The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-12-17
STARS on THE DIAMOND
They Have Seldom Shone
Brightly on the Stage.
GOOD BALL PLAYERS, BAD ACTORS.


made, no remarkably successful slides TO |
fame behind the footlghts have ever been
made by the knights of the bat and ball. |
In times gone by both the National league
and American association invaded the
theatrical world for Thespian recruits for
their staffs of umpires. Frank Lane, an
actor Of no little ability, weathered the
storm of criticism through one seasons
fight for glory and the bunting, and George
w. Barnum was in the service of the Asso.
citation until he sickened of the rasping
notations of press and oral arraignments
of enthusiasts and quit the field TO assume
part in the play with the McGinty like
title of "The Bottom of the Sea-" II seemed
the very irony of fate to allot to him role
calling for the qualities of heavy villain
after a cruel baseball world had jeered and
jibed in wanton ribaldry. In stage life he
could gloat for an act or two over antici-
pated revenge until the time came for the
final triumph Of virtue. Both Lane and
Barnum were enthusiasts before they took
up the indicator and enthusiasts they re.
main, though sorely tried by the fire of
merciless bleacheries
There are so many warm friendships be-
tween the players on the stage and the
players on the diamond that it is but natu
raj that many actors are the most rabid
sort of baseball fanatics. DE Wolf Hopper
and Digby Bell have won fame as cranks
secondary only to their worth as eXponents
of comedy in opera. Not only that, but on
festal occasions they have put on uniforms
and proved to an applauding world that
they know more about baseball in theory
than in practice.
With laudable desire-perhaps the
same sort of idea that seized John l.. Sulli-
van when he went into the business of ele-
waiting the stage-scveral ball players have
essayed to wear an actors crown, but most
OF them have proved misfts, and looking
over the theatrical roll today there is not
one punisher of the hog hided sphere
whose winter voice is raised in either com
edy, tragedy or opera. There was some
talk n year or two agO-talk recently re-
| vived-Of Adrian Constantine Anson star
ring in play Of Charles II. Hoyt's franz
ing. The big Chicagoan has nerve, pluck,
perseverance and assurance enough to force
| the issue il he made up his mind to seri-
ously consider such proposition. Grand
pa" might shine in farce comedy before
the fast failing light goes out on that style
of entertainments Imagine him in n skit
| titled "Baby"-his own familiar nick.
name, which has stuck to him like glue
for a dozen years-appareled in white bib
and tucker and pantalets This project
may prove to be simply nightmare.
"King Kel" has played several star en-
gagements where the lines were no heavier
| than Certainly, me lordv' and Boston
| and New York have both seen how well he
cannot act. When Lew Simmons, one Of
| the three fathers of the AthleticS-for
| Charley Mason and William Sharsig both
shared in the responsibility of that
| Philadelphia affair-put Fashions" on
| the road several seasons ago, "Arlie"
Latham was one of the cards. Sad to
relate salary days soon became un-
fashionable in Fashions" and it wasn't
very fashionable to eat regularly, 50 "Fash-
| ions" went up the ilume and "Arlie" La
| thams first and last tour as a star ended
| abruptly. After that he went on the road
with an opera company, and he warbled
"Pinafore," Faust" and other light and
| heavy musical artillery all through the
new states before Uncle Sam opened his
arms to the Dakotas and Washington.
"Lath" refused an offer to go out with
Low Dockstader's minstrels this fall, and
decided that quiet life in his new home
at Lynn Mass, with his little wife-who
was also an opera singer-was preferable
| TO night seances in burnt cork Norman
Baker, the old Southern league pitcher,
who was with Omaha this year, has
| splendid voice, and he has been heard in
| opera. One Of the latest ball players to 90
! on the stage was Mark Baldwin. He came
| right Oft again, however, having played
| with distinction the character of rounder
ordering a schooner in the concert hall
scene in after Dark"
There are scores of ball players whose in
clinations run to music, and almost every
team in the land can boast Of a quartet and
an instrumentalist or two. John G. Reilly
who is an artist as we'll as ball player, can
tickle melody out of either guitar or ban
10. In 1888 Clarence Baldwin-''The Kid"
| became imbued with the idea that "Long
Johns" banjo was a mascot, and he car
ried it on two or three trips, guarding
it far more reiigiously than he did his bat
bag On the final jaunt victories were as
scarce as watermelon parties in Alaska,
and ''The Kid" sadly acknowledged that
the charm OF the banjo was gone. 1t was
Baldwin who, when his eyes first fell upon
the lanky figure of "Old Cyclone" Duryee
observed with firm convictions;
"I'll bet he is a bad man with an 90
cortleonr'
And upon that comment was built the
nickname of Tho Champion ACCORDION
Player of Iowa" given to "Old Cy," and
accepted with scowl which clearly por-
trayed his annoyance.
A chapter on the allied stage and dia-
mond would hardly be complete without a
reference to one romantic page in John
Montgomery Wards life Helen Dauvray
found her ideal In the brilliant short stop,
and the cloud that subsequently darkened
their married life has happily blown away
Santa Claus, it Is believed, has laid in a
big stock of pipes OF peace, and during his
travels on Christmas eve, he Is likely TO
put one in each fighting magnate's stock
ing. The fact that the authoritative"
bulletins issued by President Zach Phelps
do not tally with the Authoritative" state
ments of several members in the Associa-
tion family is significant. "There will be
ten clubs" declares Mr.. Phelps from his
throne at Louisville. "It will be eight
clubs" announces Mr.. Won der Abe, who
has paid as much to the piper as any mogul
in the land during "the starvation dance"
of the past two years. From the east
comes the statement fathered by Charles
II. Byrne that the warning elements are
gradually drawing closer together. Wash
ington and Baltimore have virtually ac-
Cepted League franchises in the twelve
club circuit, it is said, and Bostons lines
were drawn in that direction long ago.
While in Cincinnati few days ago Chris
Won der Abe declared! mo matter what
Is done in the way of changing circuits
there will be no more war. The League Is
thoroughly sick of the fight and 80 Is the
Association REN MULFoRD JR
| great many persons who have fount
no relief from other treatment, have beer
cured of rheumatism by Chamberlain'i
Pain Balm. Do not give up until you have
tried IL.