Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-08-18
FORMER BIG LEAGUERS NOW IN
MINOR ORGANIZATIONS
KID GOODMAN SUPERCEDED BY
YOUNGER MAN
MANY Old Timers RELOCATED to Cheap
err Company by This Years
Crop of Graduates from
Cheap Company

delphia National league club, is the man.
Manager Murray of the Phlilles gave
Young Knabe a thorough tryout this sea
son. and he has made good beyond q
doubt.
As an evidence OF the esteem in which
he is held by the club, the officials and
PLAYERS united in giving the Quaker eX-
captain a handsome diamond ring before
he left for Jersey City, where he Will play
second base and captain the team.
The most pitiabe sight in baseball to-
day is the. way in which age creeps
stealthily upon the diamond hero, I'M
awares, until he is engulfed and gone.
The ball player never believes he is grow
ing old. The suggestion is always treated
with resentment.
The aged player is no longer wanted.
When he has served twenty years he be-
gins to decline, and while he may linger
for a few years longer the spice and snap
of play gradually leave him and the blue
| envelope comes before him while he still
thinks himself in the bloom of youth
This season has swept more old timers
from the field than any similar period IN
the history of the game. Among those
who have succumbed to the ten days
notice" are Beckley, Gleason, Corcoran.
| Mertes, Hahn, Kelley, Jack Mccarthy,
/ Gilbert. Alex Smith, Bill Clark and Lave
Cross.
Jake Beckley, one of the greatest heroes
the game ever knew, has lost his eagle
eye" Age crept upon him here until the
| fans looked upon him as hanger-on.
! Ten years ago youth felt honored TO snake
the hand of Beckley. Today they look
upon him and say He was great prayer
! in his day."
/ Beckley served the major league twenty
years. To a ball player who has given
many years of service to the game tnat
means much. 1t dawns upon him that
youth is no longer with him. 1t means
that sentiment plays no part In baseball
The hero of a few years ago, who was
sought after by every team in the league.
finds that he is merely tolerated out of
respect for what he has done. His days
of diamond glamour are gone and he finds
himself an old man.
Mcclure Escapes
Jim Mcclure, the grand old man of the
game, escaped by mounting to the position
of manager. AS player the clutch or
age was already fastening itself upon him.
Tommy Corcoran was one of the most
popular players, personally, that ever
wore spikes in a major league. Seeing
that he has gone to Cincinnati the Giants
took him as a last resort. 1t was hoped
that a change would bring his old quail
ties back into use. For while he was
a rehablitated man. During the early
months of the season he played with the
life and daring of a boy of eighteen. NC
Graw was congratulated all over the
country for his excellent judgment in
securing a treasure. But 1t was a spor
adc burst of speed, which died out with
the excitement. The creep of age which
had been temporarily halted began its
march again and Tommy had to succumb.
Both his hitting and fielding gradually
became weaker until he walked into the
club house one morning and found the
blue envelope waiting.
All of YOU can remember few years
ago when Sam Mertes, nicknamed San
dow" was worth headline in the papers
every day. AS a hitter he was the might
lest of the mighty. Today he is eking out
his last experience on the diamond in a
minor league. When Mertes was in his
Zenith as a fielder Billy Gilbert was the
rising hero of the day at second base.
Today the popular Gilbert is playing with
Trenton in a minor league.
March Is Pathetic
The march from the minor to the
major league is alluring, but, the retreat
from the major to the minor league Is
pathetic. Down, down they go. Only the
other day the once famous Red Ehret
was knocked out of the box in the Cotton
States league, class d. minor league
organization.
AS a last resort Clark Griffith tried to
throw new life into Noodles Hahn and
bring him back into the game. But Hahn
had shot his bolt. He had the brains and
spirit, but the WORKOUT muscles refused
to work A few feeble attempts and he
began the march to the minor league.
Bill Clark tried to find the fountain of
20 hal o,1tc 70 hn
effect Like his aged predecessor, Ponce
de Leon, he withered in the attempt. He
has also found berth among the minors.
Alex Smith also tried to come back,
but his physical machinery had done its
work years ago. He clutched at the pin
nacle a few times and then dropped as
had those before him.
Next year will see another crop of
players forming in line for the march
to The minors. Many OF them are play
ing great ball today and neither they
nor the fans who admire them realize
that age is on its way.
OF course, an Arlie Latham appears
only once in a generation, bur that is
no reason why there should not be some
more lively and intelligent coaching than
there is IN the major leagues AS for
an interesting game, many would prefer
to see high class minor league game,
solely because the game is more lively,
and this is caused by interesting coach
ing
Macs First Appearance
| This is the first season since McAleer
has managed the Browns that he has
appeared in uniform on the home grounds.
and he usually does the coaching at
third base. McAleer's presence on the
lines does not liven the game any, as he
is there merely to coach his men to
victory. He is the last of managers who
could be lively on the lines.
This important work, with most clubs.
| is delegated to two pitchers who are
not taking part in the game. The coach
ing consists of constant repetitons of a
few time-honored phrases, such as Good
boy old man. Down with his arm"
you've got the big one left" and "It
takes only one to hit it, Nothing orig
inal, nothing smart, nothing to stir the
multitude.
Manager Hughey Jennings of the De-
troits has brought into the American
league a new and livelier system, which
has startled the conservative element
with it's novelty. Hughey is on the
coaching lines all the time and he always
gives the impression of being anxious
| to win.
He has few remarks to make-always