Evening star., 1908-01-12
BASE BALL PLAYERS AS A WHOLE
COMPARE FAVORABLY WITH ANY
OTHER CLASS OF MEN IN PUBLIC

Brown. Mathewson and Spencer OF
Bucknell. Glaze OF Dartmouth: Joss OF
Wisconsin. Overall OF the University or
California and Scanlon. Roy Tromasa
Nealon Nichols. Coombs. Devlin. James.
Curtis and Hickman, as well as raft OF
others.
The victory OF the Detroit team last
year was also a victory for a college-bred
manager, Hughey Jennings. The sue
cessful manager of the Tigers Is a grad
uate of Cornell law school, Ind lfhfca-
y. Y. the seat of Cornell. celebrated the
victory IN as strong a manner as did De-
troit. October ). when the Tigers VIC
tory over st. Louis clinched the pennant.
there were big doings In old ithaca torn.
One would have thought the students
were celebrating a Cornell victory over
Princeton.
It's a peculiar fact that two OF the
pitching sensations of recent years have
been college men. Christy Mathewson
has been New York's mainstay for sew
eral years. His performance In shut
ting out the Athletics three times In the
worlds series will live forever as one OF
base balls greatest feats. Overall of the
Chicago Cubs has also had remarkable
success since leaving Cincinnati.
That the class Of the men playing
professional ball Is improving each year
there is no question. The average Dali
player of the present Is far thriftier
tnan the veteran OF the past. w men Hto
playing days are over he has little
bank roll that puts him on Easy street
for the rest Of his life. A majority
OF the players seek some kind OF work
during the winter rather than remain
idle Some go into business. others work
at the trade on which they depended
for a living before going into base ball,
while others attend various colleges Tor
the study Of law. medicine or dentistry:
There are in the big leagues number OF
doctors and dentists. most prominent
among them being DR.. Powers OF the
Philadelphia Athletics.
For years the managers have debated
| as to who made the more valuable ball
player, the poor or the rich man. Ex-
perience has taught them that the poo,
man. who has to depend on base ball
for a living. makes the better player.
There are three shining examples of tho
truth in the big league today. They are
pitcher Glade of New York. Catcher
Spencer OF the st. Louis Browns, and
shortstop Lewis OF M broesayni. esas H.. tho nar-
ens of Phil Lewis are wealthy and that
| they would much prefer his retirement
| from the game. he would be one or the
| greatest shortstops before the pupnc.
lewis is a Cornell man, pupil OF ! yen-
| ninps and a natural ball player. the
| fat that he is wealthy makes him inde-
pendent, rather stubborn ana nard 70
| handle Patsy Donovan, his manager. 10
| authority
| be the greatest shortstop In the business
! il he was a poor boy and base ball was
| his livelihood.
| Fred Glade is unquestionabiy a great
| pitcher. He takes defeat or victory ahke
| and Is the most unconcerned man In base
| ball. Glade has retired several times. buL
| a fat salary has always allured MIN
| back. He and his brother control several
| big -four mills in the northwest and he is
reputed to be one of the wealthiest play
ers In the game.
When he wants to be Ed Spencer Is one
of the greatest catchers that ever donned
| a mask and protector. Spencer comes
| from a very wealthy family and during
| the summer Ed receives checks from
| home lust about as often as from tho
| base ball club. His expenses far exceed
his salary every year. and let 1t be known
| Spencer is high-priced man.
Yes. the average ball player Of the
present day is gentleman. Get into con-
versation with him and you will be sur
/ prised to learn how he can talk with
you on any subject. The professional
player is a misunderstood ana much
abused Individual but it's a sure bet that
4 he can stand it as long as fat salaries
| are the rule.