The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-23
NEWS.
Pitcher Jack Taylor Tells His
Tale in Full.
His Trouble Arose From Stay
ing Out Late.
ASKS O SQUARE DEAL
Says He Was Aiding Celebrate
Big Time for Becky.
Did Not Sell Out, Won Extra
Money at Craps.

Cincinnati, Jan. 23.-Jack Taylor
gives his diamond record about as fol-
lows:
- was the pitcher of the Parkers-
burg CIV. Va-) independent team in
1896, and toward the close Of the sea-
son the Pittsburg club came there for
an exhibition game. I lived at Nelson
vile, Ohio. about 80 miles from Park
ersburg. Inc when a game was ar
ranged 1 would be notified to go there
and pitch it. Saturday, Sunday and
Monday games were our limit.
Connie Mack managed the Pirates
that year. but. as 1 afterwards learned,
he was doomed for decapitation and
had arranged to handle the Milwaukee
club of h Western league in 1897 and
Pat Donovan was slated to succeed
him at Pittsburg. I pitched well
against the big leaguers and beat them
5 to 4. As-we held them down from
inning to inning, Mack began to warm
up to me, and naturally I was much
fiattered at his notice of me. Donovan
also made friendly overtures, but as
Pat was an ordinary player, I was not
as appreciative of his compliments as
of those that the courteous n crafty
Connie paid me.
Donovan tried to get me to sign
with him, but Mack was shrewd enough
to break in on the negotiations every
~LAAAS - - kAACo ~ III IL lax 4O
would pay me and what club he want
ed me for. / knew that Connie was
hP~fttsburg's manager and supposed he
would stay with the club the following
season and so I did business with him.
When I woke up I found I was I'M
der contract to Milwaukee and Pat a
Comics old OBJ.
Mack taught me the fine points of
the game and / was in big luck to have
had the, benefit of his instruction. He
is the only manager for whom I have
played who YOU call you when you
got away with a bad play. Why, he
fined me in Milwaukee one day for
striking out the side. When I went to
the bench he said to me in his quiet
"a Jack, that'u cost you So" L
asked: What more do you want? I
struck out he side" Il warned you
several timeS,'' said he, against put
ting the ball over when you have
strikes on the batsman and no balls,
and you disobeyed twice in that inning.
You have got to work a batsman to be-
come a successful fielder, and that fine
goes And it did. Connie saw that I
started right and was up on the points
of pitching before I went to Chicago,
and this knowledge enabled me to
make a good showing in fast company.
1.-The 1887 Milwaukee team trained
in st, Louis with Tim Hurst's Browns.
I pitched part of the first game and
went most of the route in the second, q
overwhelming, 11-to-10 defeat for US I
" a. jain q VI L. I've 0aJS liz
fought it out that day with h orig
.nal Jack, who died the following win
ter.
broke my arm that season and
went home. But next veal I was back
with Milwaukee and made so good a
record that Louisville drafted me. 1
refused to go to that team and the Chi
cage National League club bought my
release I went there at h close of
that season and pitched five games,
winning all of them. On my arrival
Hart rendered me $3.50 for the three
weeks that remained of the race. I de-
cliped, but offered to stay for $780, He
yielded and as I showed up well I fig
ured that I ought to be worth $2.100 at
least for 1899. Hart offered me 81, 500,
and we exchanged some hot letters in
reporting time and talked matters over
with him. We could not agree, and 1
left his office determined to go homo,
but Tom Burns half promised that 1
would get the salary I demanded and
I went to Las Vegas, N. NJ, to train
with the team.
When we reached Kansas City,
where we played a few exhibition
games prior to going to Louisville to
open the season, 1 asked Manager
Burns to buy me a ticket for Chicago.
Whats that for?' he asked. Hart has
not come to my terms, and I pro-
pose to start h race without a con-
tract I replied. If he pays me 81, 100
I'll join you in Louisville and give you
my best efforts. If he refuses I'll go
home and play independent ball. Tom
got h transportation and I visited Mr..
Hart.
What are you doing here? Why are
you not with the team?' he asked, in
an angry tone as I entered his Office.
I toldshim my business in Chicago, and
he informed me that he would never
give me the money I demanded. I
reached for my overcoat and started
for the elevator. Come back here he
yelled. If 1 had one more pitcher I
would never yield. Here is your con-
tract for $2,1O0. But I'll never forgive
you for writing me mean letters and
showing such ~obstinacy.' I went to
Louisville, and as long as I was with
the Chicago club I never entered the
presidents Office except on a summons
from him, and. with one exception, I
always had a third party present. I re-
menbered Hart's threat and protected
myself as far as I could.
Until the 1903 series with Comis-
keys team I had never a of
trouble with Harris club management,
and I had gone along and done my
work as well as I knew how. I had on
certain occasions worked my arm off,
1 respected at all times. During the
first eastern trip I pitched nine out of
19 games. I received extra pay for do
ing three times the amount of work I
should have done, to be sure, but Mr..
Hart objected to giving that and said
that I need not expect to receive it