Show Van of the Giants I Is I WONDER A ATHLETES OF nF YESTERDAY YESTERDAY YES Y- Y WHERE ARE A RE THEY 7 HE Y I I Kept Busy Collecting Rents Famous Flying Flying Dutchman With Ten Years Yes of Giant Fame FameI I Behind Him Ineligible for Poor H House use Lists LIsts LIsts- Athletic Looking at Fifty as When He Tripped Up to the Plate I I I B By The Th Te N 8 I By E. E L. L MORIARTY OAKLAND Cal Ca Nov 6 George George Van an formen famous center fielder of ot the New York Tork Giants lives in this city He owns everal several rented houses His lIls real estate operations gives rise to a belief that he ray may be well wen off oft Van admits that he only works when the notion strikes himAt him bim him At Merrimac street Van Val resides In his own home Before he became a national baseball star he learned the lather and plaster trade He takes a turn at it now and then but his real estate investments appear to have provided against old age Rusie Rusle and w were re famous famous' twirlers of their day but fans of the time Ursie recall that tha Van figured in many a play which helped these master pitchers develop their reputations Do Dp you wonder how Van looks today More sparse his hair a few more lines in the face but not one whit less erect the stalwart figure which tripped in quick short steps to the plate Van is straight as an arrow at BO 60 years of age He seems young in comparison with many men ten years his junior On the ball Q-ll fI field ld Van g gave ve the impression of a giant In proportion pro pro- portion He Is less legs than thin six sit feet in height by an inch Van weighs pounds in In his str street et clothes In his baseball prime he ho tipped the geam at with a a uniform on Therein lies Hes the the- the secret secret of Van physical endurance He did not have to wear himself out making weight from one summer to another And today he be weighs but six siz pounds more t than tJan an when his speed had the National league guessing No b baseball e al fan of a few years back need be advised regarding Van Hal Hal- trens tren's reputation as a mighty wielder of the stick and a scorching outfielder Any m man m w who o can remain ten years jears ears with New Tork York and retire only ony because of ofa ofa a broken brokers leg is isa a fair to middling ball player Born in 1866 Van opened his big biff league career with the famous Chicago White Stockings in 1887 He played with the great Anson club or three years Brooklyn Baltimore and Pittsburg had him successively s until the season of 1894 saw him with the Giants Here he remained until 1904 Running Running Running Run Run- ning to second base one afternoon Van broke his legran leg Van ran ended his playing career in the Coast league became and later became a Coast league umpire The big ball ban player married early in life Ufe Mrs Van and two daughters comprise the family One of the girls is married Like many nany other great ones of his time Van cannot but regret that the big salaries now paid stars tars of the diamond were lacking in his day But he does no particular financial worrying Van comes of Dutch ancestry and inherits a strain of ot shrewdness which kept his monkey mOl at home He seemed to sense the fact that a rainy day comes fo for ball ban players like everyone else So when they are doping up the poorhouse lists Van wont won't be among those fl figuring on n that old trip over the hill I I 4 5 4 Van as he is today |