Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-15
GEORGE STONE.
By Billy Evans.

By Billy Evans.
There is no player connected with oase
ball who more deserves the title The 81
lent Man" than George Stone, the won
derful QUITE der of the St. Louis Browns.
Despite the great success he has attalheo
in his chosen profession. he is as modest
and unassuming as can be. He says pul
little about his fellow-players, but when
he does 1t is always words OF praise. EV-
cry member of the st. Louis team THINKS
there is no one Ike Stone, and it's ques-
ton if ever a more popular player wore
st. Louis uniform.
The discovery of George Stone was
mere accident Not So many years ago ne
worked as clerk and played bail pu eH
nc ma slime and to get little exercise
after a days work indoors Inc NIUE
town of Coleridge. Neb., claimed Stone as
its native son at that time Stone was
aarded as quite a ball player by the ruoe
fans in the vicinity of Coleridse' out MS
rsnutation didn't cover more than tnlrty
miles OF Nebraska territory. 1t happenso
that quite a rivalry existed between ~
ridge and one of its neighboring towns "a
series OF games was art ,ha Sec occasion. Sc
curing a number of reserves from liie
Omaha team among them being pl'cliei,
Alloway. The twirling OF Allo"aS Va"
too much for all the members o tne ~
ridpe tam except Stone. he making
.;nsIa double and three home :uns.
Thus did Stone start on the roao 70 laiiie'
Alloway carried the news PACK 10 Dlna No i,a
After two years in the olu
League he advanced to the American AS
oiet;on bIt X was a more difficult JOB
for him to break into the big league.
p-...Aad hu Collins
Jimmy Collins, when manager OIL .ne
Boston Americans, was the nrst Dig
Lacquer to seriou sly consider stone as d
maio- league possibility. Collins secured
1fm looked him over in the spring, de-
oSl.S be wouIdn'd do and turned him back
IN hel minors Without ever giving nm
~ Collins. However, had a string on
himMand had Stone report in the spring
IL lAl5 for another trial. He was inuch-
Sn,nr3,ed ball/player but failed TO impress
.pi1frls. At this stage of the game jimmy JIMMY,
Mr11eer came upon the scent anu pu,,u r-
of a trade that will go down IN the an
nails of base ball as the largest gold brlck
ever HANDED out. -. .
CoJlin.I always looked with favor on
.Ie--e~Burkett. and McAleer inquired thai
n deal with Burkett included would appeal
10 the F,ostonian lie ST. Louis manager
Nrealized that Burkett was about through,
hnd what he needed was a young player
NTH promise. Stone appeared TO De Jus,
the man for the job. McAleer oHereo
Ru-kett in exchange for Stone. and Bos-
ton Jumped at the offer. giving McAieer
a big bunch of money to boot. In JUST
one wear Burkett dropped out OF the
american League. while stone To-Day is
regarded as star. NO amount VI ihohes
could bay him.
Whsu eStone Joined the St. Louis team
he demonstrated at once that he could do
one thing-hit the ball. He wasn't much
on the fielding game. and had rather
weak arm Stones arm isn't any better
today than when he joined the team. but
he has made remarkable strides In the
field. To-day thee are few better out
felders than George Stone. He makes
IN for his rather weak arm by the quick
manner in which he gets the ball away
When one thinks it over. there are not
many fielders with stronger arms than
Stone, and the runners thrown out at the
plate appear to be getting fewe- every
wear Outfielders with arms like Birming-
ham. Hinchman. Charley Jones and few
others are not picked up every day
Stone goes out and comes in a ter ball
in the most approved style. and can use
his gloved hand as neatly as any OF them
He is also quite fast. and. of course, that
makes him all the more brilliant. That
Stone had the ability there is no question.
hut il required the coaching of McAleer
to bring it out and give him the polish
that stamps him as a finished artist.
Quiet and Obed1ent.
Less has been written about Stone than
any other great ball player who has been
before the public. The main reason for
this is due to his retiring disposition.
Other players with his ability and promi-
nence would be breaking into print every
day. Notoriety appeals but little to
Stone He is content to do his work, get
the tat SALARY and let others have the
prominence. II is not stretching the
point in the least to say that George
in base ball. During his career in the
American League Stone has never had the
slightest quarrel with any member of
the profession. Stone figures that il al
ways takes two to create an argument.
and he steadfaStly refuses to become a
party. That he is one of the easiest play
ers in the business to handle no one ques-
tions.
Never In his career as a ball player has
Stone been put out OF game. and no
member of the American League staff
of umpires can recall single time that
Stone has questioned a decision. He is
called out at first base on close decisions
oftener than any other player in the
league. due to the fact that he always
slides feet first into the bag. making all
the plays appear closer. yet he always
accepts the decision matter ot course
Only once has he appeared on the coach
ing lines since becoming Brownie. Stone
always obeys orders to the letter In the
final game of the fall series between the
Browns and the Cardinals in 1907 as a
Joke McAleer ordered Stone to coach, and
he took his position at third. When the
other members of the team saw Stone or
the lines they all but keeled over. Stone
was recalled in a few m9ments. he
failed TO make any noise.
Stone failed to come to terms with the
St Louis management last season until
after the spring training trip was over
and when he Joined the Browns he was in