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Show AXE HOLD no grudge against th ballyhoo set up for such younger young-er entries as Col. Matt Winn, 82, Connie Mack, 81, Lonnie Stagg, 81, or Col. Ed Bradley. 83, They hav all had more than their share of th headlines for over 60 years. But we'd like to make another nomination that even tops this list when it comes to the matter of cele- f,""a'!r"1 brating another New f ; Year. His name is 1 I Arlie Latham, now ,' 8t years old, and JS!- looking somewhere v ee 4 in the early 60s. 4'jrx Arlle Is now a "ZMf guardian of tbe 4CA press box In New fxi York. But there was pfcVp! a time some 60-odd ieaaii.isJ years ago when he GrantlandRlce was a star Inflelder for the St. Louis Browns in the crazy days of Chris von der Ahe. And it was the Irrepressible Arlie who contributed his full share to the incipient lunacy of old Chris, one of the rarest characters baseball ever knew. Arlie Latham came to the Browns around 1880. He was an able inflelder, in-flelder, a good clutch hitter, baseball's base-ball's top clown and also an inspiring in-spiring entry. Arlie was one of the smartest men that ever played baseball, in any" league or at any time. He had a keen, quick wit that dominated any situation where repartee might figure. From the Browns Latham came to Cincinnati's Reds in company with such famous old timers as Long John Riley, Bid McPhee, Tommy Corcoran, Tip O'Neil, Elton Chamberlain, Cham-berlain, Tony Mullane, Jim Keenan, Jim Duryea, Billy Earl, Billy Rhines, Germany Smith and others. This old Red team was one of the most colorful casts that baseball base-ball has ever known. They were a rather rough and rowdy bunch, in many respects, but they could play baseball and Arlie was then one of the best. Looking Back I first ran across Arlie Latham after he had finished his playing career. This was back in Atlanta in 1903 when Latham was a Southern league umpire. He was something more than an umpire. He was a riot. His quick wit and his sarcastic comeback were much too fast for the ballplayers of 1903 and for that it would have been the same for the ballplayers of 1943. Arlie came south as umpire at the time the north was sending us such veterans as Gus Weyhing, Theodore The-odore Breitenstetn, Red Ehret, Amos Rusie, King Bailey and a few others who had been pitching 70 or 80 games a year before tbe fading soupbone needed a touch of southern south-ern sun. The best of the crop that came from the north In those days was Theodore Breitensteln, the "$10,000 beauty," a mighty aum In any sale In those days. "Brcit had a tragic baseball finish," fin-ish," Arlie told me recently. "The most tragic finish baseball ever knew. He was getting on at the time around 40 or maybe 42. He came to the close of the ninth inning in-ning with two men out and a sure no-hit game in sight Nothing like a hit up to that spot. One man left. The one man left drove a low liner through the box that broke Breit's ankle, wrecked his no-hit game and closed out his baseball career. "They were a grand bunch In those days," Arlie tells you. "Some of them were nuts but who Isn't? One way or another. I can look back and see 'em now Bid McTtice Hciny Pelts, Red Ehret, Tony Mullane Mul-lane all the others. "In those days a pitcher who didn't work in 60 or 70 games, maybe may-be more, must have lost both arms." Connie the liat-Tipper "Do you remember Connie Mack?" I asked. "Connie was younger than I whs," Arlie said, "but I remember him. I'd call him the Bill Dickey of 60 years ago as a catcher, but he couldn't hit within a mile of Dickey. Connie was only a fair hitter. But he was the best bat-tipper I ever saw. The batter would be all set to swing at a fast one coming in and then miss the ball two feet and start a young war. Connie had tipped his bat with a fast-working hand. His idea was to win the ball game, any way he could, and the umpires were not so strict In those days. Connie was always smart. "Don't forget those old timers could play a lot of baseball," Arlie said. "Baseball was their life. There were no motor cars in those days, no motion pictures, no radios. "There was nothing for them but baseball and not too much cash. Do you remember the time Larry Lajole, then with the Phillies, batting .400, held out for $2,500? So did Ed Dele-hanty, Dele-hanty, one of the greatest hitters I ever saw. Lajole and Dclchanty could hit for me." Tbe main point Is that Arlle Lath-am Lath-am at 84, a veteran who can look back ever 60 years, even beyond the daya of Connie Mark and Mall Winn and Lonnie Stagg, 30 years before Ty Cobb er Babe Ruth were ever known, Is still hale, hearty and active. |