The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-10
If 1T HAPPENS IT'S HERE.

Ball players on small teams. in coun-
try towns. in prairie and vacant lot
leagues, write me continually and ask;
How can break in?"
The only answer I can give is 10
break.
Perhaps the best way to answer them
IS 10 tell how the great ball players of
the past and present have managed to
break into the game and into fast COM
pany. Incidentally, IL Is sad to think
that. perhaps, there are as many good
ball players who haven't found II out
as there are bad ball players who be-
heve themselves good. The past proves
that there are ball players 70 be d scoV-
cred. even after Barney Dreyfus and
Ted Sullivan have finished scouting.
Sammy Thompson, who was one Of
the best major league players that ever
lived, broke IN by accident. That was
away back in the DAYS when Dan
O'Leary was manager Of the Indians Of
indianapolis. the club that fought the
old Chicago stoneWau 70 a finish. The
Indians were scheduled 20 play an eX-
hibition game at Danv.lle, Ind, and
when they arrived they found the Dan
Vile manager in distress because his
star player had TO work that day and
could not play.
IT'S he a good pIayer?" asked O'heary.
Hes quite some player" said the To-
cal manager. but he can't play today"
Where IS he?"
Hes clapboarding a house three
miles down the state pike"
The uDshot OF II was that the two
managers drove out 70 see Mr.. sam
Thompson. AS they hailed him, "a tall
awkward looking young man climbed
down a ladder and crawled over the
fence into the road.
I'd like 70 play" he said. 'I'd rath-
- play ball than eat but. honestly. 1
can't afford to lose half days pay"
How much do you get a day?"
asked O'Leary.
Three dollars responded Thompson
'I'll give you So TO play against US this
afternoon" remarked the Indian.
And Sammy played. Before the game
was two innings old O'Leary was rath-
er regretting his bargain. for Thompson
slammed the ball over the center field
fence the first time IN. and kept right
on slugging-and fl was only by des-
perate efforts that the Indians won out
15 to IL
That night Thompson signed an In
dianapolis contract He demanded SIS
q AliN-itAls gnu ~ A-CltLy LllEQ II INC CUli-
tract for $3.50.
Thompson opened at Philadelphia FOR
his first game in fast company-aud
hit the ball over the right field wall.
Jack Powell is and has been a star
for years. He was a prairie Lacquer in
Chicago and used 70 pTa ctice every
morning on the West Side grounds
Jim Ryan and l argued ourselves blue
IA the face irving 70 get him job W IA
the Chicago Natlonal lea aUers, but he
was refused the opportunity. althoueh
Griffith. then Chicago's star. declared
him a wonder, he made good. though,
The moment st. Louis gave him a
chance.
Johnny Evers, the crack little sec
ond baseman Of the Chicago Nationals
made one OF the straugest en- -ries in
my recollection. He lived In Troy, n
Y. where his father was in business,
and he was n basebai n crank. One aft
ernoon he maid admission 10 get into
the game. Before PLAY started The Troy
second baseman got SEX and the man
ager called upuu Evers 20 play. The
little fellow remembered that his kid
brother was at knot hole outside the
Fence and argued that. if he played his
brother should be admitted free. but
Manager Barron refused. SO Evers b0r-
rOWed 25 cents and staked his kid