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Show Beginning of Fred Clarke's Career as Big League Player Barney Dreyfuss, the overlord of the Pittsburgh club, took a trip to the Southern league circuit away back in 1S94, to pick up a pJayer or two. At Memphis he met Throw 'Em Down McCloskey, whose team was playing there. Mac was broke and didn't have enough money to take his team to the next town, so he met Dreyfuss and asked him for the loan of $50. Barney Bar-ney asked him to wait until he saw his team in action. After the game be asked McCloskey how much he needed for carfare. "Fifty bucks," said Mae, "Well," said Mr. Dreyfuss, "I'll give ou that sum for Clarke, your center-fielder." center-fielder." Hesitating a long time, Throw 'Em Down answered : "He is worth $50,000, but I need the dough, so make it $75 and he is yours." Clarke, In his first game for Dreyfuss Drey-fuss made five hits to five times up a $50,000 player for $75, all right. This was the beginning of Fred Clarke's career as a major league player and he developed into one of the greatest the game ever had. |