The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-18

ISOLATION
to the New Yorks and he was engaged.
That is where his career received a check
John Ward had charge of the Giants in
1894 and he looked upon Clarke as a sort
of dernier resort as it were. The club
needed another good pitcher, but Clarke
was not considered a possibility Tho
manager experimental with German and
Westervelt thereby losing game after
game Occasionally Clarke was sent out
to finish a game already lost when one of
the other pitchers had been knocked out Of
the box, just to give an excuse for pay
ing him a salary
In 1895 the club experimental once more
with German, Knauss and Boswell and
kept on losing games. Clarke was left
behind on the first western trip. Then
Meekin and Rusie were injured at the
same time. The club was Offering fabu-
lOus sums for q pitcher while all the time
it had a star on the bench Finally in
sheer desperation Clarke was put in to
pitch The result was a surprise to every
body but Clarke himself, who knew what
he could do If given an opportunity. Be
fore the year was half over he was classed
with Young, Nichols Rusie and Hawley.
But had it not been for overwhelming acci-
dents to New York's pitchers he might
still be collecting moss on the bench.
Great manager as Ward was be had a
gem Of purest ray serene" hidden among
a lot of counterfeits Arson, too the
greatest of all, once had Clarke in his
team. but wouldn't give him a competent
trial, and finally turned loose this man for
whom he would now give IS, 600 I have
several times referred to similar expert
ences by Keller, Jennings, Davis, Burkett
and others who made such narrow escapes
from reaching greatness.
Very few new candidates spring into IA
voritisn at a bound. Most of them have to
work their way up, and without the right
kind Of opportunity they have no chance
to reach the top. Under the old system
young player who joined q National league
team had to show class A abilities at tho
jump, or he was sure to fall back into the
minor ranks again. The short preliminary
season Is not sufficient to show what they
can do, because few of the old pitchers let
out their arms in practice games, and the
new candidates batting abilities have no
fair test Then when they go up against
''t the real thing when the championship
season opens their work is disappointing.
The club becomes uncertain about the new
mems capabilities, and rather than take
more chances it drops them and goes back
to players whose capacity is known.
The farming system would afford a rem
sdy for this disadvantage, for this want Of
a proper method to develop green tim Der
but there is evidence accommodating that
the minor leagues have determined to re-
fuse further consent to National league
farms in their circuits. When such an
edict is enforced, the major magnates viii
have to look for a new farm -
1t may come to that point where q sepa-
rate circuit Of farms viii be established
in partnership by the League clubs For
instance, the 10 clubs could easily carry
six teams Of youngsters among them.
Now it may soon be necessary to organize
a six club academioal league, such as the
Virginia league or the Atlantic league now
has, to be run as q pool by the National
league. Each National league club
could furnish from to players, or, say,
rs all together President Young might
divide the IS players into six teams. and
regular championship might be played.
Each major league club would retain its
claims to It's contributed players among
whatever farm teams they should be
scattered. Such a scheme would nearly,
or possibly entirely, pay for the expense of
developing the young stars and would
keep the big clubs constantly supplied
with new mateEial
Last year 7 suggests ssAt men ike
Ward, Arson OF Comiskoy might make
"big'' money by conducting a baseball
academy somewhere fin the souehy west every
fall, winter and spring. The more Il think
Or it the more convinced 4 become that the