Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-07-18
.AGLER BECAME
FIRST BASE MAN
BY AN ACCIDENT
Joe Used to Be Right Fielder on
Beach City Semi-Pro Team,
Until One Day He Took His
Sick Managers Place at First.

y tJOH at NIllCT lie - INV d olol ddttC W
accident. Joe was playing right field
for a semi-pro team in his home town
six years ago and the manager was
covering FIRST. One day the manage
became sick and Agler was called on
10 fill the position. From the start he
+ of the team recovered the fans de-
manded that Agler be kept on first
base. His work o improved and he
was recommended to Wheeling.
Joe packed his duds the following
spring and went on the training trip,
He begged for a chance and declared
/. that he'd show the regular first sacker
some points ii they'd give him a trial.
but the manager regarded his conf
dence as conceit n finally Joe was
handed his outright release.
He finally landed a job with Canton,
and though he made good from the
start, he had his p and downs, for
the club was In a bad way financially,
and Joe tells some pathetic stories Of
how many of the players had TO hang
bR tiGlI DOdl OillS AiloliC5ot oiio ll1SAC
were many days when he had to bor-
row a nickel to ride to the park. He
stuck with Canton for three seasons.
Meanwhile his reputation in Beach City
grew greater every day and his name
was almost a byword with the male
element of the town.
1t was only natural then that Larry
Schlafy, Beach City's big Lacquer,
L-,.I1 lAA, AP L. ot,I Aha rhanlARy
at first did not pay much attention, for
in those little towns where the rival
teams of nearby towns get together
once a week q man who makes a hit
in the pinch is a hero all season, and
they sit around the fire and talk about
it all winter. 1t also works the other
way, and a man who loses a game on
an error is o~stracised.
! Larry finally took a look one day at
, Agler's style, and was so impressed
that he begged Joe McGinnity to give
his protege a chance. Newark needed
q first baseman and the Iron Mar
drafted Joe, with the proviso that
Larry Schlafy would get 5000 if his
man made good. Joe looked good on
the training trip, and his style on the
first day in Newark against the Ath-
letics pleased the fans. He seemed full
of the right kind of confidence, and the
following day the STAR said Joe Agler
is a sure enough find and Manager Nc
Ginnity can buy his meal ticket right
now. Joe still remembers the compli-
ment and has saved it with a score of
other clippings. Several residents of
Beach City take the Evening STAR to
follow the work of the native son, and
~ 1~~- ~-.tz~ hl~ &hA
paper containing the account is stuck
up in the window of the postof1ce. The
rest OF the story Is we'll known.
Joe was gun shy at first, but always
had a good eye, and it was no surprise
to his friends when he began his pres
ent hitting streak. Joe is sure to move
up to the big show this fall, n 1t Is
certain that the Chicago Cubs will get
him by purchase, for it is certain that
several drafts will be put in for him If
he is not sold.
90
1t was a real blue Monday with rain
all along the Eastern League frontier.
A double-header had been arranged
for the Tigers and Shelters at Jersey
City, but for the seventh time this
season rain interfered. This will make
II TdlIlcT SlitiiuOub IOI ll6 1iSCf0 ooi
: ing the next few days. A double
header today at Jersey City and one
here and then a long jump al night
to Montreal to play there on Thurs
day. Thai is a campaign for
all Of the players, but 1t is hardest on
the pitchers. Using four men in two
days will throw the pitching order out
of shape. and the Bengals will begin Q
1888 4-tx, -,ri%A thofr hpr1fno ata M a0n1A -
what handicapped.
y %
Frank Swayne is anxious to rejoin
the Tigers. Travelling around in the
bush leagues is no joke when n has
tasted the major league style of trav-
cling in vogue in the Eastern. Many
of the jumps in the o. & P. League
are made by trolley. Four men have
to share a room and two in a bed
Most of the Eeastern League clubs hire
5 separate rooms for each man. The
hotel accommodations are poor, and
worst of all, Swayne says, that the
ball used weighs about six ounces and
hurts the players arms. McGinnity
wired for Swayne when his men were
& crippled last week, but later counter
manded the order,
Bonnie Meyer, attracted doubtless by
the huge success Larry Schlafiy has
met with thus far In his career as a
mogul, is thinking seriously Of invest
ing in a minor league franchise in a
small league when his playing days are
:, over. II he can get a good partner.
Ben may not be the highest salaried
player on the local team, but by his
thrift and industry he saves as much
from his monthly check as any member
on the team. At present he owns a
big farm in Hematite. a suburb of st.
Louis, and the products are bringing in
good prices. Benny did think one time
that he would settle down and live the
quiet life of a farmer when he became
too old to play, but he is too fond of
baseball.
90
Jack Dunn's Orioles played at Lyons.
N. Y. yesterday and won by a score Of
z to 0. Adkins and Frock took turns
at pitching and allowed only n hit.
Seamon. the third-sacker Of the vii
layers. having the honor. Today the
orioles play at Rome, N. Y.
WESTERN LEAGUE.
Denver, 0; Omaha, 10.
ST, Joseph-Topeka game postponed; rain.
= Sioux City. /; Pueblo, 10.
pes Moines, s: Lincoln, II.