The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-14


he IS quiet, pleasant and courteous; re-
served, but willing to give opinions when
asked. A conversation with him on base
bah matters will show him possessed of
the widest possible range of information
on the subject with progressive ideas.
and an absence of the narrow minded
ness shown by too many star players.
On topics outside of the diamond Jim II
an able ConVerSationaliSt and JoviaI
raconteur when drawn out of his shell.
Ryans bearing on the field has been
the cause of most of the disSenSion con-
corning his real interest in the game. He
has been accused of Iaziness and indif-
ference, and Of making no effort to- win
when his team fell behind. His habit of
putting up pitiful flies when men were
on bases got him the title of Pop up
Jimmy" and the crowd used to deride
him till, as he says, he got so calloused
he cared no more about it. The plain
fact probably was that Ryan, like all
other players, had his batting weakness,
and skillful pitchers worked successfully
On that one shaky point as they would
on any other batter Nevertheless.
Ryan's general batting average and abfl,
fty TO bother pitchers was so great thai
he led off at the TOP of the list year after
year, and his trick of killing the first
ball pitched for slashing single used
to discourage maBy a twirler.
GREATEST THROWING oUTFIELD-
Err.
In the field, Ryan was not only a, GOOD
judge of flies and able to catch the most
difficult chances. but he had and has
to this day, an ability mot equaied by
any other man who ever played the
game. James Ryan to-day is the greatest
throwing outfelder who ever trod a
garden. He can whip aaban home from
the deep meadows with a speed and &C.
curacy which have never been even par
alleled, and his throws Invariably strike
either full in the catcler's glove or reacn
him on one easy bound Ryan has cut
off more runners at the plate than any
other two out6elders in the business, ana
the fastest runner in the league win
scurry back to third when he sees even
deep fly settling in Ryan's hands. How
many games he has saved for Chicago by
sending the long throws squarely to the
plate will never be enumerated.
Ryan was never, a fancy baserlnner,
and was often roasted for refusing to
slide to second Tor the rubber. He get
the runs, however, and that is what
wins the games.
Il can't help thinking" says Ryan.
that this Western league will be about
the best money making baseball circuit
good cities, good teams and every IA
voring prospect. I look for the class of
playing to be fast and clever, and can
only say for myself and ST. Paul that 1
have tried to get together a good team.
1 have good bunch of catehers, some
snappy pitchers and first rate field.
BY the time the season opens the men
will be sifted down to the number we will
want to carry. and I don't think L am
sanguine when I think the boys will
league? IT cannot make much money
of cool-heaGed business men to see it
behind it also, but is handicapped by new
cities and heavy salary lists in proper
ton to it's probable receipts.
PREDICTS BASEBALL BOOM.
Baseball in general will have a lively
boom this summer, even If the two big
gest leagues don't coin money. 1t will
thrive in the minors and the amateurs
will have a great year of IT.
An idea of Ryans quality as a leader
is given by Jim Hart, who says: Ryan
was not popular among the players, be-
cause he said things with tobaSco sauce
on then1-and the trouble was that what
he said was just about correct in most
instances. AS a manager, Ryan will be
entirely different SO far as personal Pop
ularity among the players is concerned
In charge of a team, his remarks VIII
seem wholly different from their con-
struction when he was but a fellow
player and one of the crowd. Yes-Ryan