Show SPEAKING OF SPORTS By ROBERT McSHANE d b by W WOllam t ra N r Untie Union 4 A ROCK N NICK ICK ALTROCK baseballs baseball's funny funny funny fun- fun ny man who has delighted generations generations generations gen gen- of fans didn't become one of the games game's supreme jesters strictly strictly strict- strict ly y through choice Until a June day of 1912 in Cleveland Cleve- Cleve land and Nick was a mere pitcher pItcher pItcher-a a good one one but nothing more In the years rears that went before he had established established established es es- es- es himself as an idol of Chicago's Chicago's Chicago's Chi Chi- cagos cago's South Side by his pitching feats for the Hitless Wonders During 1906 1900 he led all the Sox pitchers pitch pitch- ers in winning the pennant He Hewon He won 20 victories that year as compared compared com com- pared with Doc Doe Whites White's 18 19 and Ed Walsh's Welshs 17 In the World Series with the he Cubs he beat Mordecai Mordecal Brown BrownIn In the opening game 2 to 1 But back to that June day in 1912 Nick had been traded to Washington Washing- Washing ton Ion in 1909 Washington shipped him to Minneapolis then to Kansas City He lie was finally brought back to Washington as a relief hurler It was during a game with Cleveland when Washington was trailing 2 to 0 O. O that Clark Griffith looked at Nick and asked What in the world did didI I ever hire you for The Fateful Answer Nick figured the question wasn't at all unreasonable but he yelled back at Griffith Just put me out outon outon outon on that hat third base coaching box and you'll you find out Griffith followed Nicks Nick's tion Gregg the Cleveland pitcher walked the first man and that's when Altrock The Clown was born He lie went into a phantom boxing act that convulsed fans and players of both teams Even Gregg the op opposing Op-I Op posing was getting r. r r real belly la laugh ugh To make it short the Washingtonians Washingtonians Washing Washing- picked up four runs that hat Inning and when Nick got back to the bench Griffith decided that hl his game early-game question had been an an- lie He had hired Altrock to o be funny an 1 There were plenty of squawks when Nick first started his funny stuff Howls of protest were heard from managers One sports writer i- i h e i rw r xi r t NICK ALTROCK suggested that if Altrock Intended to tomake tomake tomake make a three-ring three circus out of baseball baseball baseball base base- ball he might well spread sawdust over the Infield Ban Johnson was league president then Enough protests came his way to make a command performance perform perform- ance necessary Ban a big slow slow- moving individual laughed heartily at Altrock's clowning and told him to keep it up No Regrets for Nick Though it was one of those hose spur of or the he moment remarks that resulted resulted result result- ed In Nicks Nick's new profession he never regretted it He lie has found rich pickings pickings pick pick- ings In the comedy business Though he hasn't pitched competitIVely competitively since 1918 yet year after aUer year he has held down a salaried high big job lie He has clowned In tank ank towns and before world series customers lie He has supplemented his income by vaudeville appearances appearances appear appear- ances antes and through writing a syndicated syndi syndi- rated comedy column No Nick hasn't any regrets He started his career at Grand Rapids where after winning 17 out of 19 games he was sold to Louisville for From there he went to the National league where the highest salary was 2400 Finally he got with the White Sox strictly as a pitcher His only frivolous triv- triv olous moments came when he stepped in at first base to cut a few capers during infield practice Then came that fateful day in June of 1912 After clowning for he the past 29 years Nick can afford to o spend his winters In Florida golfing and fish- fish Ing lie He probably would be spendIng spending spending spend spend- ing his winters in an altogether different different different dif dif- dif dif- ferent fashion if U Clark Griffith hadn't grown rown a bit disgusted during that particular Washington Cleveland en en- counter Why hy should Nick have any regrets regrets regrets re re- grets Sport Shorts AN ESTIMATED 80 per cent of the nations nation's golf golfers rs cant can't break tOO Burleigh Grimes was suspended suspended suspended sus sus- indefinitely as Grand Rapids Rapids RapIds Rap Rap- ids manager because he expectorated expectorate ed ad in an umpires umpire's face Plenty of fans cheered the suspension Ty Cobb shot a 74 in qualifying for fora a golf golt tournament in San Francisco recently Ed brother of the Republican presidential nominee nominee nomi nomi- nee starred at left guard for the Navy In 1919 and 1920 |