Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-29

ington base ball club il not the first visit
that Stahl has made to st. Louis and
neither were his visits here with the Wash
ington team last season. Six years ago
Stahi paid st. Louis a visit but then 1t was
a foot ball player on the Illinois Uni
versity team. and to his foot ball training
Stahl owes no small share OF his success in
base ball. as the rougher sport not only
built him up physically. but developed the
courage and sand which has made him fight
hard to win.
Stahrs first visit here was successful. His
team came to play Washington University.
and the easy victory of Illinois over the
myrtle and maroon was in no small meas
ure due to the work of Stahl. The latter
even then had the reputation of being one
of the hardest players on the Illinois eiev-
en-, and his work at Handlan's park was one
OF the features of the game. His playing
eventually earned for him the leadership or
the Illinois eleven. and his team again de-
feated Washington, though the game was
not played in ST. Louis. but at Champaign
When Stahl left IlliEois he had also gain
ed reputation as a ball player, his posi-
ton being behind the. bat and Boston
signed him. He caught number of games
for Boston. but had not found his correct
position on the diamond as yet and was
finally released to Washington. Tom Loft
tus who was managing Washington. sent
him tc first base. but his first work on the
initial sack was so crude that he would
not have held on long had 1t not been for
his terrific sticking. BY dnt Of hard study
and lots of work, Stahl improved rapidly in
his fielding, and at the close of the season
last year he was regarded as coming man
In the field. With the bat he had already
established his title as a leader.
StahPs Appointment Surprise.
Johnson's appoin tment OF Stahl to succeed
Patsy Donovan came as surprise ana
caused no end of unfavorable comment.
Stahl has made good from the jump, ana
with the Washington team he has been the
sensation of the base ball season to date.
Washington has trailed the leagues so
often that the base ball world awoke with
a shock, when the Nationals went to the
front at the start of the race this season
and stuck there despite the fact that con-
tirued predictions were made that the club
would soon fall back into its regular posi-
ton. Since then Washington has slumped
in it's work and the WaStern trip has pulled
the Nationals out of the lead EVEN III
Washington makes a poor race during the
remainder of the season, however, STAN
will still have the credit of having accom-
plished something no one else has been able
to.
Stahls rise has brought strongly to the
front the hold that the college player Is
gaining on the national sport. But a few
years back college players were looked
upon as inferior in every way to the lot
bred and developed variety. A club owner
and manager was criticised enough Tor
even signing a college player. and the lat
ter was at a disadvantage owing to the
lack of confidence in him displayed by the
fans Fred Tenney was the first college
player of any note to manage and captain
team. but Tenney has always been
looked upon more as a ball player picked
up to fill out college team than as bail
player developed by college training. Stahl
is the first man In either league who was
developed while at college to be appointed
to manage major league club.
Likes Professional Game.
"Of course L am pleased to have my
friends turn out to see me and I'm glad
my team is winning, and that's what I'm
out after-to win games When l entered
the University of Illinois l was not able
to make a place for myself even on the
freshman team I graduated from the
university a bachelor of law. having
spent the required time in the university
law school in 1900. l had caught on the
baseball team for the last three years of
my academic life. Frank Selee of the Chi
cago National League Club made me prom
Use that if ever entered professional base
ball / would go with him. did not mean
to play ball professionally, but in a. game
between the University of Illinois and the
Northwestern University in 1903 Killilea.
who owned the Milwaukee Club and had
just bought into Boston, saw me play. l
do not remember the exact score. but l
do recall that we won and that had phe-
nomenal luck at bat, getting four or five
hits.
After the game Killilea came to me
and made me an offer to play with Bos-
ton. 1t was so much larger than the of
fer of Chicago that / told him / would
have to consult my friend of the Chicago
National team. 1 went to Selee, told him
of my offer, and he said that while he
wanted me, ne could not pay the money
that the Milwaukee man had offered. 1
went to Boston that year and caught about
forty games. That was the year that
Duke Farrell broke his leg"
why did Boston let you go?'
II do not know, but l know they did
How did you happen to change from
the mask and pad to first base?"
We'll, in 1903 Tom LOTUS. who was then
with Washington. said he thought L would
make good on first. 1 had no chance to
do with Boston. After catching about
forty games with Boston where L went on
the LIST day of June 1893 | was released
to Washington. and played first base with
the Nationals the entire season of 1904
Il am not sorry that l took up profess
sional base ball. 1t is a great game-the
great American game. And l have faith
in our team. In Philadelphia they called
false alarm'-weli. we are still ring
Ing. The one attribute to our success is
intense loyalty. harmony in the team,
and great desire to be in the best shape
possible for the game. | never a
finer bunch of men in professional base ball
than the members of the Washington team
and l never knew a better lot of athletes
in the world. l do not want to know a
better lot of men to meet than my col