Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-30
ACCIDENTS AND LUCK GIVE
BASE BALL GREAT PLAYERS
Amos Rusie, Ed Delehanty, Ty Cobb, Hans
Wagner and Ownie Bush Had Their
Troubles Before They Finally
Established Themselves in
Major League Berths.

Some of the greatest ball players the
game has ever known have been discov-
cred by accident, or through sheer luck
And this statement is the truest tmns
you know Five players have been
picked at random, but they stano
among the best the game has ever
known, just to show the truth OF the
above assertion.
The men are the late Ed Delehanty'
probably the greatest and undoubtedly
the hardest hitter who ever put on a
pair of spiked shoes; Amos Rusle, VINO
many believe was the greatest pitcher
ever in the game; Hans Wagner-py
the way, his proper name is John Faul
Wagner; Ownie Bush and Ty Cobb.
Amos Rusie began his ball career
with the old Grand Avenue team in In
dianapoIis when Indianapolis was a
member of the old twelve-club Nation
al League. This was back in the
eighties. Rusie was a pitcher, pow
erful. husky young giant. VINO had
world of speed and dazzling array OF
curves. The Grand Avenues had one
large picnic with the other teams IN
the old indianapolis City League "heh
Rusie pitched.
Glasscock Discovers Rusie.
Jack Glasscock was playing short
ston on the indianapolis National
League team at that time, and Jerry
penny was holding down third base
Glasscock was captain Of the team. lie
heard of Rusie's pitching, and one sun
dav took Denny and hiked out to the
| civ League Park where Rusie played
G1asscock watched the yOungster WORK
and both he and Denny were SO I'm
messed that Rusie was taken oo"l
town after the game.
! The next day kuSie appeared DIT Leak ue
Park in an Indianapolis uniform. Inc
story of his career in the big league Is
now base ball history, known 10 an laiis
| Rusie was wonder, but his bad ilaplts
put him out of the game Wheh ne s i;.,;,ie
| have been in his prime He is now living
al Vincennes, Ind, working In iunlpel
ward and dredging for mussel pearls II
| the Wabash river
! Ed Delehanty, the greatest Oh tne Lee
bantv ball-playing family, began on the
lots around Cleveland. his home city. IL
| 1sst; some one told the manager OF tht
! old Wheeling, w. Va, team mat Dele
hanty was a great ball player Some day!
| later Delehanty received letter oHer
| ing him a trial with the Wheeling club.
| The yvungster didn't have any none.
| and no transportation was inclosed. pu
| he started for Wheeling and made MS
way there by riding freight trains ant
walking. He was an infielder, playing
second base, and he made good from the
! iump. In 1887 Philadelphia decided tl
| give him a trial, and along in the TAI
| of that year Delehanty made his maJol
league debut, succeeding Bastian, one OF
| the greatest players of his time, at sec
| ond base.
Got Off to Bad Start.
| AS a big league second baseman The
man who was destined to become terror
to the best pitchers the game has ever
known was not brilliant success
Neither did he shine with the bat in his
first wear, as his average for fifty-SiA
| games was only .227. In 1888 he played
| in fifty-four games and soaked the Pill
| ed between second base and left field, anc
| III 1880 he went to left field and remained
| there until his tragic death.
. Hans Wagner owes his start in base
| ball to his brother. Al Wagner. AL was a
| good ball player, but every one though,
Hans was TOO awkward to ever amount tC
ANYTHING on the diamond. Al was with
| Steubenville, owned and managed by
| George Moreland at that time, and More
land wanted a pitcher.
Get my brother?" said AL
can he pitch?' Moreland wanted to
know.
''Well he can throw a ball mighty fast
| AL replied, and Hans was wired at Car
negie to report. His salary was to be
s35 per month. Wagner beat his way
! from Pittsburg to Steubenville OH a
| freight train.
Frank Bowerman was catching fol
| Steubenvlle and Claude Ritchie also was
u member of the team. Wagner pitched