The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-02
CLYDE MILAN REGARDED
SECOND BEST in LEAGUE
Story of How Nationals Speedy OutfieIder Broke Into
Game-HOme Folks Look on Him as a Marvel

that it pays to advertise and publicity
has come to be recognized as one Of the
fundamental principles connected with
success. Many things have been adver-
Used the list growing apace. until IL COM
prises everything elemental. grown. or
manufactured. Baseball. too. depends in
measure, on the tremendous amount Of
publicity which IS given to the national
pastne, but the securing Of a profess
sional career by answering an advertise
ment is something Of a novelty. how
ever
Such. is the case of Clyde Milan, the
speedy outhelder Of Washington. Milans
home is at Linden, Tenn. which IS a
typical dent in n mountain. Hardly an
acre Of the stubby ground is on the lev
el and the main streets run perpendicu-
lar.
Here, under these circumstances. did
Milan learn to play baseball The dia-
mond was the main artery OF the town.
and nothing served 20 disturb the boy al
his lessons IN the art of pastiming but
the bray Of a grazing mule CT the barn
yard chorus that arises on the still Of the
country air
Stones hedged the limits OF the inheld.
and even to-day the body OF Clyde IS
covered with scars, mute testimony 70 the
obstacles which he surmounted TO prac-
tice at baseball. 1t was a crude instruc-
ton that the kid received too. Linden
has never seen a game Of professional
baseball
Regard BASEBALL as Sin.
Even to-day game OF professional ball
Is as horrifying 10 the mountaineers as
a violation Of the decalogue. and IN some
OF the native minds baseball playing
IS regarded as a cardinal sin. How Milan
learned 20 play is as romantic as any
page torn from the book Of careers.
Milan picked up newspaper one day
and read about baseball His interest
was Immediately stimulated. and he
peered further into the matter of learning
the game. He secured one Of the guides
got a baseball through mail order
agency. and began to learn to play
He interested a bunch Of other young
sters Of the village, and they formed a
team that used TO play according to
Linden rules. and their game was similar
10 the old-fashioned "three-old-cat." or
all those boys. Milan was the only
youngstor who continued his course till
lie reached a major league. and in his
native burg to-day he is regarded as
something OF a three-card monte man
because he plays professional ball. Not
a native OF Linden has ever seen even
two minor league teams in action.
one night Milan concluded that his
baseball horizon was too limited I'm Lin
den. and he searched for an opportunity
to play ball where the scope was broader
and the opportunities 10 progress more
ample He happened TO be reading a
newspaper in the village tavern one day
when his eve caught on an article adver-
Using Tor ball players in the town Of
Blossom down in Texas. !
Milan was then nothing but a mere
boy. but he took the high dive at once
He went home packed his buds. and
then started on a long tramp 10 the
Lone Star state. His feet were bruised,
his clothing was saturated with fine dust
he was leg weary, and bodily sore when
he arrived at Blossom. But his pluck
was a predominant note IN his make
up. and he went right 10 the manager
OF the ball team.
Hits Ball Mile.
Milan told him who he was. what he
was. and what he wanted This last was
expressed as q Job. Milan was so green
that he had trouble skipping past the
steers without being masticated and
when the manager point blank asked him
where he played he said for lack Of bet
ter knowledge: I'm an inhelder."
Now. fortune moves in a mysterious
way 20 perform wonders but that Is ex-
actly what the manager wanted. He
wished a lad to hold down second. He
told Milan to get into the harness and
hold down the base. Clyde went out
with his uniform on wrong side out he
was so green. but he kept hts weather
eye peeled. and watched the other fell
lows. He saw that everybody was placed
but himself. so he trotted to second and
started his career.
His fielding the first day was a bit er-
ratio. and his errors were a trlfe con-
secutive. but he could whale the ball A
mile. He hit everything and anything.
and he gladdened the managers heart.
He had his fob.
The fans greeted him uproariously
when he slammed out his fifth hit. but
Milan was thinking Of the errors, and
that he was in danger Of being attached
70 the tinware. But the fans soon set
tied his mind on that score. and immedi-
ately Clyde gave his attention to hitting.
Now, Texas rivalry is Of the blood-red
variety. and Blossom and Clarksville had
crossed the Rubicon in that respect Dode
Crisis. the pinch pitcher and hitter Of the
St Louis Browns. was making a ire
mendous reputation for himself as
twirler on the GAINESVILLE nine The first
game Of the series was scheduled, and
here Milan made his name a memory in
Blossom.
The mighty Crlss could not fool him.
and he made hit every time he came
70 the bat. Not content with this feat.
he made the spectacular catch Of the
day with the bases full in the ninth. and
Criss batting. Dode at that time was n
wonderful hitter. He met one with all
the strength OF his lean shoulders. and