The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-09-27
THE COLOR Line AGAIN.
Treadway's Case Caused Some
thing of a Sensation.
THE MUTE MILLIONS OF BASEBALL

Not Made, but Many Stars of the Dia-
mond Never Shine Because They IFaye
No Opportunity to Do So.
Some people talk as if they thought good
baseball players grow on trees or can be
chased out of the bushes like rabbits. That
is great mistake. Good baseball PLAYERS
like good poets, are born, not made, and
born Mt long intervals too. Perhaps u lack
OF opportunity smothers many Ewings
Ansons, Duffys, Rusies, Hamiltons and
Pfeffers. Could some modern Poet GRAY
visit q country churchyard and let his muse
out to the length of the tcther, he might be
constrained to tell how these unknown
baseball stars died and were buried with
out chance to develop their latent gifts
Tho applause Of yelling rootcrs to command.
The threats of fines by umpircs to despise
10 scatter home runs DER II grassy land
And read their greatness In their best GIRLS
eyes.
Lam constrained to indulge i'm the above
homily by the apparent failure of the many
managers in the National league to secure
satisfactory material among the rising
young players with which to patch up and
strengthen their weakening mines. Comis-
keys experience in this work has been
moro extensive and ut the same time less
satisfactory than that of almost auy other
League manager. He has had S3 PLAYERS
under contract during the season and even
now has n team that cannot make n bid
for desirable place in the race. Arson
has also suffered from the player famine.
When Arson cannot get together winning
team, you may rest assured there is n lack
of material on the market. The Old NIan
has swept the country over with the search
light of his discerning eyes, and in all the
broad land he cannot find young players
enough to make his team a formidable on
ponent to the Bostons, composed almost
entirely of stars whose reputation was made
before this season.
From every city where National league
club holds n franchise goes up the cry:
strengthen! Why don't you strengthen
the ninc!" 1t is easy to advise, but diff
cult to point the way.
am more than ever convinced TINT tbe
time and opportunity are near for the open
ing of baseball training school. A man
Ike Anson ought to make u fortune at that
venture. Such an institution would not be
antagonistic to the theory that baseball
players are born, not made. Anson's duty
would be to develop the inherent talents
OF young men who otherwise would re-
main mute, inglorious Millions" of the
profession In this age, when n good ball
player can command larger salary for his
services per month than is made by thou
should be no lack of pupils when such n
training school opens. Then, too, a club
need take no chances in the engagement of
new player. All that would be needed to
assure the quality of the goods delivered
would be an 30 NJ or al" STAMP from
Professor Arson. The idea of n training
school for ball players is not entirely a
new one, but it is my own, and the time
seems ripe for the launching of the venture
AT the time l am writing the Chicago
club has nine pitchers under contract
viz, McGill, Hutcllison, Donnelly, Abbey.
Haughey, Causen, Griffith, Mauck and
Luby. In the nine Hutchinson alone has
been of solid worth to the club for any
length Of time. McGill would be n valu-
able man were his habits good. In Clausen
the club seems to have secured gem. Hcis
pitching almost invincible ball for Arson.
Clausen did good work for the Columbus
club OF the Western league last year up to
the time the league disbandcd. He then
signed with the Louisvilles, but was cut
adrift without Il fair trial 1t was only by
chance that Arson gave the young man a
chance and found him II jewel without a
flaw.
An exciting controversy recently arose
over Treadway OF Baltimore The Young
mans curly coal black hair, dark skin.
peculiar gait and southern manner of talk
ing started the rumor that he had negro
blood in his veins. An investigation proved
the rHmor to be false. But the subject was
interesting for the reason that no negro
or part negro ever played in Il National
league club. Some years ago Arson created
a national sensation by refusing to permit
the Chicago team to play against nine in
ONO which possessed negro catcher
Negro jockeys have the call in the east.
but colorcd men have never attained promi-
hence on the ball field. The Cuban Giants
and the Gorhams, two clubs which playin
and about New York city, comprise about
all the colorcd ball players of any promi-
nence i'll the United States. Both clubs
have been in existence for some years, vet
neither has turned out a player who would
be able to hold place on II National league
nine even if there was no prejudice against
him. $50
While the negroes have never attained n
standing in professional baseball, the ma
tionality which fratcrniZes with them the
least of all the Caucasian family occupies
the majority of prominent places on the
big mines. | refer to the Irish or the Irish
American class. ! believe that half the
players of the National league are of Irish
extraction. The Irish through ages have
had II reputation for excellence in games
and athletic sports No one but a true
lrishman, too, can understand what n
pleasure it is to badger an umpire.
Many Of the brilliant stars OF Il few years
ago whose lights have gone out forever
might HOW be occupying the positions in
the National league, which are weak for
want OF competent players, had they hus-
banded their talents and let riotous living
alone. Drink has prematurcly retired more
players of brilliant than of mediocre quail
lies. The latter knew they must walk
q I'll. l. l.