Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-16
FRED CLARKE'S DEBUT.
How Dreyfuss Brought the Great
Fielder Out of the South

From the Philadelphia Bulletin.
If Barney Dreyfuss had not once missed
train perhaps Pittsburg would never have
had Fred Clarke
Yes. 1t very funny how I first got
sight of Clarke years ago." says the presi-
dent of the Pittsburg club Its funnier,
too, how 1 came to take liking to him, for
his teams showing on the day 1 saw him
was not enough to make me warm up-his
team was beaten % to 0 or % to 2, don't
remember which. but either was bad
enough.
TT was in the summer of 1894 that was
coming through the south and got held up
in Memphis through missing my connec-
tons. OF course. my first shoot was for the
base ball grounds. where Savannah was
booked to meet the Memphis boys 1 al
ways liked to look over the young fellows
and keep the best of them in view for an
emergency.
Il knew the managers Of both teams, and
when the boys got working did not feel
favorably impressed with any of them.
Tub WEIGH was to do the catching for
Savannah. but at the last moment he sent
word that he was sick and could not come
to put on uniform.
''This left McCloskey Of the Savannahs in
nice hole. for he had not another catcher
on the team.
Finally Mac called on young fellow,
who had been chasing punk hits In left
This lad. who seemed understood for ball
player. wore fierce mustache. 1t was Fred
Clarke.
After some time he agreed to go behind
the bat and catch the game. I learned be-
fore the game had gone far that 1t was the
first time the youngster had ever been be-
hind the bat. and this made me look at him
carefully.
ct was nothing but a slaughter of the
innocents. The Savannah team was killed
the moment 1t stepped into the diamond
and the score rolled up was fearful.
1.-The willing young catcher, however, did
creditable work behind the bat. and when
at bat he made some nice hits.
He seemed to conduct himself like ball
player-a little green yet, perhaps. but he
looked as If he might learn the game.
when I returned to Louisville we were
not doing good work with our team. and
looked them over carefully for place to
break in.
II was always for improvement in base
ball, and did not believe in keeping a clutch
on the old fellows. Billy Barnie, then our
manager, was for sticking ever to the old
timers.
He seemed to have the idea that base
ball knowledge was tied up in a few heads
and that the young fellows must wait until
the older ones died before they would get a
chance.
1.-THE Louisville team was then made up
as follows: Bill Brown, first; Fred Pfeffer.
second; Danny Richardson, short; Jerry
Denny. third: Tom Brown. right: Larry
Twitchell. left. and Pete Browning, center
They surely had the age and the expert
ence. but I didn't care for this If they
could only win a few games.
They did not seem to do much at this.
so 1 insisted on a change Barnie was
against touching the team. and finally in
desperation, one day I sent word to Sa-
vannah that wanted the young fielder who
had caught that game against Memphis.
IT asked the price and was told $500.
sent the money and asked Clarke to be sent
at once
THE day he arrived I had some trouble.
The boys had heard of the youngster COM
ing and 10 tell the truth some Of them did
not like 1t and were ready to revolt. l
gave orders that Clarke should play left
field in place Of Twitchell that day, but
when the lad came to dress he found that
there was not uniform in the club near
his size. The best he could do was to put on
one of Larry Twitchelrs. and when he came
on the field he did with a grin, and he
surely made hit. He had to roll the pants
up at the bottom and also rolled the sleeves
of the blouse up. He was determined by
this time to play II 1t cost him his life, for
he seemed to think the CARDS had been
stacked against him.
Until they move Louisville across the
river the game will never be forgotten by
the people of the town.
Gus weighing, too, Will always remember
philadelphia was the attraction then and
weighing had up to this time been our
Jonah. Clarke was placed pretty we'll up
In the batting list, and when he came to
hat Weyhing almost took fit.
Imagine Tommy Leach coming to the
plate wrapped in Hans Wagner's uniform
and you have good idea of what Clarke
looked like that day. The only thing for
midable looking about him was his mus
tache.
"Weyhing laughed and made all sorts of
fun about the youngster, and the crowd
in the grand stand began to call Clarke
Pants and shout questions up to me as to
where had picked up this child. etc.
said nothing, but waited for weighing to
pitch the ball.
Clarke never waited He saw the first
one was good and he took shot at 1t.
shan't forget that hit 1t tore over Wey-
htnE's head like a bullet. and went for
single. Pants stole second, and from that
moment the Louisvill epeople took him to
their hearts. But Pants was not through
with that days work yet
HE made four hits in the game, one Of
them a fast affair to short which he beat
| out by a step.
1.-THE fact that Twtchelrs pants came
down to his ankles did not feaze him the
| least bit
HE won the game for Louisville, the first
we had won from Weighing that season,
and his batting and fielding put some life
| in the team which had been dead.
Down in Louisville yet they refer to
| Fred as Pants because Of his first ap-
pearance in Larry Twitchelrs toys.
IT have made some lucky investments in
nv time. but consider that the 500 which
| I paid for Fred Clarke about my best"