Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-22
BASE BALL ON THE LOTS.
Nv Hugh S. Fullerton.

Ball players who achieve fame on the
diamonds of the big leagues come from all
sorts Of ball fields. The college man plays
second while the lad who learned the games
on the prairies of Chicago the hillsides OF
Massachusetts. or the mud flats OF the OHIO
plays short stop. The boy from the farm
lot plays alongside the youngster who won
his spurs on some country town team.
The big leagues recruit from everywhere
Massachusetts turns out more ball players
than any other state Pennsylvania ranks
second, Ohio third, and Illinois fourth, with
Minnesota fifth.
It ia all q question OF individual ability.
The small towns produce more ball players
than the great cities. although Chicago In
recent years has been a fruitful recruiting
ground for the big Leagues. Ine pra n.e
players per year than any one OF the small
leagues.
II you really want to see base ball played
don't attend American or National League
games. Go out on to the lots. If you are
broke and want to see real sport go down
into Millcreek valley in Cincinnati. or out
on the prairies Of Chicago or the commons
of any New England town, or the flats
in Philadelphia, and get it right off the
reel.
There are real base ball games played
ont there on fenceless arenas. and while
looking them over you are likely 10 as
cover some player who will make record
in base ball. Larry Lajoie was almost as
good a ball player when ne was orivins a
coach at jamestown, N. Y. as he Is now;
Bill Bradley was faster when he was play
ing with a kid team out In Glendale section
of Cleveland than he is now; Barry Mo
Cormick was as good a ball player with
the Pendletons in Cincinnati as he ever
was in the big league: Lee TannehiH
fielded as well with the Dayton (Ky) team
a. he does now; Fred Pfeffer was as great
a star with the Silver Greeks at Louisville
as he ever became as a member OF the
"stonewall inaeld" Of Chicago.
There are hundreds Of instances in which
ball players have been picked up Off the
lots and made good in the fastest COM
pany right of the reel. simply because they
were natural players. Jack Powell. who
still Is one Of the best in the business. and
should have been better with better man
ayers is an example. Powell was pitching
star ball with prairie leagues in Chicago
He had everything, and then few tricks
of his own. He was discovered by players
on Anson's team. They got him out to the
west sue GROUNDS 10 QTdCllCe dHO SHOW
a few things to Arson. After watching him
for time Arson ruled him out. He voted
him a good kid, but not up to the standard.
What Powell did to Chicago afterward Is
historic. He found berth with Tebeau
and became one Of the greatest pitchers Of
the country. His especial delight was to
trim Chicago-which rejected him.
The owners Of ball clubs throughout the
country are bowling now because there Is
lack Of good players being developed In the
minor leagues. Yet there are enough good
ball players working on the semi-profes-
sional and amateur diamonds of Chicago to-
day to supply material to strengthen half
dozen good clubs. The wise manager
who is seeking to strengthen up his club
will look over the lots instead of the minor
and develop it along his own lines of play
served an apprenticeship in some minor
league club and perhaps learned lot Of
bad habits and bad base ball.
80
One OF the funniest things I ever saw
in base ball came to my attention only a
short time ago. It was q Sunday, and
was taking the usual Sunday car ride
through the suburbs Of Chicago when ran
across ball game. The crowd was lined
up along the cement sidewalks. cheering.
an open lot. 80. being interested aughted