rOT?TT,AXD. FEBRrATiY 2, 1013.
K THREE COLLEGES
TtED IN CONTEST
Conference Basketball Cham
pionship Fight Grows
Warm and Tense.
IDAHO IS NOW AT BOTTOM
Gem State CnlTerslty Quintet, How
ever, Has Largest Xnmoer of
Games to Its Credit Oregon
Aggies in Fourth Place.
Conference Basketball
Standings.
Played. Won. Lost. P. C.
...3 3 0 H0
2 2 0 1000
...6 3 3 .600
... O 1 8 .112
Washington State...
Oregon
Washington . ....
Oregon Aggies
luano
Thru rnllpppfi are tied for first place
ivith a percentage of 1000. In the race
for the Northwest conference basket
ball championship. They are Washing
ton State College and the Universities
of Oregon and Washington. Not enough
games have been played to test the
actual strength of the leaders.
The University of Idaho has played
the greatest number of games, and as a
result Is at the bottom of the ladder.
The only victory won by the Gem Stat
ers In their nine attempts Is that over
the Oregon Agricultural College in their
second game, played at Corvallls.
The latter team has played six games
etanHv r T f t ft t hl fOOt. With an
I .even break in percentage. Washington
If state toiictse uvii.icu w . . r, .-o
gies twice at Pullman and in addition
l JL administered a druoomg to
W only conference games yet played by
Oregon are the two with Idaho. Wash
ington likewise nas met oniy iuu mu
from the Moscow Institution.
The championship appears to lie be
tween Oregon and Washington, for
either college should be able to spoil
Pullman's clean slate when they meet.
The latter school was barely able to
defeat the Oregon Aggies on their own
floor, although even Idaho had cap
tured one of her games with the Cor
vallls team. Washington and Oregon
ran up large scores on Idaho.
Statistics on the Oregon team are
as follows:
Yrs. In Yrs. on
Player, position college, team.
Plmmi. guard ?
Hoylan. guard 2 '
nton. center
Jlradshaw, ;uard -
Walker, forward
1; rooks, forward 5 '
Player, residence Aire. Wt. Height.
Mnims. EiiEcne 22 ISO 5 ft. 1
Bovlan. Pendleton 20 J J t. B
Fenton. DaUas . . . 22 1S . 1
Bradahaw. The Dalles 21 1US 6 ft.
Walker. Independence 2-i 1H4 .i ft. 10
Brooks. RIKerlon 21 10 5 ft. 5
Interscliolastic Notes
t, a T will be a fight between uie
I
Washington and Lincoln basket-
tnii teams for the 1913 Interscholastic
League championship," is the predic
tion made by Coach Lee, of the Port
land Academy quintet. "Having seen
both teams in action I believe the Lin
coln team has a shade over the Wash
ington boys. . Every member, of .the
Lincoln team can throw baskets with
accuracy."
-
Martin Nelson, the crack Washing
ton distance runner of 1912, was In
Portland early last week, arriving here
from Astoria, where be Is attending
high school. Nelson finished sixth in
the 1913 cross-country run in which Si
athletes competed. He also was quali
fied for the half-mile run at the
Berkeley meet and finished fourth. It
was his star work on the Astoria foot
ball team that greatly helped Astoria
to best the Lincoln and Jefferson foot
ball squads last year. During the lat
ter part of the football season of 1912
Nelson broke his collarbone in a foot
ball game, which kept him from play
ing In a number of games.
,
The Portland Academy will hold a
Pentathlon on March 21. In which the
school's athletes will compete for a
loving cup to be given to the winner
and a silver medal for second place.
Coach Lee. of the Portland Academy,
has arranged for the following events:
One-mile run, 100-yard dash, high Jump,
broad jump and a pole vault or rope
climbing contest. There are only 91
students at the Portland Academy that
are eligible to take part in inter
scholastic athletics. This affords little
material for the representation of
strong athletic teams. Despite this
handicap. Coach Lee expects to have a
team of eight to ten men In the 1913
Interscholastic meet.
Coach Borleske is again unable to
get an out-of-town game for his bas
ketball team. He had arranged to go
to Salem. Monday, and meet the high
school team, and arrangements were
already completed for the trip, but
owing to the fact that several players
on the Salem team were mjurea tu
game last Tiaay, tne game
called off.
The Columbia University and Port
land Academy soccer football teams
will play Its interscholastic scheduled
game on the Jefferson field Tuesday
afternoon.
Meier Newman, the star half of the
Lincoln championship football team of
1911. who was absent from school last
term, has returned to Lincoln, and is
now out for daily practice with the
Lincoln basketball team.
Bill Hayward. the University of Ore
gon crack coach, will deliver a series
of lectures in the Portland high schools
on track and field athletes. The date
for the lectures has not yet been set.
It Is the Intention of Hayward to tour
Oregon giving lectures in a number of
schools.
Coach Borleske. of the Lincoln High,
savs he was misquoted when credited
with the remark that his team would
win from Washington and Columbia
University when they met. Borleske
says his team wtll have to play a great
deal better than It has if it expects
victory over the Washington quintet
Judging from its showing against Co
lumbia. Amateur Athletics.
The Jewish Boys- Athletic Club first
basketball team, which has not met
defeat so far this season, winning 10
straight names has scored 290 points
to its opponents' SO. The Jewish boys'
team will meet the United States Na
tional Bank quint of the Bankers'
League on the Portland Academy floor
Monday night. The Hill Military Acad
emy and the Jewish boys will play
Wednesday evening on the Jewish boys
floor. The Jewish boys' second team
has also been meeting with success,
having won six out of seven games.
Uames can be arranged with either
team by calling M. Weiser. -Main 1109.
The Columbus Tigers would like to
meet any fast local team averaging
about 160 pounds. Games can be ar
ranged by calling the coiumous am
letlo Club. -
DISCOVERIES OF BASEBALL STARS FREQUENTLY MADE UNDER
MOST PECULIAR, AMUSING AND UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES
Christy Mathewson, in Describing Eager, Continuous and Country-Wide Search Made by Team Owners. Manners and Army of Scents, Recalls Finding of Hendricks. Bnsh, Wagner, Blackbnrn
and Other Celebrities of Diamond Finders Are Handsomely Rewarded.
BY CHRISTY MATHEWSON,
(Copyright. 1913. by the McClure Newspaper
"Q
O out and find me another Mor-
decal Brown, and I will give
.. iir-nvfrKr S10.000." Said
Charles W. Murphy, the owner of the
Chicago Cubs, the middle or last sea
son, when his famous old machine be
gan to crumble and he saw that he
could not possibly win the pennant
without addiUonal pitchers. Mr. Mur
phy was addressing his .scouts, threo
or four of them, one of his favorite
pastimes being addressing.
Did these men dash for the coat
room of the cafe In which the confer
ence was being held, shove their hat
checks'at the boys who are ever eager
for the dime and hurry for the rail
road station to beat the bushes In the
hope of getting the reward? No. they
simply laughed, and someone ordered
another drink. Then said one of the
scouts:
-It can't be done. There aln t any
such fellow."
, Fans may marvel at the salary fig
ures which players command In these
modern days of baseball, but if they
realized the seal and care exercised in
going over the country in search of
talent they would appreciate the
scarcity of men of big league caliber
and understand why a player demands
so much money when he has become a
star.
Major and Minor Leagues Differ.
Different methods are adopted by the
different clubs in looking for recruits
which are essential to the perpetuation
of a winning team. As one man begins
to age and slow up. the manager must
have vouth at hand to fill the gap. and
the youth must be trained in the ways
of the Big League, which are vastly
different from those of the minor cir
cuits. It Is as necessary for the cham
pionship clubs to have scouts out as It
is for the tall-enders, and It has been
the smug feeling of satisfaction which
has suffused so many managers that
has resulted in the corrosion and decay
of a great team all at once. Then the
leader hasthe Job of building up a
new club on his hands. Instead of being
called upon to fill only one or two
gaps.
Some club owners employ throughout
the season three or four high-salaried
scouts, who roam about from one
place to another trying to dig up stars
and greatly Increase the Income of rail
roads. They associate with baseball
men in the small centers and listen to
all the gossip of ball players, hoping
that in this way they may get wind of
a future star. These scouts often find
It wise to use an alias in traveling and
pose as book agents or drummers with
a great Interest in baseball.
This Is done for two reasons: If the
!ocal magnates learn that a man is a
big league scout, they try to sell him
all the players they own, for It Is out
jf the sale of players to the big
leagues that most of the profits of
minor league clubs come. If a scout
las one nian in mind, he does not care
to be bothered with an owner preaching
the virtues of his entire team. Then,
again, these bushwhackers occasionally
have to display some of the perspicuity
jf William J. Burns. If a man hears
of a promising youngster somewhere
and journeys far to look at him, he does
not care to have three or four rival
scouts rushing in to bid against him.
If they hear that a searcher for stars is
In a certain neighborhood with some
one man in mind, to whom he has been
tipped off. they are likely to hasten to
get a look at the youngster themselves.
Thus the scout wants to eliminate com.
petition as far as possible by covering
up his identity and business.
Many of the clubs nowadays prefer
to build up a "wireless system" of
scouting, which has turned out to be
very effective. "Connie" Mack was the
a, r . v, l . "Pnnlliii"
ulSLOVVrci Hi ' " "
made it his business to enlist old ball,
plavers as his friends. This was easily
accomplished, as Mr. Mack started the
system in the days when former base
ball stars frequently were not examples
of opulence. Whenever an old player
would come to Mack with a request for
a little assistance In the matter of ne
gotiating a loan. "Connie" would slip
him a substantial sum and urge him to
keep It for old times sake.
"And If you see anything that looks
promising up your way. tip me off,"
Mack would say to his friend.
Volunteer Scouts yimieroo.
In this way. Mack soon had an army
of volunteer scouts spread over the
country, and all were working for him.
Whenever one of these friends saw or
heard of promising material, he tipped
Mack off, and the latter sent a scout
nna nf the extra nlayers on his team,
as Harry Davis or "Topsy" Hartsell or
Socks seiDoia, to iowk e
pective find. If the Informer had proved
to be a good prophet and the youngster
was approved by the scout. Mack was
careful to send a check for $200 or J300.
to this Christopher Columbus, which
was an additional incentive io am
more stars. .
1 ne res'un v. ...... - j -
highly satisfactory. Inasmuch as through
tt he has constructed one of the great
est machines which ever represented a
city on the diamond. His Infield Is esti
mated to be worm jiuu.uuu, tmu
. -. 1. 1 ... niiroi I'vccii t for the
comparatively small amounts which he
Daid to his volunteer bcuuw.
isow aicwAw ua " - ---
In all Its essential details and depends
on his friends for Ups on promising ball
players. He has volunteer scouts scat
tered all over the country who watch
the ruling crop of youngsters for him
and keep him Informed. As soon as he
received a renaoie up.
out to look the prospect over and re-
. . . i orMir" t it -1 ! k a. friend
port i" -
of McGraw. has been very successful In
finding players and "Mac" has great
confidence in nim.
Search, for Stara Extensive.
t. i hnrri to enlist volunteer
scouts but it Is difficult to get de
pendable ones who will not boost every
busher they see play. The country Is
saturated with fans who are ambitious
.,i a etfir Mnnv men tVlv more
ID uiavwfci .-- - -
attention to searching for ball players
than they do to tneir ousincso
they hope that pernaps some uy
may be able to say about a star, "I dis
covered that guy."
Most managers are swamped with let
ters from baseball "bugs" . who thinl
that they know where an undiscovered
great player is lurking. Few of the Bi?
League leaders pay much attention t
these, lor it tney oia iey wuum "
An Bnvtiltr fl.A ThflP
Is an Interesting story about the dis
covery of Tom Hendrix. the Ptttsburi
pitcher, who led the National Leagu
ast season. 11 panics uu
one of the sensations ot me garni
Clarke, the Pirates' manager, turner
him up purely through iuck.
The health of a Pullman conductor
who had a regular run into Pittsburg
v.,. ir- rinvn three or four years a?o
and the company shifted him to th
West, thinking mat me cnange o
climate might benefit him. He was f
bug" of the first degree and, whll
running into Pittsburg, went to see thi
Pirates play at every opportunity
Through sunshine and rain he was out
of their stanchest rooters. It near'.-,
broke his heart when he had to g
West, and he showed that advance
symptom of a "bug" by subscribing t
all the Pittsburg papers so that h
could follow the percentages and aver-
HI
1 -,-
ri Ems i;W
-0
TWO OF GREATEST BASEBALL PLAYERS IN HISTORY OF NATIONAL LEA
AND WAGNER, OF PITTSBURG.
ages and standing of the Pirates as
closely as possible.
The new activities oi tne conaucior
took him into Cheyenne, Wyo., once in
every so often, and he always laid over
tiiere. At first it was a condescension
for him to go see the bush league team
play, be, who had been a Big League
rooter for years falling for such small
time talent. Then he was struck by the
capabilities of a young pitcher working
for Cheyenne. He started to write let
ters to Fred Clarke about this youth,
and persistency was his middle name.
The management of the Pittsburg team
had to put an additional wastebasket in
the office to accommodate his letters.
That Pullman conductor must nave sat
down and written Fred Clarke a letter
every time he had a chance, which was
most of the time.
At first Clarke paid no attention to
these communications, but this did not
discourage the Pullman conductor, oi
vuom it may be said that he was no
quitter. Whenever he was not punching
tickets or giving somebody an upper
tfNIVSKSITY OF OJffiOON BAAIX SQTTAJ nBOMABLB WINKER
fVisv- svxa'j-Jav; U? Tamayfsz, SV (Sung.
WWKkimll wmimMimUmi
tllfiiillfllfllll WlmM9&m99 lllllllliliSIlli
Car fejatejZi Center.
y;-:At-:.m
berth, he was in there writing letters
about the young pitcher in Cheyenne.
He must have Bpent most of his money
In postage. Each time that his run took
him Into Cheyenne, and the team was
home, he was at the game- watching his
protege pitch. Then he would again
burst forth into a song of praise and
mail It to Clarke. Here is an extract
from one- of his letters:
"You are overlooking a grand pitcher
1. you do not grab this young fellow.
Hendrix, pitching out here. He has got
everything. He uses a world of speed,
and the ast ball has a grand hop on it
His curve drops like a balloonist when
the parachute don't open. I have always
wanted to do something for Pittsburg
and. if you don't grab this fellow, you
are losing a chance to get a great playei
and taking away from me the oppor
tunity to do Pittsburg and the Pirates
some good."
Scoot Appears On Scene.
"When you are out that way, take a
look at Hendrix,", said Clarke to a
Jeaj:z hQtev, Jfarwzj?..
-v-si :.'
!.-. - 'int. : ... -
GUE MATHEWSON, OF NEW YORK.
Mut n-hn ir ' 1 rtlnnnlniT a t rill West tO
look over some other material, none of
which ever panned out. "At least,, we 11
w n imretseri hv the voune pitcher's
style that he feared some other searcher
might hear of him before he could get
his name to a Pittsburg contract.
Therefore he went to work carefully.
Playing on the same club was a big.
rugged flrstbaseman who could hit tn
bush league pitching pretty hard, but
only one expert glance was necessary
tor the scout to see that he was useless
for the Big i-agues. He was lumber
ing and slow, and he had a facility for
making all plays the wrong end to
He gave no evidences of quick think
ing or quick action and apparently
there was no co-ordination between hit
brain and his movements for a full
minute. - ,
"Won't do," the scout immediately
labeled him mentally. ,
But the club owner thought that th
Srst baseman was a great player, and
the scout encoura'ged him in this and
Ifv-iz-npat T'oricar-cL
led him to believe that the first base
man was the man he sought.
"A second Hal Chase." declared tne
owner enthusiastically. no
make a great hitter for your club, and
Clarke needs a first baseman bad."
"He might," agreed tne scout, out,
if h 1 a second Hal Chase, he is an
awful bad second. What would you
take for him?
Negotiations Are Opened.
"Another club has offered me M000."
reclied the owner, "and I would maise i
that price to you because Clarke 's a
friend of mine."
Well, of course," said the scout, 11
! i. cMnc to run into money like that.
I would have to consult with Clarke
before taking any steps toward clos
ing the deal. He looas gooa to ma.
though." ..r
The conversation veereu w
topics. At last, said tne scout;
"That young pucner, xacnun, n-
Ing fair today. What would you tase
for him?"
"Oh, he's erratic," replied the own
er who considered the first baseman
his valuable Jewel. "I'll let you have
him for a thousand."
Somebody had tipped tne nrst ra
mn off that a Pittsburg scout was in
the little, low bleachers looking him
over, and he cavorted all over the dia
mond, forgetting What little baseball
he ever knew In nis anxiety to mu:
crnnH Twrt or three of the opposing
batters got fouls oft Hendrix that day.
but it was about the limit of the bat
ting against him. ie passea evji.i
mnn onH BhnwNi a disDosition to be
wild. The scout remained for a week
and observed Hendrix closely. He was
greatly impressed, Dut oia not an
nounce It to the club owner. He pre
undH that li had his eye on the
first baseman all the time. Finally he
was satisfied with Hendrix.
vour first baseman is high priced
and perhaps he is worth It," said the
scout. "I'll have to talk him ovel
with Clarke before making a aeai. ivow
that young pitcher might make good,
and I would take a chance on him
at the figure you mentioned. It would
not be such a loss to us If he did not."
Good Man Secured for "Song.'
"He's yours at the price," replied the
owner.
That is how Hendrix came to Pitts
burg. His only weakness since being
in the Big League Is a lack of control,
but he is still very young and should
get over this. He Improved greatly
toward the end of last season. Fred
Clarke got a wonderful pitcher for a
song through the good agency of a
Pullman conductor. Clarke did not for
get him either, and he received a
handsome check from the Pittsburg
club. Now Fred pays some attention
to the letters this man writes, and ho
is still more or less of a writer. So
It is evident that a manager is likely
to get a diamond out of his mail any
day, but the chances are very remote.
That is the only one I ever heard of.
:t is like trying to find a pearl in an
jyster. You only hear about it.
"Dode" Bush, the shortstop of the
Detroit club, was discovered playing
ball around the lots of Indianapolis,
where many another Big Leaguer has
made his start on the city lots I
mean although I believe that the best
ball players come from the country.
maybe because I grew up in the coun
try myself. Bush had never been with
a team that was wealthy enough to af
ford uniforms until he Joined the In
dianapolis club. He was only a kid
of 17 or 18 then, and he used the same
clothes for social and baseball pur
poses, as did all his crowd. When he
was signed by Indianapolis, somebody
handed him a uniform. "Dode" puzzled
over it for a minute, and then went
up to one of the other players. -Uniform
Pussies Sew Man,
"Say," he asked, "how do you get
into this?"
"Gee. fellows," laughed the other,
"we've got a ball player that needs
a valet."
Bush Is one of the most meticulous
dressers on and off the diamond now.
He is also a considerable player from
what I hear about him.
Maybe all fans are not familiar with
the manner in which Hans Wagner, the
great shortstop of the Pirates, was dis
covered. The history of Honus" early
career is rather well known. He grew
up around Carnegie. Pa., where he now
lives, and his brother, "Al" .Wagner,
was also quite a ball player. "Al" got
playing with some little club up in
Ohio, and the manager ran Ehort of
pitchers. He consulted with ills team.
"I've got a brother, John, who can
pitch pretty well." said "Al" Wagner.
So a letter was written to Honus, and
this laconic postal card came back:
"How much will you pay me?"
The manager wrote an answer and
was preparing to send transportation
when a big-shouldered, heavy-built man
appeared at the ball park one after
noon much covered with dust and grime
and cinders.
"That's my brother John, now," de
clared "Al" Wagner when a layer or two
of the dust had been rubbed off so he
could be identified. '
Wagner Comes by Freight.
"How did you get here?" inquired, the
manager.
"Hopped the first freight," replied
Honus, as If sending a telegram, ever
sparing of speech.
"Weil, you had better rest up thiB
afternoon, and I'll look you over to
morrow." "No," said Honus. "I want to pitch."
At last the minor league manager,
who was short a pitcher for that day
anyway, decided to give the big. awkward-looking
youth a chance to pitch.
Honus went In and Just pitched. His
speed was so great that his catcher,
who was Frank Bowerman, later of the
Giants, threatened to quit in the third
inning. He bit one batter, who did not
come to for 10 minutes.
"What's the matter with that big
Dutchman?" complained Bowerman as
he came to the bench after, the third
Inning. "I give him all the signs that
we fixed up before the game, and he
Just nods his head al) right and throws
fast balls. If ne ever hits one or trese
batters square on the head, it will be
time to send wreaths and pillows and
gates ajar." I have often heard Bower
men tell the story of Wagner's debut.
Wagner was eventually shifted to the
outfield, his pitching style being too
wearing on catchers. At last the club
went broke, and Wagner played around
on various other small clubs. He came
to Paterson, N. J., in a peculiar man
ner.' T-e Paterson manager wired about
Hans Wagner, and the boss under whom
both the Wagner boys were playing at
that time misunderstood and thought
that the Paterson crowd wanted Wag
ner's brother, "Al."
"Would not let 'Al' Wagner go," he
replied.
"Don't want 'A I,' " came the answer.
"John is the man I'm after."
Higber Pay No Inducement.
It was in Paterson that the late
Harry Pulllam, formerly the secretary
of the National League, then with the
Louisville club, heard of Wagner. He
went to look him over and was struck
by his wonderful batting. But he then
encountered a difficulty which scouts
of the present seldom have to over
come. I think Wagner was getting
$200 a month at that time. Pulliam of
fered him 1500. It did not stimulate
Wagner's ambition at all.
"Why, I'm satisfied here." said
Honus, "and I get all tho money that
I need. Why should I go to Louis
ville?" Automobiles had not been per
fected then. Honus needs all the money
he makes now.
Barney Dreyfuss controlled the Louis
ville club at that time. It took about a
week of persuading ' before Pulliam
could induce Wagner to go to Louis
ville. At last, he backed the great
shortstop up Into a corner and got his
signature to a contract.
"Is there, anything you would like
before we start?"" Pulliam asked Wag
ner, while waiting for the train, de
siring to accommodate his new man.
He thought perhaps the great shortstop
might want some lunch or perhaps
book. .
"'Could you get a few bananas?"
asked Honus.
Pulliam we-nt out to an Italian fruit
dealer and bought a handful of them.
Honus left a trail Into the Big League
marked by banana skins. Perhaps It
was appropriate, as It has been a slip
pery trail to follow. Anyway, the yel
low skins were flung out of the train
from Paterson, N. J., to Louisville. Ken
tucky. Wagner Disappoints Dreyfus.
Mr. Dreyfuss thought that he had
been handed a gold brick when he first
looked at the heavy, awkward-appearing
Wagner. He struck the Louisville
owner as being muscle bound.
' "Just wait until you see him bat, .
said Mr. Pulliam. He waited, and Mr.
Dreyfuss has been entirely satisfied
with the youngster ever since.
An interesting story is told of the
purchase of Kussell Blackburn, the
young shortstop, for whom the Chi
cago American League club paid $10,000
a few years ago. He has never made
good, but he has some excuse. Sinca
coming into the Big League, he has
suffered greatly from ill health and
has been the virtlm of many injuries.
However, it does not look now as it n
were ever going to warrant the price
paid for him, although he may. Look
at "Rube" Marquard. Blackburn was a -wonder
with the Providence club of
the New England League, and Comls
key sent one of his scouts to look the -youngster
over. Several teams were h
eager to grab Blackburn at that time, .
and Comlskey's scout was Immediately
impressed by his playing, but the high
price scared him so that he was afraid
to take a chance on completing the
deal without Mr. Comlskey's consent. -Therefore
he wrote a letter to Mr. Com
iskey. in Chicago, recommending the
player, but declaring that the price was
very high. In the meantime another
scout had arrived in Providence, while
the Comiskey representative was wait- .
ing for his answer, and he was afraid
that perhaps the second man, weighted
with more purchasing authority than
he had. might steal the prize from un
der his nose.
Scout Deceives Rival. ,
The first scout had made friends
with Blackburn and talked him into
believing that It would be to his great
advantage to go to the White Sox
rather than to any other Big League
team. So when the second scout came
to town, the first got a pair of spec
tacles and asked Blackburn to come to
the hotel to see him at 9 o'clock that
night wearing the "cheaters." Then he
went and searched out the other scout,
with whom he had an acquaintance of .
long standing.
"How about this fellow Blackburn?"
asked the second scout. "Thought I'd
look him over."
"Oh. he looks pretty good, but I think
I'll pass him up." replied the Comiskey
scout. "I expect him up here to see
me about 9 tonight, and I'll introdu;
you to him If you want to meet him."
Blackburn appeared at 9 o'clook,
wearing the spectacles. The three men
talked for a little while, and then .
Blackburn left.
"Why, that guy wears 'cheaters,'"
said the second scout.
"That's why I did not like him," an
swered the Comiskey man. "His eyes
must be bad." That Is the most damn
ing Indictment of a ball player. The
other scout left town next day, and
Comlskey's seeker of stars got Black
burn through the subterfuge of th (
glasses, which were made out of com
mon window glass. But the man never
turned out to be a find, and the sec
ond scout, who was fooled by the
glasses, is now enjoying the last laugh.
He heard the story of the spectacles
soon after Blackburn signed.
Kick Brings Rise In Pay.
I, myself, got my chance to go Into
the big league In a peculiar way. I
was playing with the Norfolk team of
the Virginia League In the Summer of
1900. This club was managed by "Phe
nom John" Smith, who was one of the
most important friends I had In my
early career. It was he who brought
me to Norfolk in a manner that Is
worth the telling.
When at Bucknell College I was
playing on the football team, and we
came down to Philadelphia to play
Pennsylvania in the Fall of 1899. The
Summer previous. I had been with,
Taunton, in the New England League,
and "Phenom John" had been manag
ing the Portland club. In the same
league. The Taunton team had not
done very well financially, and several
of us had lost some of the salary due
to us. "Phenom John" met me in the .
hotel In Philadelphia before the foot
ball game and told me that he had ar
ranged to manage the Norfolk club
next season.
"Want to come with me?" he asked.
"How much is there In It?" said I.
"I'll give you 76 a month," he re
plied "I know you were getting ninety
with the Taunton club, but you would
rather get the seventy-five than just
the promise of ninety."
I accepted the terms and signed the.
contract- Then I went out that after
noon (not to boast) and kicked two
goals from the field, the only score
which was made against Pennsylvania
by our team. We were only beaten by
the score of 13 to 10, which was much
smaller than the usual annual score. A
goal from the field counted five then.
Hudson, the Indian, was the only man
who had performed the feat of two
goals in one afternoon at that time.
vVhen I was getting dressed in the
hotel after the game, "Phenom John"
came in. He was a great football fan.
"That was nice work out there to
day," he said.
Contract Is Signed.
Then he produced tho signed con
tract, and with his fountain pen crossed
out the seventy-five and made It ninety
dollars a month, the same salary which '
I had received, or was supposed to have
received, in Taunton.
"I have decided to raise your sal
ary," he said, "on account of those two
OHlS." s
"I don't see how that is going to help
me to pitch any," 1 replied, very mucn
pleased and not knowing much what
to say. It looked like all the money in '
tile world to me then. ;
In the mtdd.e of the season I had a '
chance to go to either the Philadelphia
club or the New York club. "Phenom :
Joiin" told me he had an opportunity
to sell me - to either one. He said X
could take my choice. I looked over
the list of pitchers with each of these
two teams, and found that the Giants
were sadly wanting In that depart
ment. I concluded. If I went to New
i ork, I would have a better chance to
pitch, and selected the Utants. How I
was received and my experience In
breaking In will be told In another
tory of thiB series.
Let me ciose with this poignant par
agraph. If a ball player gets through
the meshes drawn tightly around a big
league career and lasts for a year with
a team, whether he spends it on tho
bench or not, there is no doubt that he
tias some merit. Take it from any ot
those who have maje good.
Albany College Loses, 26 to 12.
ALBANY, Or., Feb. 1. (Special.)
The freshman team of Willamette Uni
versity defeated the basketball team
of Albany College In a game In the
Y. M. C A. gymnasium In this city last
evening by a score of 26 to 12.
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