The Detroit times., 1908-05-13

"A ball for some reason or other
5rseems to be rapidly losing the college
z boys who were once so prominent as
v--------->m members Of the big
\ WHY COL teams, east and
LEGE BOYS west. There are
FIGHT SHY. few Of them left
very few-but
their number Is steadily diminishing
and. when one of them drops out,
/, there is seldom a collegian 10 take
his place
In addition, most OF the college men
now In baseball are players who were
\ drawn Into the schools during their
early youth. by virtue OF financial ben
efits which accrued 10 them through
their baseball ability. Among the re-
mainder are athletes who, after achiev-
Ing prominence in the game, have edu-
Gated themselves for the day when
I they may no longer be able 10 earn
living on the diamond.
Bona fide college players in the big
leagues are race virtually extinct.
And why?
There seems TO be no falling OF In
the array OF talent in the colleges. At
any rate the public prints carry almost
daily announcements OF offers made to
college stars by big league managers,
and as quickly turned down.
For some reason or other the lure OF
the game has merely ceased TO at
tract.
Detroit has an excellent case In
point In Jerry Utley. probably the best
player ever turned out by the Uni.
versity OF Michigan.
II wasn't baseball that attracted
Utley TO the big Ann Arbor school His
parents were people Of scholarly tastes
and Jerry never figured as baseball
sensation before entering school. He
took up baseball as a means OF exer-
else and speedily developed surprising
ability As q pitcher and a speedy all.
round ball player He graduated with
honors from the difficult engineering
course, coached the team for a couple
of years while, still further completing
, his studies. and played bit OF profess
siona baseball during the summers. In
the fast little Northern league he was
easily the best pitcher In, sight and
some good ones have been sgraduated
/ thence TO fast company.
Two years ago Utfey. made UP his
! mind to give baseball thorough trial
I He chose the Southern league as a
starting point and surprised the world
I by handing Cleveland a shut,out defeat
4 with only a fair minor league team
4 ot his back. He won hts, first and only
league game, fell, out with manager
over his refusal TO play Sunday ball,
contracted malaria. and came home
Some weeks after he accepted a
4 position In the city engineers Office in
his home city and there he is still
regularly at work, though keeping up
his baseball for the same reason which
led him TO adoptit at school.
The writer saw Utley workout the
other day at the Detroit Athletic club
He has grown bigger and stronger
than In his college daysfand has added
to his perfect control and fielding
+ obility. speed which Is surpassed by
few big league pitchers OF today
The writer does not need 10 rely on
4 his own opinion In the belief that
Vtley. had he followed professional
baseball. would today have been with
the top-notchers, for there is not one
of the d. A. &. veterans who Is not out
<opoken In the same statement.
Why don't you go out and show this
Xfun TO some OF the big league man
&tersw somebody asked the former
Michigan star.
Well, why should H." was Utley's
<eply. I'm the first place. II would
1oon financial sacrifice. In the sec.
md, II 10 too difficult TO get a chance