The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-31
PLUCK AND NERVE WIN FOR ARCHER Stormy Career of Brilliant
 Young Cub Backstop. IS PRODUCT OF THE SOUTH Frank Chance Picks Him Up After Hughie Jennings. Detroit Manager Threw PIsyer Down -~squat Throw" PreJudiced Tiger
 Leader, asd resasster Gees
 Back to Hinors-Mads
 More Than Good.
$ PRODUCT OF THE SOUTH

If any ball player be Respondent let him consult Jimmy Archer.
 Let him listen to the tale of the ups and downs. of the Cub catcher. If he fails to be cheered, he Is Respondent, in- deed.
 For if ever man had stormy life in baseball this crack thrower of the was the special favorite of Fate at one moment. and that the next Miss For tunes most bitter enemy.
 It was luck that made him catcher. pay roii of of the Atlanta, Ca. team. How he happened to become member of that band Is mystery which heNdoes not attempt to solve. Nor did he at that time. He was content then to get whatever was coming to him at the first of each and every month. Nor would he have kicked if the sum had been small. Looking back he has an idea that the manager must have mis- taken him for some other man or traded for him unsiEht and unseen.
 Nevertheless he arrived in Atlanta.
 What position do you play?" the manager queried.
 So he was--in those days. We'll, they put him in the outheld. Catch flies? Yes. A good wing? Answer in the affirmative as you will testify if you have ever seen him play. Hit? Not a lick.
 Tn the thirteen games he hit .css. Fate. indeed. was treating this young ball player pretty rough. But no rough CT than the manager. And mild com
 There was at that time a man man. aging the Meridian, Miss, team who knew little about ball players. So the manager of the Atlanta team, looking the field over, decided here was the spot to unload his gold brick. He vis- ited Meridian.
 T have a fine player that want to sell you" began the Atlanta manager.
 For whyT from the Meridian agent: is a fine outfeider. He Is great thrower. He Is. fair sticker. will sell him cheap"
 How much?"
 syou can have him for $2oo."
 And his narne?"
 Archer"
 Turns Down 0ffer.
 Not for one-half that sum would have him" yelled the man from Meri- dian. Maybe he was not judge of ball players. Also. maybe. he didn't consider Archer as belonging to the class.
 Which put the manager of the Allan rs sam in ao ns rage ss tbsrs aen as anger in his heart. He was at peace with no one. A consuming rage burn ed within him, 1ff
 Ths-outIet? Archer.
 You will go. behind the bat today" he said to Jimmy, when the field was reached the next day.
 Me catch?" queried Jimmy. T can't catch: ,' I don't see that you need to kick" was the retort.
 Archer was a catcher. He caught that afternoon. He caught every other afternoon. Wasn't 1t @ queer way fate had of finding the spot where Archer would shine?
 And this same fate crossed and double crossed him once more. After catch ing in Atlanta he went to Pittsburg. He was chased back to the minors and then went to Detroit. It was here that he and Fate mixed again.
 NO, like this" Jennings would say. Then he would take his position be- hind the plate. He would catch the ball. take step forward and illustrate the throw. Oh, no. He didn't throw to second. That would have been more realistic. But imposslble-for Jen-
 Well. Archer tried and tried. But he couldn't. He shortened his step and he heightened it. But he could not throw with the accuracy that he did when he stood fiat-footed and slammed nings.
 Prestol And Archer was back in the minors.
 Signed by Cubs.
 But not for long. For Chance, who had seen Archer throw in the first worlds series between the Cubs and the Tigers. saw him work behind the bat again in the Eastern League with Buffalo, and when 1909 rolled around Archer was of the squad of the Cubs.
 It was his squat" throw that un- made him as Tiger and made him as a Cub.
 Who knows! If Jennings had not been prejudiced against the same squat" throw he might have landed the worlds championshlp last year.