The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-07-02
BASEBALL TALES
BY THE PLAYERS
BILL coUoHLIN, cHAs. o'LEARY
AND HUGH JENNINGS RE-
LATE GOOD ONES.
TWO YEARS TO TRAIN COLTS


Star He Needs Long Temperine-
When Rossman Disobeyed Orders
by Making Home Run.
1T takes practically two years for
the average ball player to become a
fixture in major league company" re-
marks Bill CoughIin. Of the Detroits.
There is, of course, the usual excep-
ton, the brilliant star, who makes
good from the start, but it's mighty
rare.
The colt comes into the league. He
looks fast in practice, he bats well
fact, he often shows up the regulars
in all the practice. He can bat, field,
and run bases better perhaps.
But when the season opens and the
race starts to tighten, it's different
He isn't the star he was picked to be.
He gets on the bases and doesn't know
what to do. It's only a fraction of
second probably. but he is lost He
fields all right, but he gets the ball
and for a second doesn't know where
to throw il. He's lost as soon as he
hesitates. for while he stops to think
the base runner is streaking home
ward
If he sticks through the first year
he gets over that fairly well, but the
whole second year is spent in season
ing him more
1T takes two years on the firing
line to temper the average ball play
er before he is fit for major league
company"
Some one got to telling about how
John Anderson, then playing with St
Louis, made his now famous attempt
to steal second against Washington
when the bases were full. thereby
causing all three men to be thrown
! out in one play.
Walter Brodie pulled on something
like that in Baltimore. only it wasn't
quite so bad. said Hughie Jennings
But it was just as funny
Walter had gotten his base on balls
and an argument started as to whether
the last ball was not a strike.
Walter saw his chance on first
! while everybody was arguing and stole
second. He was all pulled up over it.
The argument continued and he de
cided to go down to third. He slid
in with a mighty effort and then awoke
10 the fact that there was a runner
on third"
Mike Cantillon tells a funny story
about Claud Rossman," says Herman
Schaefer. 1t was when Claud was
batting around 400 for the Des Moines
club.
Herman Long gave him the signal
to sacrifice, and Claud nodded his
head. He hit the first ball pitched
with a mighty swat for a home run
clearing the bases and winning the
game
When he came in. with the crowd
cheering, he was all smiles until he
met Long. Herman was swearing
mad. yelling half in English and half
in German.
Didn't l tell you to sacrifice?' he
said Why don't you follow instruc
tons? I've a good mind to bench yor
for awhile. l didn't tell you to hit
a home run"
And at that, Long was right" said
Rossman, when reminded of the Incl
dent I should have obeyed orders.
My introduction TO big league base
ball wasn't a very happy AFFAIR" say:
Charley O'Leary, of the Tigers. The
first team / ever played on, outside
of those around Chicago, was tbs
White Sox, and they took me to De
troit with them to play a Sunda!
game l nearly quit right then anC
there. If l had l might now be poll
tician in Chicago.
1T was in one of those games on
at Burns park. We won by one rul
and as we left the park the crow'
, came at us with beer bottles. 1t wa
the bottom of the bus for everybody
and as l was the most scared l go
. there first, / guess. Anyway, every
body else piled on top of me, and W
rode into town that way.
Il was nearly smothered. They ha
a hard time inducing me to believ
that that was not an everyday Occur
renee"