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Show WW WE 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 have all had more than their share of the 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 brating another New y "V Year. His name is & & Arlie Latham, now $ . 84 years old, and s I looking somewhere 1 in the early 60s. P : Arlie is now a P guardian of the I . i : press box in New t' t i-V' York. But there was a time some 60-odd v - &J years ago when he Grantland Rice was a star in fielder 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 in-fielder, in-fielder, 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 Breitenstein, Red Ehret, Amos Rusie, King Bailey and a few others who had been pitching 70 or 80 games a year before the 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 Breitenstein, the "10,000 beauty," a mighty sum in any sale in those days. "Breit 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 McPhee Hciny Teitz, Red Ehret, Tony Mullane Mul-lane all the others. "In those days a pitcher whe didn't work in CO or 70 games, maybe may-be more, must have lost both arms." Connie the Bat-Tipper "Do you remember Connie Mack?" I asked. "Connie was younger than I was," Arlie said, "but I remember him, I'd call him the Bill Dickey of 6C years ago as a catcher, but he couldn't hit within a mile of Dickey, Connie was only a f;iir hitler. Bui he was the best bat-tipper I evci saw. The batter would be all set tc swing at a fust one coming in anc then miss the ball two feet anc start a young war. Connie hac tipped his bat with a fast-working hand. His idea was to win the bul game, any way he could, and the umpires were not so strict in those days. Connie was always smart. "Don't forget those old timer; could play a lot of baseball," Arlit i said. "Baseball was their life. There I were no motor cars in those days, ; no motion pictures, no radios. ! "There was nothing for them bul baseball and not too much caMi, Dc you remember the time Larry Lajoie then with the Phillies, batting .4f0. held out fnr $2,500? So did Er Dele' hanty, one of the yrcr.tcst hitters ever saw. Lajoie and Delebant could hit for me." The main point Is that Arlie Lath am at 84, a veteran who can loot hack over 60 years, even fceynm the days of Connie Mack and Mat Winn and Lonnie Stapjj, 30 yean before Ty Cobb or Ilabe Ruth wer j ever known, is still hale, hearty ant active. |