The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-04
THB BOY WONDER.
w. I. Harris Writes Enter
tainingly of Amos Rusie.
A TWENTY-YEAR-oLD PITCHER.

The wonder of the baseball world for the |
early part of last year was Amos Rusie, the
twenty-yesr-old pitcher Of tbs New York
League club The boy was snallT over
worked and lost some in prestige, yet,
nevertheless, was looked upon as one of the
finds of the season. This year he is once
more with the New York club, and is IN
doubtedly the best early season pitcher
with proper coaching that any club has
upon it's list. He is strapping big fellow,
weighing good deal over 200, and very
strong. Nothing would please him better
than to go in and pitch every day. He fire.
Quently said last summer that he never
knew what it was to have sore arm, and
he never claimed to have one during the
season. He was brought up on western
farm, where hard work made his muscles
strong and tough. His family few years
ago moved into Indianapolis.
Rusie played ball among the teams in
and around Indianapolis IN 1855 without
attracting much attention He was then
seventeen years old. One story is that
Harry Spence discovered him. The other
is that he presented himself at the grounds
and told Spence that he was pitcher.
Spence took him out on the field, put on
the glove, and gave the boy ball and I'M
dertook to catch few. The youngster did
not get the ball over the plate, but Spence
realized that proper training would make
a pitcher of him; had him practice a few
days with the clubs catchers, and they all
held that If he ever got any command Of
the ball be would be wonder. His trouble
then was an almost utter inability to throw
the ball over the plate, but he improved
daily in this respect.
It so happened that the Giants were due
in Hoosierdom q few days after Rusie's adj
vent, and Spence, expecting nothing better
than defeat, advertised all over town that
he had secured great phenomenon in the
way of a pitcher, and that he would put him
in against the New Yorks that day. The
result was that an unusual crowd attended
the game for indianapolis. Well, Rusie
was given uniform, and walked out upon
the diamond with great eclat. To the as
constituent of everybody this stalwart
youngster, although wild in sending a
great many men to base on balls, complete
" nystified the visitors with his speedy
delivery, and the New Yorks were beaten.
OF course Mr.. Brush, at that time president
of the club, got the boys promise to sign
contract to play with the team. Later
small salary, which contract was renewed
with Rusie senior. That was his introduce
ton in baseball. Ofcourse he was ambitious
to go in against the New Yorks again. He
was gratified, and was driven from the box
| with great slaughter. He pitched consid-
cradle that fall, and the next year, 1899,
coached by Glasscock and Buckley, he at
traeted much attention by his speed and
endurance.
When the break came and the Brother
hood succeeded in forming its league, Mr..
Brush was one of the few magnates who
hustled after his players. He succeeded,
as is now a matter of history, in signing
almost all of them. In the great deal be-
tween the League and the New York club
and Mr.. Brush, by which Mr.. Brush re-
ceived the sum of $685. coo for his team and
franchise, Rusie was transferred to the
| New Workers, and it was there during the
| season of 1890 that he made his first real
reputation.
Last winter Rusie, with the aid of his
father, was married to a very estimable
young lady. The1aws of Indiana require
that contracts made by minors must be ap-
| proved by the parents, and so Rusie pere,
! who is somewhat dwarfed beside Rusie
| fills, gave his gigantic son signature
! and his blessing. When the time came TO
sign the young man for this season, his
! papa who is very fond of him, and proud
I of him too, held out for the earth as a sal
/ ary Finally Mr.. Brush, acting for the
/ New York club, signed him at a large, but
! at the same time reasonable salary, / think,
| for s., 500. His record this year with the
! New York club has been, so far, not one of
| unbroken victories, for he pitched the
! opening game in New York and lost it
! partly through an error of judgment of his
/ own. but it has not been his fault that any
/ of the games after that first one have been
/ lost.
! The young mans character and habits
/ are good although he is easily Influenced.
/ Since his marriage, however, the one in
/ fluence most continually brought to bear
| upon him has been for the good. Rusie
| is a broad shouldered and somewhat good
| looking young man, but ne is not hand
| some like Keefe or Clarkson, and is not
! liable to attract the attention of the ladies
by his beauty. Yet his splendid work in
/ the box always draws forth their keen ad-
| miration and delight, and the volume of
| cheers Of the spectators is much increased
by the shrill plaudits of the lady fans"
! There seems little fear that Rusie will
/ ever get 10 be a man who needs much
/ watching by managers. He received a les
/ son last year that viii last him a long
/ time. When the New Yorks played in
| Indianapolis, Rusie was anxious 20 show
/ his fellow citizens what great improve
/ ment he had made and why he was called
| Colonel Rusie, the Boy Wonder" He
got permission TO go ahead Of the team, so
as TO see his family and help advertise the
| game by showing himself as really being
/ on hand
| Il was here that "old man" Rusie, still a
4 young man at that, took his son il hand
/ and visited almost every resort in Indian
/ apolis. This is my boy, Amos, the great
est pitcher on earth" was the father 5
shout, and as everybody shouted more or
! less, Ruse pere ct ills were both put 70 bed
/ In a gloriously happy state Il didn't seem
/ 10 effect the boy much, bat when he got
! out into the hot sun and tried 70 pitch the
/. CIevelands simply larrupped his delivery.
The boy. covered with modification, was
taken out Of the game in short order. This
I was a practical lesson, and Rusie has hard
" beer known to drink anything since, eK-
! cept. PERHAPS, al OCCASIONAL glass OF lager.
he is the coming star, and Is good for ten
/ years Ten times 81. 600 Is Ss0,o00 RUsis
Will save some Of this surely
w l. HARRIS
The worlds championship in scuuing
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