The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-06-30

agreed to pay him SO If he would play
against Indianapolis that afternoon.
In the game the lanky Hoosier twice
hit the ball out of the pasture in which
they were playing. OLeary offered
him q position on the Indianapolis
team and took him away with the
club that night. The carpenter was
Sam Thompson, who developed into
the greatest batter of his day and one
of the hardest hitters the game ever
has known.
Hans Wagner became a ball player
because George Moreland, who owned
the Youngstown, o., club needed a
pitcher and could pay only s35 a
month. Wagner's brother, AL Wagner,
suggested that he try Hans, who ac-
cepted the offer.
There was one discouraged scout
about ten years ago who lost one OF
the greatest pitchers ever developed
because the pitcher was under a
heavy handicap. Frank Bancroft, still
hunter after baseball talent of all
sorts, was informed that there was a
pitcher named Charlie Pickerel at
Lynchburg, o., who was as good as
any man on the Cincinnati list. Ban
croft hastened into the country and
watched Pickerel pitch. He was
amazed at the speed and curves of the
amateur and was on the point Of ma
king him an offer when he discovered
the one weakness Of the man. He
could not pitch with his shoes on.
Every inning when he went to the
slab Pickerel removed his shoes, took
a toe hold on the rubber and was an
other Rusie, but Bancroft feared COM
plications and allowed him to escape.
Tom Ramsey. who perhaps was the
most remarkable left-handed pitcher
In the history Of baseball, was dis
covered scientifically. He was brick
layer. and being accustomed to grip
ping brick with his left hand while
breaking them with his trowel, he had
cultivated a marvellous power In
thumb and forefingers. The Louisville
club secured him on the report OF q
player who had seen Ramsey twist
the cover of a baseball by pressure
of his fingers. The player figured
that a man with such power in his
throwing hand ought TO be a great
pitcher, and Ramsey within a short
time after Joining the team, pitched
curves of such wonderful speed and
such quick breaks that he became the
sensation of the game. James A.
Hart. when he was managing Louis
Vile, studied the secret Of Ramsey's
success and instead of looking for ball
players in minor leagues, went scout
Ing for left-handed bricklayers. trailing
them TO the tops of buildings, but he
never discovered another Ramsey.
Nat Hudson. who won the worlds
championship for st. Louis in the ia
nous series between the st. Louis
Browns under Comiskey aud the Chi
cago White Stockings under Anson,
was found In a pecui!ay manner.
Comiskey was Chicago man, and in
the middle Of q season he went to Chi
cago with his st. Louis club. being in
desperate need of a pitcher. He was
In barber shop when the barber sug-
gested that he try Hudson, of whom
Comiskey never had heard. On hunt
ing for the pitcher Comiskey found
that he lived directly across the street
from his own house, 30 after search
ing the entire country for pitcher
he got his start at his own doorsteps
But there are few such discoveries
made onder modern conditions. The
men are watched by scores of clubs;
and records of their habits. disposi
tions. speed, hitting ability and intel
ligenoe are kept almost from the day
they start 10 play. AT one time In