The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-14
3UT A GREAT BALL PLAYER
SAID TO BE THE GREATEST
THROWING oUTFIELDER WHO
EVER TROD A GARDEN
jim HART SAYS HE'LL DO
Year After Year He Led OF the
Top of the List - Habit
of killing the First
Ball.

James Z. Ryan who will head the ST.
Paul club during the coming season, has
for sixteen years been one of the most
unique and interesting figures In the ma
tionaT game. Ryan has been in the front
row OF baseball publicity all these years,
and yet remains mystery today to both
the fans and his fellow players. Whether
Ryan is an earnest player or a Sinking,
self-opinionated egotist has been dis
puted question all through his long
career Whether he was the pest and
plague of the Chicago team, or whether
the Chicago team was a set of law LOAF
ers among whom Ryan was Night or
stern morality, is equally shrouded in I'M
certainty. The fact remains that Ryan
held his job through all the changing
years. and that a hundred players came
and went while Ryan still stayed on.
Some of the fans declare shat Ryan is a
born leader, and will show it during the
coming summer, and others are equally
positive that he is a -asping disturber,
who will disorganize and break UP any
team on which he plays. These uncer-
families are enough to show what 4
mystery Ryan really Is.
Ryan was born in Massachusetts, about
thirty-fiye years ago, and grew up among
class of husthng sand-lot ball players
He went to a Cathode college when a
youth, and was designed for a priest by
his parents. Young James acquired his
epucatton easily enough, but. acquired the
art of playing baseball faster. The fame
of his skill as a pitcher. outfelder and
batter spread widely, and before the boy
knew just what had happened to him he
was on the pay roll of the Chicago ball
club in 1855.
HARD TASK IN CHICAGO.
Ryan had hard task in Chicago. He
had to win a place against men ike
Kelly. Gore and Dalrympie. ana to con-
tend with Anson's dislike for small men
Ryan and Arson. in fact, never hitched.
and the dislike grew as the years went
on, until today they are anything but
complimentary in their mutual opinions
Ryan played in what games he could. and
the next year found him popular with the
fans. who liked his batting eye and fast
work in the field
An odd thing about Ryan was the fact
that although left-handed thrower, he
always batted right-handed a REGULARITY
which is shared by not over two other
players in the whole professional field.
BY 1887 he held a regular place in the
chicago outhe1d, and was already an in
dependent, reserved and cynical PLAYER.
hooking by himself and receiving much
criticism for alleged freshness and OBJ
Stinacy
+ Ryan played excellent bail, pitched sew
eraI good games, 2s well as playing the
held, during 1888 and 1855. In 1880 he
Joined the Brotherhood movement. and
was with the Comiskey-Pfeffe team thar
season. He came back to the Arson fold
next season, and played steadily ever
since, excepting a period of some months
IN 1888. when he was disa bled bv a, nail
road wreck. Ryan was caught under an
overturned sleeping car, and so crushed
and mangied that his life was Thought
beyond saving. A strong constitution ana
unlimited grit saved him, and he resa1nn-
ed ms place on the team IN 1894 or ra-
cent years he was engaged in feuds with
some OF the other players. partfcI1ls r,v
Tim Donahue, and when he was given the
captaiEcy in 1899 the team rose in rebaI-
lion Nevertheless, when Tom Lotus con-
Aefreo the captaincy on Ryan in 1900 the
men ratlhed the selection without rnur-
Ihur, and no fault was found by PLAYERS
or spectators with the captains work
curing his last season in the National
league 1DS'i
HAPPY HOME LIFE.
Ryan is man of middle size s+rora
physique, and determined but nlaoco >
Ice. lie formerly enjoyed life's good
I thlnSs with the best of them hut bao
peen as sober as the proverbiaI 1,,doa
since his marriage. Soon after recove,.-
ing from his railway accident. jimmy
t1iIIel q Chlcago girl, of excellent fam
liy, and his home life has been idosn,,
peasant ever since Ryan is ex+re1oaI1.
! dressy, possesses enough suits of c1o+bas
70 make Berry Wall jealous. and owns
many valuable diamonds Off the field