The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-03-18
THE PERENNIAL ANSON
Caylor's Good Story About Him
and His Papa.
WHERE AGE DOES NOT FIGURE.

How Arson Pere and Arson Fills Answer
tho Charge That They Arc Too Old For
the Postofiico and tho Diamond Respec-
tiyely-General Gossip.
| Robert Carruthers for whose release the
Brooklyn Baseball club few years ago
| paid Mr. Won der Abe 5000, has signed to
| play during this season with the Grand
| Rapids team of the Western league. 1t
was Mt Grand Rapids that Carruthers
| sprang into prominence as q great pitcher,
| which fame gave him an engagement with
| the ST. Louis Browns There is much food
! for reflection, therefore, in the fact that
| now, in the decline of his baseball fame he
returns to the city where he professionally
arose. 1t is another instance to which
Goldsmith's smile may we'll be applied
| AS II hare whom horns and hounds pursue
| Pants TO tho place from whence at first he flew
The case of Carruthers is the history of
baseball players in general. They usually
| go out of public favor as quickly as they
came into it. There are other instances
| equally expressive The League and Amer
| lean Association in 1901 quarreled over the
| possession of two star players-Harry Sto-
vey and Louis Bierbauer. The quarrel re-
| suited in n rupture and year of bitter
| warfare which resulted in the loss of more
| than 100000 to the various hackers of the
| of the American Association. And now one
| of the two bones of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
has dropped through the trap into semiob-
| livion. Last year he was released by two
| League clubs and this year he becomes a
| member of minor league team.
The death of Ed Williamson removed
| from earth the third member of the famous
Chicago team which won the League cham
| pionship three times in succession-in $780,
| 1881 and 1889. During these three trium-
phant years the Chicagos were virtually a
united whole The team consisted of Cor
coran and Goldsmith, pitchers; Flint, catch
er; Anson, Quest and Williamson on the
bases; Burns, shortstop; Dalrymple, Gore
and Kelly in the outficld.
What great team that wuS Flint was
the first of the 10 to 20 to the great beyond
Corcoran followed year later, and now
Williamson has joined them. OF the other
seven Arson is the only one remaining with
the National league. Goldsmith is n sa-
loon keeper in Canada; Quest was an UNI
pire in the west last season; Burns is man
aging the Springfield club of the Eastern
league; Gore has signed to play in the Troy
team of the same league, and Kelly is
hanging on by the outside edge, with no one
to claim his services for 1894
OF the players who won the League cham
plonshp last season only three-GanZel.
Bennett and Carroll-werc known profess
| sionally when that three times winner
Chicago team made its wonderful record
| Ii is generally agreed by all close observ-
ers Of the national game during the last dec
| adc that Williamson was the greatest ali
around player ever seen on ballheld
! There was no position on his team that he
| did not Mt one time or another fill, and fill
| with credit. He frequently went in and
saved his club from defeat by pitching sue
cessful ball. He often donned the nit and
| mask and went behind the bat Every in
| field and outfield position was from time to
| time occupied by him. AS batsman,
thrower, base runner and strategy player
| he eXcelled in each respect AT the close of
the season of 1852 the Chicago club held a
| sort of carnival, during which prizes were
| offered to the players who cxcelled in Ger.
tain specified feats. Williamson won near
| ly all of them. He was n wonderful throw
| er, and on Sept O. 1852, he threw the ball n
distance Of 132 yards foot, being only
| yard ~ inches shorter than tue famous
throw made by John Hatfield in 1872.
| Speaking of that three years record of
the great Chicago team reminds me that
| their accomplishments in 1850 have never
| been eqnaled by any League team They
| won that year GO games and lost only IL
! Let us come back to Anson Baseball
| play of Hamlet" without Hamlet. Mr..
| Anson was IL conspicuous figure ut the late
League meeting i'll New York.
| lie looked so young, fresh and skittish
| that had he teinerity TO ask him to tell
me in confidence just what his age, accord
| ing TO the records in the family Bible, was
Now, look here, young man." said Anse
| Pm going to tell You IL story about my fil-
| ther You know lie lives at Marshalltown
/ Ia. He has lived there Il good many years
! and i'll that time has contributed largely to
| Marshaltown's fame by gifts of several
kinds, including a boy who knows II little
about playing baseball.
| well, now, pop is Il riproarng Demo-
| crat and always has been. Therefore we all
| think he should be recognized by the pres
ent administration at Washington. So we
| persuaded him to put in Il claim for the
! Aiarshalltown postoflice, alld he did. / have
| been twice to Washington to see the presi-
| dent i'll the old mans behalf, and each time
| Mr.. Cleveland treated me tiptop talked
baseball ilucntly and promised to consider
| the old gentleman's political claims with
due regard to the country's safety.
! but on my last visit to the capital
learned that some of pops enemies were
| urging his age against him in the struggle
for the appointment. Then telegraphcd
| to him, They say you are too old This is,
| what he replied, L am not a kid. nor am 1
| decrepit, but don't ask any concessions
from any blankety blank blank on account
of age, and don't you forget tr Now, that
was pops reply to the charge that he was
too Old and l guess the same answer will
| do for mef'
| If president Cleveland wants to win the
eternal gratitude of the rising generation
of baseball lovers. he will appoint Anson's
| pa postmaster of Marshalltown.
| "Mill AnSOu play first husc for the Chi