The times., 1897-06-21
HOTEL
SUMMER GARDEN,
On E ST., next National
Theater.
je21-3mo
LITTLE RITCHEY'S STORY
His First Experience as Manager Of
Ball Club.
Released Fourteen Players at One
Day, but Won the Pennant.

H. G. Merrill, in the wilkesbarre Record,
contributes Ritchey story to the Tales
of Fans
Ritchcy was secured from the Warren,
Pa, team of tie Iron and Oil League.
The Warren people wired him To come and
take charge OF their club, and ne arrived
during the progress of a game and closely
noted the individual strength Of the men
he had been called to manage That
eyentng he released fourteen of the players
and set the wires agoing for other men.
Although he forfeited the next days game,
being short Of men, he suoceededin winning
the pennant for Warren. He retired with
about $500 saved from seasons work
and during the winter expended that
amount III having a bore hole put down
on his father's farm at Emeleton, Pa, ex-
pecting to strike oil. The experiment was
UNSUCCESSFUL and Ia the spring he signed
with Rowe for the Buffalo crowd.
During the practice games Ritchey was
played in several positions, where he gave
evidence OF being a ball player Worth
encoura ging When the team opened at
Toronto young Ritcbey was sent into left
field where ne made seven errors iii his
first game. missing nearly everything that
came his way TIE following day G.,nl-
niger was incapacitated for work by in
jury and Ritchey was placed on third base.
His work was horrible, ,and hewent through
the game with four errors, but hit well
and ran bases exceptionally fine.
He continued in this position for several
games, and was becoming accustomed to
to the work, when finally, just before one
OF TIE contests was called at Buffalo, Ro we
remarked TO him: .Ritchey, you may go
in and play short today The lad Jumped
in and practiced nicely, but when tic
first inning was over he had made three
bad errors On chances sent down witt,
wlliskers attending their arrival Young
Ri, ,chey walked into the ibench without
any comment being offered by the players,
and there sat Manager Rowe and President
Franklin, ooking as gluR as would nat 1r-
ally be the case. With the inning over
the lad arose to start for the infield, and
turing to Rowe. remarked in a regular
down-E East Yankee drawE
''waal, III tell you, Jack, IL they keep
knocking 'eIn down there all day IN get
one pretty soon'' JId
The tone In which he made the obser.
fdticu anu tHt SiuCtilNt WIN bC
expressed it was captivating, and both
Rowe and Franklin broke into a hearty
laugh.
The canucks thought they saw a weak
spot on the infield, and commenced send
ing everything toward Ritchey, driving
them down with speed and force. Ritchey
had the first chance of the inning, made a
hairraiser stop and lightning throw to
first, and commenced his sensational play
ing right In this particular game. When
the contest was over Ritchey had accept
ed eleven chances clean, and the lad was
the star of the afternoon, while even
Rowe and Franklin congratulated him over
his brilliant showing. Ritchey remarked:
WAL, thought I'd get one OF 'em if
waited long enough
His sensational work in this game
anchored Linn at short field, supplanting
KID Lewee, and Indirectly resulted in
his being selected to fill the position re-
served for Tommy Corcoran. one of the
greatest shortstops in the business, on the
Cincinnati field