The Prescott daily news., 1910-05-21
$ TAFT THE 100000
 OF THE CHICAGO CUBS?
When the President Sees Brothers Team Play It loses-Chat of
 the Players.


 the Players.
 RESIDENT TAFT is a great base | ball fan and the Chicago Cubs probably wish he wasn't. The presi- dents brother, Charles P. Taft of Gin cinnati. owns the Cubs and he may also wish his distinguished brother wouldn't attend the games in which the former worlds champions take part.
 The president visited Chicago last fall and went out to see the Cubs fight the New York Giants Mathew son and Brown were the opposing pitchers. The Cubs lost,
 The Cubs needed that game for 1t was just at the time they were trying to overcome the Pittsburg lead. They were in striking distance at the time and the defeat put them back whole tot
 A few days ago President Taft vis- tied Pittsburg. The Cubs and Pirates were to play and the chief of the fans wanted to see the fight, He did. The Cubs lost. Whats the answer?
 Is president Taft a Cub hoodoo?
 Before the game the president said Ee wanted to sit on the third base side where he could watch Hans Wag- ner. the great Pittsburg shortstop. and Johnny Eve-s, the Cubs star second baseman. Consequently he had spe- l. r,to n action to his hearts content.
 The president also wrote his name on some baseballs. Chance and Evers If the Cubs and Clarke and Wagner of the Pirates each got one. Evers and Chance got theirs before the game Clarke and Wagner received their trophies after the game. In Washington on opening day the presi- dent wrote his name and best wishes on a ball for Walter Johnson the star pitcher. Johnson lost the next game he pitched
 Fred Merkle of the Giants. who made himself famous by his failure to touch second in crucial game few years ago, taught whole lot of bali players a lesson. In the ninth ianing of recent Athletics-W Washington game, when Killifer was walked, forcing home the winning run, not only did Killifer have to be told to go to first. but Doc Gessler admitted that he came near running for the club u-it fonchipo y,1atQ when Kilifer was walked. When heard Evans declare four balls. I started for the clubhouse. and then suddenly the Merkle incident flashed across my mind. and I ran for the plate," said Gessler For an instant 1t did not strike me that 1t would be necessary for me to touch the plate. for it seemed that the game was over when Killifer was sent to first. You know under such conditions even 6 player allows his enthusiasm to run away with him, and l must confess that came very near making a seri ous mistake. e."-Philadelphia Times.
 "Old Eagle Eve" Jake Beckley has passed out of baseball after a con- tinuance of service for more than twenty-three years. The veteran first baseman has been given his uncondi- tional release by Danny Shay mana ger of the Kansas City American asso- citation team. Beckley took his release philosophicaly. He says he will re main in Kansas City aaS ,ossitly play with semi-professional team Beck. ley is fortv-eight years old Tor 20 years until 1906-he played in the major leagues. His last year was with the St. Louis Cardinals. Tn 1907 he joined the American association team in Kansas City and that year led the league in batting with .33S Manager Smith of the Saginaw (Mich.) club found a recruit in De- troit named Otto Pfeifer. He took him to Saginaw and the youngster looked so good that the manager benched himself and sent the recruit to center field. That's one case in baseball history at least where the manager was benched.
 ITO my notion, the hardest play in the life of the third sacker Is always made on bunt with a fast man try. ing to advance from first to second." says Harry Steinfeldt. Tn nine cases out of ten it's bound to be a one-hand. ed play, and if the fingers fail to clutch the ball or the throw goes wide. frequently there Is the dickens to pay"
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