Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-07-13
BASEBALL BOSSES.
w. !. Harris Tells OF Some
Magaates of the Diamond.
CHRIS y0N DER AHE OF ST. LOUIS.


St. Louis clubof the American association,
has been one of the luckiest men ever con-
nected with professional baseball. Ever
since he entered the game In 1851 he has
cut an important figure and his team has
won four championships. In ST. Louis it
u standing saying that anything Won der
Abe touches turns to gold He has been
especially lucky in his baseball transac-
tions In the winter OF 1850 lot of sports
men interested in wing shooting called
upon him and asked hin to help form an
association be known as the Sportsman q
Park aud Club association. IL was under
stood that this association was for baseball
and shooting purposes, the gun men being
more interested than the baseball men.
The understanding was that weekly shoots
were to be held under the auspices of the
St. Louis Gun club, and an attempt was
made 10 carry out this programme But
the first shoot had hardly taken place when,
a. result of remonstrances by citizens,
the shoots were prohibited by the local
authorities. Then ii was that the gun
men sold their interest to Won der Abe.
The first year of this st. Louis nine in
the American association was wonder
fully lucky one. The Sunday games drew
immense crowds, and for the first time be-
fore or since then the summer went by
without single wet Sunday. The Browns,
Notwithstanding the fact that they PLAYED
miserable ball and inished in sixth place.
drew great crow Is. and Won der Ahe
cleared no less tn $4,000 The three sue
oeeding years wece nearly As lucky Be-
fore entering tie baseball business Won
der Abe was comparatively well off,
but the bulk VI his fortune has been
amassed thror n his immediate connec.
tion With the Itionsl game His original
investment WIS $500. Out Of that sum he
has cleared rvward OF S250,OOO. lie now
practically OWNS the St. Louis club
In fact he is The club. and his fellow direct
ors are simTl y figure heads.
Won der Abe Is quaint character. He
is shrewd, cunning and pugnacious. and
now that he has lost the services OF Com
iskey and Manson has shown that in spite
Of the general belief 10 the contrary he
had much TO do with the success of his
club. With poor material to start with.
and no prospect Of getting any stars, Won
der Abe has not only made his fiedgelings
play good ball, but has finally got together
almost as good a team as any in the as,o.
citation. Chris, as he Is known familiarly
by newspaper men. is a martinet on djsci.
pline 10 an extent that makes him yeri-
table tyrant. His methods are drive.
drive, drive, and keep on driving. Still he
is always ready to reward a deserving
player, and this fact will probably be cor.
roborsted by even Comiskey, who used to
say time and again that he would close his
career on the baseball field as a men, Der OF
the St Louis club
Mr.. Won der Ahe has figured more con.
spicuously in the public prints than most
magnates-tirst, because he is always ready
to entertain and talk with newspaper
men; second, when he does he nearly
always gets into a muddle with some
Of his fellow maguates: and third, be-
cause his peculiarities of manner and
language make him a most interest
ing personality, and provide fund Of ma.
terial for healthy imaginations unsur.
passed by any other man In the business.
Chris is very suspicious, and is always
looking for some one 10 try and get the
best OF him, and never fails TO impaT his
suspicious in the quaintest of English TO
the first scribe who comes along After all,
Won der Ahe is a generous man with de-
serving players, and has many good traits
in his character.
The first Brown Stocking nine, under
the management of Won der Abe, was cap
tanned by Comiskey. The latter came
from Dubuque, Ia, In lsSl. He had GOV.
evered first base for the nine OF that city,
which included such famous players as the
Gleasons, Radbourne, Billy Taylor, LOTUS,
Tom sullivan, Refs and others. Comis-
key commenced his baseball career ia Chi
cago as member Of the Liberty nine in
1871. He pitched for the Libertys, and
under the old rules was quite twirler.
When be went to ST. Louis he found that
Oscar Walker, Of the old Brooklyn Allan
tics, had been signed TO cover first base for
the Browns, but at Walkers own sugges-
ton Comiskey was placed Mt the initial
bag, aud he covered the point 80 well that
he was retained, while Walker was given
permanent place in center fell.
When Comiskey first went 10 ST. Louis
his salary was sI5 month, but his work
was 30 good that Won der Abe raised his
salary at the close Of his first months en-
gagement, and before the season closed he
was receiving a salary Of sl50 This was
regularly increased until 1850. when Won
der Abe says Comiskey had 5000. This
year he is captain of the Chicago Players
league team. His salary is said 70 be $500
Comiskey had great success with the 81.
Louis Browns, and is generally considered
as one Of the greatest OF captains. As a
ball player and handler Of young men he
has been rs successful as any other man in
the business. Anson aud Harry Wright
are his only rivals In this respect. What
he can do with seasoned yeterau players
who will not be driven remains h. be seen.
One OF the most agreeable Of men, and
one little known 10 the public, Is Frank DE
Haven Robson, the youngest of all the
baseball magnates as well a. one Of the
richest. He is about IS years Of age, and
the general verdict In Cleveland. where he
resides, is that he is an all round good fel-
low and a successful business man.
Mr. Robson owns one-fifth of the stock
Of the Cleveland National League club and
In president Of the organization. In his
private business he is president Of the Su-
perior street, 81. Clair street and Payne
Avenue street railroad lines, president Of
the New Cleveland Gable Road company,
at present engaged 10 laying cable and
lines on each OF the above three. In add
ton 10 that he In member of the firm OF
Hathaway & Robson, street railroad con-
tractors.
Mr.. Robson Is popular man in Cleve.