The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-28
UNCLE ANS0N TALKS
-. ABOUT BASE BALL
Says the Prospects Of the Great Sport
Were Never Brighter.
Is NOT A DEGRADING PROFESSION
Success on the Field Means Distinc-
tion in Other Cailings Late in Life
ifthe Players Have Been Moral and
Temperate--Coliege Players, Says
Anson, Rank Above Their Fellows
in Speed, Brains and Discipline.

Uncle" Anson and his Chicagos
have, of course, been familiar figures
here for these many years, the former
changing little In appearance from
year to year, while his heard of young
sters is apt to vary greatly with each
annual roundup says q recent Chi
cago dispatch to the Sun. Still, there
is an ever increasing interest appar-
emily to see the grand old man" of
base ball and shake him by the hand.
Consequently he is much driven to
holding impromptu levees, and when
the Sun reporter approached him this
morning he was surrounded by the
usual circle Of admirers.
Anson was turning his attention to
his correspondence, regardless of the
waiting group. The way he was do
ing his correspondence might be taken
as characteristic of the veteran dia-
mond general He was writing his
letters on the low counter of the Gibson
House office, necessitating the labor
ious STOPPING over and doubling up of
the upper half of his stalwart frame
and the bracing and sprawling far out
behind Of his long and muscular legs.
In due time the Sun reporter said.
''Mr. Anson, what Of base ball of to-
day? Is it on a solid basis and ad-
vancing with other professions, or in
dustries?"
GOOD PROSPECT.
-,'Tt certainly is." was the reply. "The
most earnest and enthusiastic patrons
and we'll wishers could really not hope
for better present conditions or bright
er prospects for the national game. 1t
is conducted on business principles as
exact and substantial as those of bank
ing. The game is here to stay always,
that Is as certain as Is the future of
any line of business
rs ball playing desirable as a call
ing for a young manT'
II think so, provided of course that
he has ambition and talents for dia-
mcnd achievements. The standard of
character Is being advanced right along
in the base bah profession, and the
salaries paid are good, considerably
better than those to be expected at the
start in almost any other calling. The
yearly recruits from the colleges Is
having effect in the way of raising the
standard OF character or those quail
ties commonly supposed to make up
the outfit of the gentleman and model
citizen"
do you think that following the
base ball calling disqualifies in any de-
gree, or Is generally considered as an
obstacle in the way of persons with
ambition to shine socially?"
AN HONORABLE PROFESSION.
'No, I don't. I have never found
1t to be considered otherwise than
strictly an honorable, much admired
vocation. OF course, I don't suppose
that I could mingle with the -Four
Hundred, nor do believe that want
to-"
How about qualifying for business
or professional life-could young man
spend, say, five or ten years as a pro-
fessional ball player and not injure his
prospects in other directions?"
"Of course. he would lose the years
from the actual application to his other
calling, with all that that means, but II
he was success as a ball player
cannot think that he would be perms-
nently handicapped for the average life
| struggle. Qualities that win on the
ball field count in any sphere in life."
How about college men as players
| pure and simple-do they rank in skill
| with the players with the unframed
| minds?"
college men rank rather above the
others, even from the standpoint of
| fast playing. In the first place, they
are easier to manage. There must be
| discipline, you know, and the students
| are accustomed to 1t and also are nat
| urally more apt to be courteous and
| considerate of conduct. Then they un-
| doubtedly think faster, with all that
that implies, in all stages of diamond
work Again, the men of trained minds
are not so apt to go to the dogs; there
fore, are more apt to put up good ball
all the time, and for long time. 1t is
the opinion of many that had Mike
Kelly been a college man. or a man
with a disciplined mind, he would have
been better able to withstand the temp
tations that beset him, as they par
ticularly do all persons engaged in en-
tertaining or amusing the public.
| Another thing in favor of college
bred players Is that they are gluttons
for physical training. No ball players
or other class of athletes train as hard
and conscientiously as do college boys
preparing for their games and races"
How would the players of the early
| udyS VI tle game, say OF Twenty-Five
years ago, rank with those OF today?
OLD AND NEW PLAYERS.
"Well, there were players then that
were stars, perhaps, of equal magni.
| tude with those of the present. But
they were fewer. Teams then had prob,
ably two or three stars each now they
have all stars but two or three, per
haps."
Don't you think that IL it were pos.
sible to take a player like George
Wright, for instance, and wipe out the
twenty-five years OF age, place him II
the midst of the best players of today
he would hold his own with them?"
He certainly would. There nevel
will be any better players than Georg,
Wright, Ross Barnes, Mike Kelly Fred
Dunlap, Ed Williamson, and quite
number of others almost equally promi
nent in their day"
How will the championship struggle