was so short handed he tad to keep him around to play In the field, letting him eat and sleep with !he brother. Then Hnna took a -chine- to the 1nh of nhnrtstnn nnil- hrirnn n- m iiai;uva V it It. Early in the morning and after the games he would get kids to bat him. Finding that he could not start quick enough he dug holes in the leld like sprinters do, nut he was chased for spoiling the diamond and had to practice when and where be could. Finally he became fairly proficient He could field all "right, but was 4. K .v, ;:.."..::: j. ; St. iwkward as a hog on Ice. 'lie picked up In batting and soon attracted the' tttention of rival clubs, but had made such an unfavorable impression with Moreland that he was given to the Paterson club for nothing. There he ilgned a formal contract to play for $35 a month, bis first regular salary ts a player. There he made good with a vengeance and the following spring was told to Louisville for $2,500. He remained with the Colonels until the shift lhat took him to Pittsburg was made. And that'e where he'll stay Just as long as Barney Dreyfuss has money inough to cover the figures that Hans writes In the contract. Tyrus Raymond Cobb was again the bright star of the American league le stole 29 bases In 1908, but last season be made a new cord, nearly doubling his former mark. At the beginning 8 a good if the season the Ceorglan said Ue would be fortunate throwing arm and has caught many good men. 60 for this of but Cobb beat "Lou's" throws several times this year year. a total he I got and Cobb made Criger a laughing stock on several occa- There ts probably no runner in the history of base ilons. "Bill" and Includes Kelly "King" list this and tall, The prime of Cobb's life still remains to b6 reached. Uinge and "Billy" Hamilton and "Tom" Brown and George He has sprinted against the fastest throwers ln the Browne and all the others who could compare with Cobb. 'niih' nuruose la to outguess the other fellow. He American league and be has beaten them. In 1907 Johnny Kling's arm stormed Tyrus. but last year Cobb Aides where they are not expecting him to slide. He s stole bases on KUng. Cobb Is half way to a base before he and a of methods bag reaching different nine tas most runners get a start and the all of them. pitcher unwinds himThe Georgian can slide head first or feet first; he self, and he is Into a bag before the throw from an average catcher reaches the baseman's bands. . an dive or he can go Into the bag from any direction. Tyrus Raymond Cobb Is baseball's marvel. He has reached a' bag many times thla year where Lajole Is still the king of all second Backers, at least was not credited with a stolen base. Coob'a force hen coming Into a sack makes him a difficult man to so says a prominent St. Louis baseball critic. Recently a baseball fan of the Mound City wrote et. He may be touched out. but the hand that holds he ball will be unsteady, and should It linger on any Billy Murphy of St. Louis, asking who was the greatest art of the Georgian's body the ball stands little chancti second baseman of the men now playing the bag. Following Is the Interesting answer: if remaining In the hand. "Lajole, Johnnie Evers and Jimmy Williams are the When Cobb plays baseball he calls forth everything fc possesses strength, energy, speed and mind. He three greatest second basemen In the major leagues. "Williams was not at his best laBt season and Lavorks them all to the limit. Btfore the beginning of the senson "Lou" Criger, jole lacked a few points of traveling at his top speed reterati catcher, who was then with the Browne In train-rg- , at times, while Evers, coming slowly each year, shoved mude the declaration that "Cobb ts a snap and I'll more brilliancy than either during the race and larked r mark of but a small margin of reaching the let his tfoat," In the an who, Lajole, remark Napoleon by unguarded phenomenal the performances made have r may Crlgt without doubt, to my way of figuring, has a shade on nouiuiit, as men often do. and he may not have meant should be given the palm, with t Just ns It sounded, but Cobb heard about It and began all second basemen and second. close as a Johnnie Evers formulate Immediately. plans 0 "The most really brilliant player of the three ts Cobb's pride was burt and bis reputation insulted, le went In to get reveuge and he got It. Crtger't arm Johnnie Evert. I believe be can go back Into the field vV 1 JL U long-draw- a the pennant with th players: following Waddell, Plank, Busting, Mitchell and Wilson. pitchers; Schreck and Powers, catch- - tc-da- WAGHER . 2 , - ' V -- l " 1 i"' 5 s1 T N 1 1A x- - JilPOLEOtl era-loy- high-wate- V, f tip , v,, I V S r V f-- A A SCl' W -- i. JOMNYEVERS CUBS STl?3C0ND Mur- ers; Davis, Castro, Bonner, phy. Monte Cross. Lave Cross, lnfielders; Hartzel, FuIU and Sey-boloutfielders. Many of these are now either In the minor leagues or out of the game altogether, the big league survivors being Waddell, Plank, Davis. Murphy and Hartzel. , RdBton took its turn at winning the pennnnt In 1903 with a team posed of Young. Dlneen, Hughes. Winters and Gibson, pitchers; Criger, Far-re- ll and J. Stahl, catchers; La CI. mice, Ferris. Parent and Collins, lnfielders; C. Stahl. Freeman and O'Brien, outfielders. f Dougherty, 4 Perhaps that bunh have not scattered. Of the pitchers. Young is In Cleveland. Criger rrd Dineen are In St. Louis. Winters In Detroit, Hughes in Washington, while Gibson Is a coach at Notre Dame. After having been Oh a member of three other clubs, Jake Stahl is back again to play first base. Ferris Is a Brown, Jimmy Collins belongs to Minneapolis and Parent is one of the White Sox. Chick Stahl Is dead. and Freeman Is In the A. A. both "mn Dougherty Is a Chicagoan and get balls better than the others, while The only changes In the make-u- p of the team that and Lajole can outplay him on fast ground balls won the pennant for Boston In 1904 were the substituat noiain playing In close. All three men are wonders a tion of Jesse Tannchill for Tom Hughes and "Kip" thrown balls to get a runner at second. Lajole taxes others. the for Dougherty In the outfield. Tannehlll Is now than a shade It and ball quicker away gets with Washington, while Selbach Is a minor leaguer. "I believe that Williams can outplay either Lnjoie Philadelphia won the pennant again In 1905 with or Evers on a very rough diamond, equaling old John as In 1902. The new men Its same line-u- p clever practically are All in Burdock this respect. were: Henley, Coakley and Bender, pitchers; Knight, players. Lord and Hoffman, outfielders. Of the six new"Either Lajole or Wllliums could throw oft his glove comers Bender Is the only one who Is still one of the and play Just as well as ever, the true test of a ball team In New York. Athletics. Coakley has a semi-prplayer. Hoffman Is with the Browns. "Oh, temporal O mores! O mama! Although the White Sox won the pennant as late '"Ze Grande Napoleon La wah!' He Is the greatest as 190G, several members of that world's championship, second baseman of all time. The brightest Jowel In the team failed to stick. Several have gone back to the baseball diadem gee! that sounds like diamond. leagues, while others have been traded. "Lajole has the lest pair of hands 1 ever saw In minorPitchers Slevcr and Eubanks, Catcher Payne and ball difficult most the or or low, left, high baseball; right lnfielders and Lowe are the only members ot and Coughlln look simple the Is taken with ease, making play the 1907 Tigers who failed to last the present season. giving the Impression of Indifference; not a move wasted, "Dutch" Schaefer is with Washington, Rossman with St and a perfect knowledge of time and distance; never ' Louis, Archer with the Cubs. ball to the a Into get position hurried, but ever working two A resume of of above shows conthe first the that away; saving wild throws from short; and Lajole pennant-winninteams there are only three men left In tinues to make the most difficult plays look so dead the league, while there are only 22 champions of the easy that one sometimes feels that he has no love for the great game. A ball Is hit like a shot out of a gun; first five years still remaining In the circuit with little exertion a hand darts out like the head of a A Chicago Judge has decreed that a buHtmnd can lesnapping turtle, and the ball Is hooked In by the big Frenchman, the king of ball players, Mr. Lajole of gally come home drunk and swear at his wtie, If we were that wife we would heat the old family poker to a Cleveland. . t "The crowd bowls with delight, but Larry smiles white heat and burn some cute little red sirlpo on hU and murmurs: 'That's nothing; you should see me at my worthless carcass. LtlJOlE TtizQft&r rr cona PEER Sel-ba- one-hand- o g |