The Detroit times., 1909-07-15
Society Weakness of Fine Young
Pitcher Proves His Undoing II
Spite of His Great
Ability.
Entered League With Reputation as
Lady-Tamer Which He Never Lost
While He Was in II.
sy PAUL n. BRUSKE.

bdSeOalI CIuD. as Nc NANCuSu flSSi-
dent Frank j. Navin draw up check
for the transportation which was 20
take the North Carolina HEAVIER back
TO that organization whence. two sea.
sons ago. he came TO the Tigers with
the prestige OF real star.
No better epitaph could be written
OIL the monument which should dec
crate the big-league career or the ver-
satile pitcher. The American leagues
circuit will not seem the same now
that Suggsey is gone. He didn't pitch
very often, TO be sure. and there Will
be no pronounced lack felt here. with
Liliyelt coming on TO take his place.
In every city, however, there will be
score of so OF impressionable girls
who will mourn the passing OF the
North Carolinan
George stood well with the ladies'.
IL fact he leaves the league with his
mates willing To swear that OF all the
lady-tamers who ever allowed their
eyes TO goo-goo into a crowded stand.
George Suggs holds the championship.
And That's What Hurt Him.
And. strangely enough. 1t was this
fact that more than any other which
stood in the way OF the baseball am
billions of the twirler. Society and
baseball are two elements that COM
bine but poorly. Affairs OF the heart
and problems of the diamond can
never mix. George tried to do 1t and
failed He had been able to handle
both in a minor league where his
baseball ability was so far In excess
of the average that he was able to
get away with both his ambitions To
succeed. In the fastest company In
the world. however. the mixture was
he came, and trail OF broken hearts
leagues circuit.
Suggs came 10 Detroit with his
strength well heralded and his emo
tional weakness more than limited at.
A week or two before he left Mem
phis southern belle attempted sui,
cid because her hardhearted parent
refused to let her wend her way 70
the local ball yard to see him pitch.
Deceived Elm All.
The Southerner arrived and made
good right of the reel In both the pre-
dicted deception stunts. The after.
noon he spent deceiving the batters.
In the evening he poured out his emo
tional soul in the moonlight to the
damsel Of his choice. A ball player
making good in the big league, hand
some fellow In any company, his wav'
ing brown hair carelessly thrown
back from his brow. his voice pitch
ed in those taking North Carolina ac-
cents, Was IL any wonder that ne
found ready listeners?
And IL was a matter OF general com
ment among his mates that IL was sci
dom he was seen twice with the same
listener
At first the players took an limo
cent delight in training Stan" a.
they had dubbed him. in hls affair.
OF the heart. There are something
more than 20 young men on bal
club and somehow or other some one
OF them was almost sure 10 run
across Sdggs off the field somewhere
each day. Always the description oi
the accompanying lady. "a related the
rext morning at the club house OF
the hctel-an alternative decided b.
the location OF the club at home oI
on the road-differed from that OF an!
VI lit IOi ulti SeAApdAiiOhS Va NHS ASe~h
/ ing pitcher.
Good Advice Thrown Away.
And so IL went for two loLg years
Nor was Hughie Jennings blind tc
the fact that his pitcher was giving
his club but half OF his real attention
FIe used Suggs but seldom In 1908
When he did, the man acquitted
himself we'll almost always
Why doesn't Hughie pitch Sugg:
oftener" became a sort ot stock
problem around Detroit. &
But the wise little manager knew
what he was doing. lie realized that
no man could keep the hours the
young pitcher kept and lie able 20
take a regular turn on the firing line
Let the ladies alone. George" he
advised more than once. Ioull new
er be a good pitcher until you do
The season Of 1909 was set for
Suggs real advent as a regular. Aa
Boon az opportunity offered Jennings
started 20 search his southern twirler
And he found him wanting. Almost
invariably Suggs showed an ability
TO pitch five good innings and then
would blow up. apparently not strong
enough TO stand the strain.
mo Use," Decides Jennings.
Again and again jennings advised
his pitcher to pay more attention 20
baseball and less to the ladies'. But
the feminine adulation was meat and
DRINK TO the twirler and he refused 10
heed the advice-Trial followed trial
and with almost uniform result.
ITS no use" Hughie declared %
President Navin couple OF weeks
ago. From then on IL was merely q
matter OF disposing OF SugTs to the
best advantage. Waivers on the pitch
er were secured without difficulty, for
his characteristics became well known
all around the league circuit and. re
gardless OF pitching ability. which was
unquestioned. the rival American
league manager passed him up. even
at the bargain price of $1,000.
Last night south-bounf train lef'
Detroit with George Suggs a passen
ger He had firted himself back Int
the company from which he came.