Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-10
CHANCE GRADUATES
TO MANAGERIAL BENCH
Doubtful If Peerless Leader Will
Ever Be Able to Play
Again.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

1
NEW YORK, July 10.--Frank LIE Roy
Chance. manager. captain, first base
man and idol of the Cubs, has laid
away his bat and tossed his glove
aside. He has not done it willingly or
even because of the stern commands of
his physician, but because his undying
fighting spirit can no longer force his
physical being to sustain the strain of
active work.
Chance has probaly been injured as
many times as any man in base ball.
1t is probable that not even he himself
knows how many times he has been
hit in the head by pitched balls. Often
he has been knock ed senseless; but it
never led him to quit the game or to
fear pitcher. AS soon as he recov-
cred he was back in the same old place
playing the same old game
His ellow-players began to regard
him as invulnerable to serious injury,
but the last occasion on which he was
hit proved to be the once too often.
He did not recuperate in the usual
manner. He had a continual head
ache. He still has it. He was fire.
quently i'll and dizzy. He still played
the field.
The doctors who examined him said
that he had a small blood clot pressing
on the brain. They told him that he
must give up playing or even manag-
ing the team. They said that he must
go away where he would have no wor-
ry or responsibility or excitement.
Then the little blood clot would have
a chance to absorb. He answered that
the team needed him and that he
would stay with it,
Then his players came to him. They
begged him to. follow the advice of his
doctors. They told Lhance that il he
would take rest each player would
pledge himself to observe every training
rule that had been laid down. They said
that every man would put forth his ut
most efforts. and that they would fight
for. every game. Chance believed, how
ever. that his presence on the bench
would help the team. He said that the
Chicago club had done a great deal for
him. and he felt that he wished to do
everything he could for the club.
Chance doesn't have to play base ball.
He is well fixed from a monetary stand
point. He owns an orange grove in Cali
fornia. stock in the Chicago club and is
interested in various other enterprises.
The Chicago manager was born in
Fresno Cal, September o. 1877. He at
tended Washington University in his
native state. but Bill Lang lured him
away from his studies to join the Chi
his college team and for a professional
club in Sullivan. Ill. He wasn't much of
backstop with the Cubs. and they tried
him in the outfield for time. He didn't
do much as an outer gardener. either.
Frank Selee finally put Chance on first
base. He quickly demonstrated his fit
ness for the place, and the fans fondly
called him the big bear He was soon
to drop that title for another. When
Selee left the club on account of poor
duties. The first season in which he was
given complete charge of the team he
won the National League championship
and the name of the peerless leader. "
Under his guidance Chicago has won four
league pennants and two worlds cham
pionships.
Chance has been said to be of more
value to his club than any other player
to any other organization in the game.
He was never a grandstand player. He
never used one hand when he could reach
the ball with two or made an easy chance
look hard for the sake of the plaudits of
the crowd. 1t was just that he was al
ways where he belonged that made him
one Of the greatest f1rst-sackers in the
game. quick thinker. a fine fielder
| and a great batter and base runner, he
| always did more than his share of the
work.
AS leader he has always been able
to inspire his men, with extraordinary
enthusiasm. and there isn't one of them
| that would not go to almost any lengths
for Chance. They say he's square"
The veteran and the recruit get the same
Just treatment-the praise or blame that
they deserve. Like Kiplings Fuzzy
WuZzy, Chance is "a first-class fghtin'
man." and this spirit he has instilled into
his team. Domineering and pugnacious
on the diamond. off the field the peerless
leader is pleasant and rather quiet and
reserved.