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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 8, 1911)
THE SUTAT OREGOXIAN, PORTLAND, JANUARY 8, 1911. TINKERTELLS LIFE STORY ON DIAMOND Wizard Shortstop of Chicago National Team Relates His Fight for Fame. CITY GAVE HIM HIS START llr Began Plajlnc in Mercantile league at KiDU City When He Was J Years Old He Will Locate Here, He Say. PT JOCLni B. TINKER, i-hortwop of the Chlraco ftlunl Laafue Tram. My present trip to Portland has been on of the moat pleasant experiences of my life, and I think the only ap proach to It wn the year I played In this good old town back In 101. The many fond recollections and the many hearty, whole-souled frlenda I made ttiat year hare always mad Portland a byword with me. and aa soon as I am through playlna- baseball I am ko Ins; to emulate the example of that peerless leader of the Chicago White fox of a few years ago. Fielder Jones, and locate In Oregon. .This is no Idle boast, for I really trot my start in Oregon, and I firmly believe that peace, quiet and prosperity will mark my finish in this great state. Then there is another thing. My wife Is already pleased with Oregon and has consented to move here when I get through with baseball, and besides I have two healthy, husky youngsters who. I think, will make good citizens of this commonwealth, so I ran predict that this branch of the Tinker family will become full-fledged Orrgonlans in the nest Ave or six years, if not sooner, though 1 expect to play baseball that length of time anyway. His Life Chance Came Here. Bui to get down to the object of this story. I have been asked by the Sport ing Editor of The oregonian. as well as by several friends of mine, to tell my experiences In baseball and how I came to be a successful major league player. I guess It Just came natural to me to play baseball, but right here in Portland is where I received the chance to get Into faster company, and my graduation to the major leagues re ft u 1 1 e d from my being a member of that crack team which won the pennant here In 101. I started playing with the John Taylor team In a mercantile league at Kansas City when I was It years of are. I was born at Kansas City In 10. and have always claimed that city as my home. Our team won the city championship with IS victories and no defeats. The. next yrar I was sold to another mercantile team In the same league known as llagen'a Tailors, for the munificent sum of $3. and we won the pennant and SoO was distributed tmong the players, which netted ma about SI. .5. which wns the first real money I had ever received for playing baseball. Schmclxers Had Him In 18tS. The following year. 1898, I was with I team called the John K. tichmelzers. Johnny Kling had caught for this team Che year previous, and w had defeated every team Id Kansas City and several from nearby towns. 1 waa with this team during the early part of tho 199 season, but toward the latter part of '.he season a friend nameu Claude East took a team of youngsters to Parsons. Kail, and I was one of them. We went along to play on the co-operative plan, and at that time I played third base, the position I hope to play with the Cuba during the coming season. The most money any of us made during any one week was 11.&0. Of coarse, this was out of the profits after our board and lodging had been paid. However, one Sunday It rained, and this broke up the combination, for we had no money to pay for our grub. A fellow at Chanute. Kan., wired us $11 for expenses to come over there and play a game, and we decided to do so. Ballplayers Divide $11. However, we divided the $11 among us and decided to beat oun way on a freight train. We had traveled about nine miles out of I 'arsons when the train crew spotted us and dumped us off at a crossing, bag, baggage, bats and all. and this was the end of our team, for we split up. Some of the boys went to their homes, while 1 went to CoffeyvlIIe. Kan- and secured a Job as third baseman and captain of the team at f 35 per month, the biggest money I had ever earned at baseball up to that time. About the last month of the season the Kansas City Blues, of the American CUB STAR AND PORTLAND'S BASEBALL COLONY HAVE REUNION 10.' r .1 . J , ...... . I v. y7' t v." - V n. - .k- i TkM tm tho Crasp (! Lft to sislsni Umm rtahrr. CtmT of ChamvloBn, Wh CMn to the Cleveland American Leasrna Tea ml Fielder A. Jones, ez-Manacer of the Chlcnsra White Sox of the American Leagues K. J. itanmn, ronuu umpire, nun .ruiniuo.c OI r i thcu .niter Plnyos) In th Or(s Stat Longm in 1M Wnlter H. MrCrrolts Mannsrer f the Portland Baseball Clnb, Wh Wn Hl Second Pennant for Thin City Last Season Venn Gregg, Portland Great I.eft-Handed Pitcher, Who Also Goes to Cleveland William J. hire, Pitcher f th lhastB Beaversi Perl Barnrs Casey, Portland's second Buejnaa and a Teammate of Joe Tinker at Denver la 100 Andrew s. Aadersoa and tew Maaaffey, W ho, With Tinker, Helped Wis the Pennant for Portland in 1801. Association, with Billy Hulen, Jake Gettman. Al Pardee. Johnny. Kllng and others, came to CoffeyvlIIe on a barn storming trip, and played us a series of three games, winning all three, but In each of the games 1 was lucky enough to get a bunch of hits and played a great game at third. This performance so Impressed Billy Hulen that he recommended m eto the Denver Club, of the Western League, and I signed a contract with that club which called for S7S per month. It looked like a million to me then, for I hardly believed baseball players were paid so much money. Papers LeM?ned Chances. I reported to the Denver Club on time and waa forced to try out for third base honors against Charley Rellly. who was manager of the team and wh later went to Los Angeles. I realised right away that I was up against a handicap, but I determined to beat him nut If I could, so In a game between the Cubs and the Kegulars I played third for the Cubs and played as hard as I could. The next day the papers all boosted me to the skies and roasted Hemy, which did not do me any good, for he waa the manager. I was Immediately transferred to second base In the regu lar practices, and Perle Casey, now with Portland, who had been playing second, was switched to short. I not familiar with second and about July 1 was released while the Denver Club was at Sioux City. I had 12 In my pocket and was feel ing discouraged when 1 received a wire from John J. McCloskey offering me a position on the Great Falls team at an Increase of $25 per month over what Denver had paid. I wish to add that I had always been a member of win ning baseball teams, and the 3ame sea son that I was released Denver won the pennant. He Borrowed 15 Cents. 1 accepted McCIoskey's offer with alacrity and Joined the Great Kalis Club as soon as I could get there. I landed In that town without a cent and bad to borrow 15 cents to get a shave. That year the Montana League had divided Its season Into two parts, and the Helena team had made a run away race of the first half. When I Joined Great Falls that club had lost nine strslght games and Mc Closkey was tearing his hair. Again I broke In good, for Great Falls won the first game by the score of 6 to S and I helped some by landing four hits. Jimmy St. Vrain was pitching for Hel ena that day and during the game I was fined $5 by Umpire Austin, and this money waa Immediately paid by an en thusiastic fan, and was the first money I ever received from a spectator at a game. Tinker Is Sold for $200. When the second half of the season was pretty well advanced and Great Falls had climbed from the bottom to the top, the club was found to be $195 In debt, and McCloskey sold me to Hel ena for $200 and Joe Marshall. Again I made good, for the Helena fans took a strong liking toward me. but our team was Just nosed out at the finish by Great Falls, which necessitated a play-off for the championship. The first two games were played In Creat Falls and we broke even with them, and the next two games were to be played In Helena, and if the fifth was necessary a neutral point was to be chosen. We got off good In the first game on our home lot and defeated them, but in the fourth game wo had the lead when Umpire Burke made sev eral of tho fiercest decisions ever ren dered. He put me out of the game, and because I did not leave within one minute he forfeited the game to Great Fails. The fans rose en masse and chased him over the bsrk fence to his hotel, and followed this up by having him arrested before he could leave town for Butte, where the fifth game was ordered played by president Lucas. McDonough Forfeited the Game. McCloskey took the Great Falls team to Butte that night, and be had Miles McDonough. formerly a catcher, ap pointed umpire for the occasion. In the seventh Inning we had the game won by the score of S to 2, but In the eighth. McDonough called four balls on seven straight Great Falls batsmen, giving them the lead, and as soon as be had done this "Ducky" Pace, our catcher, deliberately threw the ball out of the lot. and McDonough forfeited the game to Great Falls. -. Before going to my home in Kansas City McCloskey signed me to a Spokane contract, for he told me all about the new Northwestern League to be or ganized, and I wanted to play out here. However. I was not of age when I signed with Spokane, so. when Jack Grim passed through Kansas City en route to Portland, he told me my con tract was not legal and asked ms to sign with Portland. L talked matters over with my fath er and Grim, and finally signed with Portland with my parent's consent, and Spokane was wired to that effect. Grim had Pitcher "Duke" Carter under con tract to Portland, so he turned him over to McCloskey to pacify him, and I was well satisfied with the change. MeCIokey's Defeat His Revenge. I was so anxious to play with Port land and to see the country that I came to the Coast that year several days in advance of any of the other players, for Jack Grim was the only member of the team here ahead of me. I never was more pleased In my life than when Portland beat out McCloskey that year. - . "J- Btiki . n th.. . rnM Vatlnul T.am Tam. Wkn Hrlrj Klght Aw Jaajnh B. Tiakrr, of the Chleaao National Irsmt Team, Who Helped PORTLAND'S NEW SOUTHPAW PITCHER, DRAFTED FROM DAVENPORT, LEARNED GAME IN CHICAGO CITY LEAGUE. P 11 ; 1111 -".-"v .. 111 " - i , . it.-".; - v .v;-;;N4- , , ; st:t' -LfiA f V j - - " "C ' - - H - " FRANK BATES ARCHER. Frank Bates Archer, the young southpaw pitcher drafted by Mc Credle from the Davenport team of the Three-Hlye League. Ts a native , of Chicago and began his baseball career with the amateur and semi professional teams of the Windy City. While playing with the Senecas of one of the many small leagues In Chicago, Archer was recommended to the - Davenport Club and played his first season In minor league baseball in 1910. He,is a left handed pitcher and, according to letters received y McCredie from Jim McGulre. George Stovall, Mike Mitchell and othe friends of the Portland manager. Archer is one of the most promising youngsters they have ever seen. Jim McGulre, -manager of the Cleveland team, informs McCredla that Portland was decidedly lucky to secure this talented young player, for sevoral clubs had been looking him over and Portland beat them to It in the draft. McGulre says Archer will surely make good and predicts that the young fellow will be in line for a major league berth In a very short time, Archer will be handicapped In coming to Portland, for, being a left hander, he will be expected to fill the vacancy left by the advance ment of Vean Gregg to the major leagues, and the tall southpaw made such a record here last year, that any youngster will have to travel some to approach It. However, McCredie says he will be sat isfied with Archer if he does half as well as Gregg, and Big Mac has confidence in the young Chicago lad. for I wanted revenge on him the worst way, and I got it. At the end of that season Portland sold me to the Chicago National League Club, and that favor has always kept the memory of this city foremost in my mind. Since my advent in the big league I have succeeded in pleasing the Chicago management and have kept up my record for being on a winning club. Chicago has won four pennants and two world's championships, while I was a member of the team, and my success In being with such a great team I at tribute to the first really good baseball season I ever enjoyed that of 1S01, with the Portland team. The fans are fairly familiar with my career with Chicago, and the only thing that I can add to that Is that during the nine years 1 have been with the Cubs I have not yet gotten to first base through being hit by a pitched ball, which is a remarkable feature In the career of any ball player. I cannot think of any more to say at present, but I wish to assure my friends here that I will soon be an Oregonlan, and will always think of Portland as the starting place of my career. Jaundice Helped to Beat Papke. SAX FRANCISCO. Jan. 7. That Billy -.1 " j i. i dice the day he lost on a foul to Dave Smith, in Australia. Is the Information brought here yesterday by Rudolph ("Boer") Unholx, who arrived on the steamer Aorangl, after two years spent in the Antipodes. Unholz left shortly before the match took place. Papke al ready had tried to obtain a postponement, and was still sick a few days before the fight. Quaker City Teams Will Contend. WASHINGTON. Jan. 7. According to advices received here from American League headquarters, the Nationals will open the season of 1911 at Philadelphia, as the opponents of the world's cham pion Athletics. Wednesday, April 12. It will most likely be a four-game series, and is hardly calculated to give the Na tionals a flying start in the race. Chicago is to open at St. Louis, Detroit at Cleve land and New York at Boston. Second Fight Victim Dies. BELLINGHAM. Wash., Jan. 7. W. R, Stevens, manager of the Key City Log ging Company at Demlng, died in the hospital at Sedro-Woolley last night, the second victim of the fight at Acme Thursday between Justice of the Peace A. A. Galbralth and Stevens on one slda and two thieves on the other. &w Va J AVIn b. Peanut for Portland tm Win tha Pennant for. rortlana In i S 1 7 it i" STARS OF DIAMOND VIEWED BY TINKER Shortstop of Chicago Nation als throws Intimate Light Upon Top-Notchers. - TY COBB, WAGNER, LAJOIE The Best of These Three Premiers Is Cohh, He Declares To-Be Ore gonlan Takes Fling at Pa cific Coast League. Joe Tinker, one of the most famous stars of the Chicago National League team, who Is now visiting in Portland, and who exDects to become an Oregon lan In the near future, asserts that he Is going to try to play third base for the Cubs during the coming season, Drovldlng Frank Chance Is agreeable. For nine years Tinker has played shortstop cm the famous Chicago club. The year before he went to Chicago he held down the so-called difficult corner for the Portland champions of the Northwestern League In 1901. Tinker maintains that the position of short stop is harder to play than is that of third base and cites reasons for his views. Tinker Tells of Hard Corner. "Every day during the baseball season you hear of the "difficult cor ner,' meaning third base." said Tinker yesterday. "I have played both posi tions, and for my part I am convinced that It Is much easier to play third base than it is to cover the ground at shortstop. "A third baseman either gets the ball or he doesn't get It, and In either event there Is less chance of htm being given an error than In the case of a short stop. There are only two positions to be played by a third baseman either in for a bunt, or in his regular position for a batter to hit along the third base line. "I contend that balls are hit at the shortstop much more frequently and with Just as much velocity as to the guardian of the so-called 'difficult cor ner,' and a shortstop has to make i longer and necessarily more accurate throw than does the third baseman. Shortstop Is Busy Man. "I expect that many will dispute this assertion, but glance over' the baseball records and you will find that the shortstop handles almost twice as many chances in a season as does a third baseman and a number of these chances are on balls hit by the third baseman which are recovered by the shortstop." During a fanning bee the discussion of the relative merits of Ty Cobb, Hans Wagner and Napoleon Lajoie came up, and a fan asked Tinker his opinion of the trio. "If you mean in the past, I say Hans Wagner, but If you mean the present, Ty Cobb Is the greatest ball player of them all," he replied. 'Hans Wagner always could hit the ball," said Tinker, "and besides he could Held, throw 'and run the bases; all that can be expected of any player. In his day he was the best of all of. them. Wagner, however, is going back and Ty Cobb is coming. He is the equal of Wagner in every department. Ty Cobb Is Greatest Player. ''In my opinion. Ty Cobb is the great est ball player the game has ever known. He is a batter par excellence. He can hit the ball on the nose and Is speedy enough to beat them outewhen he bunts. As for straight out and out 1 batting and leaving the bunting game alone. Napoleon Lajoie Is Detter man either Cobb or Wagner, for 'Big Larry' is a truck horse on the bases and most any time he gets hits they are good, clean, legitimate hits that tear an inflelder's legs off If he attempts to flag them without being properly set for the" ball. Lajoie is a grand fielder, but his base running eliminates him from comparison with Cobb and Wagner for all-around ability. "Wagner is phlegmatic and not on the show order, and that is the reason why Cobb's performances always ap pear brilliant when compared with Wagner's, and also the reason why La joie appears to outshine the Pittsburg man in fielding. Lajoie Has Careless Manner. "Lajoie possesses a careless manner which looks like Indifference, but it is not; yet this attitude of his is- harmful to his team, for all of the other play ers try to emulate his example. This results In the Cleveland team appear ing absolutely indifferent on the field and was responsible for Lajoie's resig nation as a manager. - "All the youngsters breaking In usu 1I01 1 J. P. Marshall. Secretary and Business lWJIi J. V. narsBaii, secretary ana Busmen ! ally try to emulate the actions of some star, and Lajoie's seeming indifference and ease in playing has not been bene ficial to his team mates. "Lajoie Is one of the grandest ball players the game ever knew, and if the manager of the Cleveland team can get the youngsters to cut out imitating the big Frenchman, Cleveland will prove a factor in the running. Let the young fellows ginger up and leave the 'indifferent' playing to Lajoie. He can deliver the goods at it, and they can not." Coast League Is Rapped. Tinker took 'a fling at the Pacific Coast League directors for rejecting the double umpire system. "It is the. only system." declared the famous Cub shortstop, "for baseball is becoming so scientific these days, and the spectators are so strong for fair play, that one umpire cannot possibly handle a well-played game. "I think the - Pacific Coast League will make a grave error by not adopt ing the system which is being installed in every first class league in the coun try. ' By all means have two umpires in charge of the game. The chances for errors are loss and the fans are better pleased." SWIMMERS GO TO GEAR HART Mulrtiomah Club Members to Give ' Exhibition Before Woolgrowcrs. Leon Fabre and Dave Welch, two of the cleverest swimmers of the Multnomah Amateur Athletic Club, left last night for Gearhart Park, where they are to give an exhibition of surf swimming for the benefit of the woolgrowers' excursion to the beach today. Both Fabre and Welch are among the best of the swimmers of the Multnomah Club, and after swimming in the surf the youngsters will give an exhibition of fancy diving and swimming in the big nattorium at Gearhart. ' Arthur Cavlll, swimming instructor of the Mult nomah Club, had originally intended to give an exhibition before the woolgrow ers, but he lias been detained in Cali fornia on business and will not return to Portland in time. GUPS GIVEN AS PRIZES FRATERNITIES OF STATE DI VERSITY DONATE TROPHIES. At Big Track Meet in Eugene May 12 Handsome Silver Pieces Will Be Given. UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, Eugene, Jan. 7. (Special). At a meeting of the heads of the various club and-fraternity houses called tonight by Manager Harold Cockerline of the interscholastlc track meet project, positive assurance of hearty support was pledged by all representatives to the All-Oregon High. School Meet to be held In Eugene on May 12. These organizations will entertain the visitors at their chapter houses and hold open house for all of the out-of-town guests. In addition they will donate the cups and medals to be given to the winning contestants. The Sigma Chi fraternity has offered a handsome cup trophy to be given to the winning team; the Sigma Nu fra ternity has donated a similar trophy for the winning relay team; the cup to be granted to the highest individual point winner Is given by the Kappa Sigma fraternity. The other fraterni ties will donate the gold, silver and bronze medals for the men who take places In the respective events. Includ ing the relay race there will be 15 events on the programme. All of the clubs were equally willing to provide the cup trophies, but the Sigma Nu, Sigma Chi and Kappa Sigma fraternities were the first to make of fers and no additional cup offers will be accepted. A committee has been assigned to arrange the medal contri butions in order to assure a uniform style of medal. An entertainment and reception com mittee, composed of Harold Cockerline, chairman, Ben Grout, Arthur Means, Vernon Vawter, Ralph Newlands and Edward Hlmes, has been appointed by President Percy Collier, of the associ ated student body, to exercise a general supervision of the coming meet. Appllcatlons for entrance have al ready been accepted from Roseburg, Hood River, Baker, Pendleton, and each of the preparatory schools of Portland. SHverton Team AVins; Seeks Games. SILVERTON, Or.. Jan. 7. (Special.) The SHverton High School basketball team defeated the Woodburn boys In this city last night in a 10-to-20 game. The game was Silverton's from start to finish. 5ilverton has one of the beet teams In their class in this part of the state, and in fact Is open to an engagement with any who may desire to meet them. Fred Cavender is their manager and should be communicated with in regard to future games. They defeated Woodburn last Friday night on the lattens" floor. The Chilean deficit for 1010 Is estimated at S19.S45.000. to overcome which it is, pro posed by cong-ress. now In session, to prac tice ngia economy ni jev, ana 10 unuer take no new works during 1911. Players Who Winter in Portland Greet Joe Tinker, Member of Chicago National League Team, Who Helped Portland Win Pennant in 1901. , pa , Manager ef the Portland T sianagtrr ei ise rnmna lesiin y STIMULATES PLAY Waverly Golf Links Scene of Excellent Watches Among Club Sportsmen. INTERCLUB TOURNEYS SET Series of Games to Be Played in Aext Few Weeks Contests Are Planned for Both Men and Women Players Improve. During the next few weeks the Wav erly Golf Club will hold a series of lnterclub tourneys which will be an nounced from time to time. Members of the organization are quite enthused over the prospects of a most successful season. The balmy weather of late has beerl ideal for this sport, and several excel lent matches have been played. Inter est has been attached to the Individual games played outside of competitions, and marked improvement is beinjc shown in the style of play of several prominent members. A number of the Waverly golfers have expressed a desire to visit Del Monte for the Pacific Coast tourney, February 11 and 12, but so far none have definitely decided to make the trip. It is quite likely, however, that Waverly will be represented. The prospect of having a handsoms new club-house, the plans for which are now being discussed by the club directors, has increased Interest in th game and every day there are a num ber of golfers on the links. A return came between golflnir teams captained by Gordon Voorhies and Major J. J. Morrow will take place Sunday, January 15, and shortly after that there will be a team match ar ranged for the women solfers. In the recent team tourney tho Nas sau system prevailed, which consists of one point for the first nine holes, one point for the second nine, and one point for the general result. All matches were scratch match play. Tne results of last Monday's team match were as follows: Voorhies' Team I Morrow's Team Voorhies 3 Morrow Macleay 3 Zun Younir 8 Murphy Wright 1 Bennett Koehler OLInthlcum o!Huplr.s . . OiSmith .... ol'ample ... SIMackay ... OlWheeler .. 1 iHoneyman llLadd Minor . . . . Alexander T. Kerr . . . A. Kerr ... Wilder ... F.uell Dougherty . Total 15 Total The closeness of the score and the fine execution seen on both sides had given added interest to the approach ing contest and all players are taking advantage of the fine weather to prac tice. Last Wednesday a women's competi tion was held for the trophy offered by the club's professionals. It was won by Mrs. R. Koehler, who played from scratch and scored in 112. It was a handicap match, medal play. The scores were as follows: Player Handicap, scor. Mrs. R. Koehler (112) cratch Miss Carrie Flanders (124)... 7 Mrs. Peter Kerr (11ft) scratch Mrs. Thomas Kerr (l'.'S) 2 Miss Use Koehler (129) S Mrs. W. B. Aver (127) 3 112 117 11!) 12:t 123 124 124 124 132 Mrs. J. J. Morrow (181).... Miss Anita Burns (132) Mrs. E. C. Shevlin (150).... 8 18 FOOTBALL IXJURY TO SPORT New York Doctor Dwells on Largo Number Killed and Injured. NEW TORK. Jan. 7. In review of the football season of 1910. prepared for a New York medical society, Dr. M. J. Clurman. of this city declares that "the familiar tree of college ath letics would be greatly benefited by the lopping oft of one distorted and unhealthy branch, football." !Ta finrin that riesrjlte the much- vaunted new rules, there were 19 deaths and 400 injuries during the last year, while "almost 'every man who played is phvsically weaker for tho severe stress of the game." Dr. Clurman advocated tne adoption of sports which have less violent ex- i J !i o m Tint fnr A. fflw nicked men. but abundant exercise for all stu dents of a college or university. He continues: "Since 1905, there have been 113 l.atha rVnm fnnthnll n n H 93 Kprinns In juries. What possible arguments could be advanced in favor of football to off set these grewsome figures?" ! V SS ST, U ' ' ' 4 .V 2 BALM WEATHER i a J : yf - - IB oil i . - s ft 1 M