Evening star., 1908-01-19
BY Umpire Billy Evans.

What do the big league players do dur
Ing the winter"
For six months the ball PLAYER is prom
ineutIy before the public. Ills perform
ances. good or bad. are exploited in the
paper every day, and his name is IA by
word with every base ball fan throughout
the country. His period OF activity starts
IN the middle of April and ends the first
week in October. Then he drops out OF
sight.
Few of the big league players live
in the cities in which they play. Just
soon as the final game is over most
Of them like TO their winter homes. and
quite n few of them dwell in the smaller
cities. Many Of the players lead quiet
life and do little or nothing that inter
ests the base ball fan. Consequently
the dolngs OF a number o the stars
during the winter months is "A mystery
TO the fans.
Tie big league players Of the present
are "A thrifty lot and most of them have
bank roll that would make some OF
the patrons Of the game turn green
with envy. These players don't need
to think of work during the winter and
could take things easy II they so desir-
ed. Some OF them spend the winter
resting. but a majority Of the players
prefer some kind o. work 10 idleness.
The fact that most Of them have money
enables them TO engage in a business
Of their own. Some of the players
lave established their places of bust
ness during the winter that they make
II profit that compares very favorably
with their salary during the summer
months.
The doing of some kind OF work is
the best thing in the world fo- the
player. according to those who engage in
cold weather work. The players claim
it keeps them busy and also helps them
get in condition. The most pleasing fea-
1urc however. is the fact that ii makes
a pay day every month when the snow
is on the ground.
Tie managing OF bowling alleys. the
writing of sporting matter and the sale
of sporting goods appear 10 be the most
popular forms of winter work Charley
hickman and Doc White are in business
in Washington. while Bill Bradley and
Charley Carr are tire proprietors of a big
winner in Cleveland. Addie Joss and
Bode Birmingham or Cleveland and
George Tpp Of Cincinnati are a trio of
players who have taken up the news
paper game as a bread winner during
The winter.
Larry J.ajoie for the past three years
has been a successful publisher.
Honus Wagner of pittsbuTg. one OF the
greatest players the game has ever pro-
duced. is taking things easy this winter.
Wagner lives III Carnegie and the hard
est exercise he takes during the winter
is on the first % each month when he
collects the rents from his many ten
ants. Until this year Wagner has always
played basket ball during the winter with
the Carnegie team. regarded as one of
the best fives IN the country. Rheuma
tism has been bothering the great player
of late and he has spent much of his
spare time opening letters from different
doctors who feel certain they can cure
him. There has teen a rumor afoat that
Wagner would be kept out OF the game
for year at least because OF his Illness
nut It's dollars ito cents that he will be
back at his OLD position when the bell
rings.
George Stone. the wonderful hitter OF
the st. Louis Browns. takes things rather
easy during, the winter. looking after his
interests in a department store at Cole
ridge. Neb. his home. Stone is we'll fixed
financially. but just as long as lie contir-
IIeS TO command fat salary he Will re-
main one of the celebrities OF the game.
Billy Sullivan the premier catcher OF
,'fe White Sox, is a salesman during the
winter months They say Bill is just
god salesman as he is d receiver, and
If such Is the case the business enjoys
large increase during the winter. The
is to inherit fortune OF $4,000. If she
does. Sully will have so much money he
won't know what TO 90 with IL.
The bowling game appeals to many
Jiggs Donahue Is the manager Of alleys in
Chicago. Out of a failure Donahue has
made a big success. The alleys are the
most popular in Chicago and JiggS is
reapiug a big bunch or money out of the
venture Charley Hemphill has charge Of
alleys in Youngstown and Earl Moore in
t'layat9n1 These only a few the
players who have taken up the bowling