Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-28
DIAMOND STARS
OF THE LONG AGO
Players and Plays Recalled
Away Back in the
Seventies.
Frank Hough in Philadelphia Inquirer.

Frank Hough In Philadelphia Inquirer.
OF the many events incident to the cele-
bration of the opening of Shibe Park in
April, there will be none that will arouse
more interest among base ball devotees
than the appearance Of John Dickson Nc
Bride. or plain everyday "Dick" Mcbride
as he was affectionately and more famil-
iarly called by the enthusiasts of the late
sixties and early seventies. There are
many Philadelphians still on the sunny
side of the half century mark who love to
talk of the prowess of "Al' Reach, now
the president Of the great sporting goods
establishment which bears his name, who
was considered the hardest hitter of mis-
time and one of the most finished of sec
ond basement; of the skill and graceful
ness of yves" Fisler, who could play
first base attired in collar and cuffs with
out soilng either. and still pull down the
high ones and dig the low ones out of the
dirt Of Fergy Malone, who used to catch
with his meat hands-Uncle Ben Shibe
had not then thought of tie present day
catcher's mitt-untfl they ran red with
blood; of John Radclyff. now prosperous
produce dealer: of Eddie Cuthbert who
died some five years ago. and the dozens
of others who made the name Athletics
famous the country over thirty-five years
ago.
OF all the men who made local history
in the period around 1870. Dick Nc
Bride is better remembered than any of
his associates. with the exception of AL
Reach; and it must be remembered that
long after he had ceased his activities on
the field. Mr.. Reach was prominently
connected with the game. being one OF
the organizers of the Philadelphia club
and its president until the club was sold
to its present owners When he retired
from the game in the zenith of his pow
ers over thirty years ago, Mcbride prac-
tically dropped out of the public eye. He
entered the post office shortly after his
retirement from the diamond, and it is
said that the last game he saw was the
last one In which he was a participant.
But despite his self effacement. SO to
speak. he is. said before, with the eX-
ception of Mr.. Reach the best remem-
hered of the Athletic team. who with the
Rostons sailed away from this port OIL
the Ohio, of the American line. in 1874.
to show our English cousins the beauties
of our national pastime. Not only has
Mr. Mcbride refrained from attending
the game of which he was such distin-
guished eXemplar, but he is exceptionally
averse to talking about it or the part he
played in its development. II is to be
hoped that Mr.. McBride's re-entry upon
the diamond, even though for brief in
terval will be as pleasant to him as it Is
sure to be interesting to those who will
witness it.
Bunch Of Good Ones.
In the thirty and odd years that have
ELAPSED since Dick Mcbride quit the
diamond the national game has lived
down many vicissitudes. gone through
many changes. but still retaining the dis
tinctive characteristics which made it the
delight of our daddes. and which will
continue to make it the delight OF young
and old America so long as there re-
mains a lot upon which it can be played.
Think of the hundreds and hundreds OF
PLAYERS who have represented this city on
the diamond since Mr. Mcbride retired?
There was a time. twenty years ago.
when the names of Arlie Latham, Sgd
Farrar. Charley Ferguson the greatest
John Clements. Jimmy Fogarty. Joe Null
vey. Curt Welsh, Harry Stovey. Lou
Bierbauer, Ed DAILY. Cub Stricken. John
Corkhill. Aleck Mckinnon. Jack Milligan,
Bobby Mathews and dozens of others
were just as popular are these of the
Athletic and Philadelphia stars of to-
day. All those old players made. and the
present players are making. bias, ball his
tory. but how many of them will be re-
called thirty years after they have closed
their careers the diamond? Somehow
or other the old-timers seemed to be
truer to their idols than the fans of to-
beauty of Bill Nyes precept to Make
the most of this lite; you are a long
time dead
During the past three decades the prin-
cipal changes in the game have been i'm
the rules under which it has been play
ed, but these changes have been made
so gradually that it would be almost i'm
possible for any save the most persistent
student of the rules to recall when the
most important were made. From year
to year the changes. if changes there
were. have been almost imperceptible. if
we except that piece of asinine rules
making known as the foul strike rule;
but the changes made between decades
are marked. What would be more inter-
esting to the youngsters of today If al
the opening of Shbe Park Mr.. Mcbride |
were to show the delivery which was |
lega, when he was the acknowledged king |
pin % pitchers; then have the pitching |
Grasshopper Jim Whitney. pitching from |
the forty -five-foot line after takin ID /