Rock Island Argus., 1903-02-18
EARLY DAY STARS
Two of Brainiest Present Ball
Magnates From Dubuqus
Team of 1879.
AND LOTUS THE MEN
Hugh NicoI, Mique Gelden, Alver-
etta and 9th
ers.

From the old Dubuque Oa.) base
bah team of 1879, which won the
championship of the Northwestern
league that year, were developed two
OF the brainiest magnates in the pres
ent day, says a writer in the Chicago
Tribune. These men are Charles 4.
Comiskey, of the White Stockings,
who was a utility man" on Ted Sui
llvan's aggregation, and Thomas j.
LOTUS. part owner of the Washington
club, who acted as captain and play
ed second base.
Of the players on this old-time Du-
buque team, Lotus, Comiskey, Sulli-
van and the Gleason brothers after
ward played on the St. Louis Browns
in the early SOS, Comiskey remaining
TO share the honors which resulted
from the defeat of the White Stock
ings. then guided by Anson, in the
worlds championship series.
When shown the old photograph,
of which he has not even a copy, Co
miskey said:
That was great bunch and they
certainly could play ball. We repre-
SNhtNu DubtHuc the nfSl year the
Northwest league was formed. II
consisted of Dubuque, Rockford, Dav-
enport and Omaha and we made
running race of it, Rockford being the
only club even close. When we beat
the Chicago National leaguers in DG-
buque by Il score of / to o with Rad
bourn pitching, our town thought we
were the greatest in the country and
we agreed with them.
The National league rules at that
time did not allow outside teams to
go into their towns for exhibition
games against the home club. so the
White SoX did not have a second try
but the Hop Bit team of Roches-
ter, composed of stars for advertis-
ing purposes, was brought west and
we cleaned them up, too. Tim Muir
name was on the other team, and sew
eral others who afterward made
good in the big leagues.
Playing on the White Stockings
the day we beat them were Anson.
Pfetfer. Burns, Williamson, Dalrym-
pie, Gore, Mike Kelly, with Larllin and
Silver Flint the battery. Flint broke
his finger that day and it cost the
ing the season.
I'VE did not have left-handed bat
ter or thrower on our team. the sci
epce of Ieft-handed batting having
been developed since. There were one
or two on the White Stockings, but
they were natural and not developed
lleft-handed hitters."
Lotus Reviews Them
Tom Lotus, in a letter from Du-
buque, where he has business inter
ests. says of the team:
And We were not the only players
in the league either. As a matter of
| fact we were lot of youngsters
who looked good only to ourselves
and our manager. Ted Sullivan. The
Rockford cIub was composed of most
of the Milwaukee National league
team of 1873. with the addition of
Jack Rowe, Hugh Nicol, now of the
Three-Eye league team in the Forest
City. and Dave Rowe.
Among the stars developed by the
league were Jim Whitney, Bid Me-
Phce. Jack Rowe. Rudolph Kemler
Mike Golden and Billy Cantillion, who
was the fastes+ outfielder in a minor
league, ana VINO gave up DaSeDah IC
go into the railroad business, where
he is now one of the officers of the
Northwestern road. Jack Rowe after,
wards caught for Buffalo. and was
one of the big four sold to Detroit
He finally drifted out of active base
ball, and as late as the early '90's
managed the Buffalo team of the
Eastern league. He now has a cigar
store at Buffalo
Ted Sullivan, manager of the oG
Dubuque team, is well known to The