Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-03-09
Green EYED MONSTER
GAhONG BALL PLAYERS
Instances Where Promising
Career of a Cub was Sud.
denly snuffed Out by
Jealousy of Old Timers.


Ball orchards are the favorite
breeding places of green eyed mon.
sters. IfFthere is q class that beats
choir singers and chorus ladies all
hollow for jealousy 1t is the profes.
stonal ball players. Each one knows
all his own good points and all the
weak points OF the others, and the
best that can be got out of any one
~ liko the Irishmans praise of his
DEAD fellow laborer, "he wor n good
shoyeler. but he wor not what We
would call a fancy shoveler."
This jealousy SOM times results in
ludicrous situations and funny hap.
penings.
Not many years ago player of ex-
ceptional promise, but young. quit the
Chicago club and was in the sulks
nearly half a season because his rival
Tor position on the team was given
lower berth one night when he was
forced into all upper.
One Of the funniest instances OF
Jealousy among players that ever
CAME to my notice happened when
Arson was running the Chicago club.
mat spring he recruited staff of
pitchers and filled that whole West
side park. He had more pitchers than
ne could count and they loved each
otner--not. Every man was Jealous
OF every other one and nervous about
holding his job. One day Arson call.
ed upon big Walter Thornton-one of
the recruits-to pitch. The big fel.
low was one Of the best natural hit
tiers that ever, broke into the game
he hit left handed and he stung
them; That day, besides pitching fair
ball. he rammed out four hits.
The other candidates sat on the
benches and looked at each other anx.
iously as Thornton banged the ball
around the lot. and every hit he made
caused them deeper woe.
That evening just as the sun was
setting. delegation of Cub pitchers
slipped out TO the clubhouse, rayaged
Thornton,s; locker, took out his bats.
secured Charlie Kuhn's saw, and pro.
ceeded to saw up every bat Thornton
owned.
One morning bushes stock me out
to the West side. park, where the
players were engaged In pitching and
batting practice. The business reuuir.
ed but few moments, and, to pass
away the time. Joined the gang and
commenced batting. Adonis Terry
was pitching to the batters and shoot
ing them over fast. The first time
| cane$up torthe plate he shot over
curve. my bat caught 1t suuarely.
and the bali went like a shot straight
over Second.
"Whoop!" yelled. "And you dubs
get money for doing that"
1t was mostly accident, and nothing
more was thought about it until
couple of days later, when, on train
one night was confronted by an en-
fremely angry ball player, who grew
abusive. could not understand II.
Finally. in reply to question as to
what allied him, he replied:
Huh, you're too fresh, coming out
anu trying to show up ball players"
1t turned out that he had been sore
over that accidental base hit ever
Many good player is held back
Tor years by the jealousy of other
players who strive to keen him from
getting chance to show what Is in
him-if anything.
Little Tommy Hess, when he was
at Baltimore, suffered from this In
way that was laughable. There
were two other catchers on the team
both veterans. and they would have
lost an arm before they would have
let Tommy have chance. IN, sat on
the bench week after week, eager and
rcadysto jump in and prove his worth
FINALLY he thought his day had
come..n One OF the catchers had been
laying off for ten days with a split
handEand the other was working. A