The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-07-14

Perhaps the greatest luck the Chi
cago club ever had was In forming an
alliance with Geore Hun. athletic d.
rector Of the University Of Illinois,
for the association Of Hun with the
club as scout marked an era IN the
making of the championship team.
Huff's first contribution to the team
was Carl Lundgren, the University Of
Illinois pitcher, who had twice won
the intercollegiate championship for
the school Jundgren was quiet.
studious and the Human Icicle," one
or the careful observers Of batters
ever found. He was Of the type that
studies three aces and pair of tens
for two minutes before calling-and
studies a pair Of deuces Just as hard.
When he calls, he wins. and be
pitched wonderful ball for Chicago.
(The following is by Fullerton.)
Late that same season Lowe, the
famous second baseman, injured his
leg and the team was left without any
man for the place. A scout was in
Troy, N. Y, to get Hardy, a pitcher,
and in despair Selee wired him to get
. second baseman. and forward him
Q. o. d. When the scout returned
bringing John ]. Evers almost every
one laughed. Evers was then not
nineteen years of age. No one sus-
pected that he was destined to become
the greatest second baseman that ever
lived and the foremost exponent and
developer of the inside game" for
neither his appearance nor his ex-
perience indicated any great promise.
He began playing ball when eight
years Of age, with the Cheer Ups at
Troy. After playing on school and
amateur teams, he was signed, in 1902,
to play short stop for Troy, the op-
portunity with Chicago coming before
he had played season In the minor
league.
All there is to Evers is a bundle Of
nerves, lot of woven wire muscles,
and the quickest brain in baseball.
He has invented and thought out more
plays than any man OF recent years.
He went to second base to flll loves
place the first day he reached Chicago,
played 22 games to the end Of the sea-
son without an error, and became the
baseball idol Of Chicago. (Evers want.
ed that left ~ s-~---,.I-ssSs'-s
-. Prospects fof getting a winning
team improved, but luck deserted
Selee's banner in 1903. However, a
change was made which was of as
much Importance. possibly more, than
anything before or since. Selee per-
suaded Chance after long resistance to
play first base and transformed him
into a great first baseman.
With Chance, Evers and Tinker in
position, the team began to be formid-
able, but Selee was sick. and really
unable to perform the duties of man.
ager. His sickness forced him to rely
more and more upon the judgment of
Chance, who suddenly developed a
genius for handling men. Selee de.
cided TO try something unheard Of; to
submit the election OF captain to the
vote of the players themselves. There
were three candidates, none especially
active. Se!ee's choice was Casey;
King and Chance both had admirers
among the men. The election was
held in the clubhouse, Selee actively
exerting his influence for Casey, while
some Of the players were urging
Chance as the veteran OF the squad.
The result Of the vote was Chance,
II: Casey, 4; King, 2. Selee was
dumbfounded and for a time annoyed,
but events proved the players had
made the wisest selection and the
vote was the turning point In the
career of Chance and in the develop
ment of the club.
Chance. although only adviser to
Selee, at once assumed the task OF
building up the team. He seemed TO
know just what men he wanted and
how TO get them, as well as the weak
nesses of his own team. His first
move was to get Mordecai Brown. The
Omaha management, desiring to keep
Brown, told Selee his arm was bad,
but Chance declined to believe 1t.
Chance had been watching Brown and
wanted him, but was overruled and st.
Louis filed prior claim and secured
him--but only temporarily. Chance
fell into disgrace after the loss of the
city championship, a deal was ar
ranged whereby Taylor and Mclean
were given to St. Louis for Brown,
who had not pitched well there.
Late that same season Scout Hun
discovered three more men of cham
pionship caliber The story of Huffs
work that season reads like a Sher-
lock Holmes adventure, especially the
tale of his pursuit of three ghostly
pitchers. The story properly hegins
three years earlier, when Ed Ruel-
bach, a giant youngster, was pitching
for Notre Dame, Indiana, university
Reulbach is as near a physically per-
feet man as possible. Huff had seen
his terrific speed and wonderful curves
in college games and set watch on
him. The next year, while beating
the underbrush fore young players.
Hun began TO receive reports from
Sedalia, Mo-, of a pitcher named Law
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