The evening times., 1911-08-03

Successful Manager Of Pirates
Learned to Deliver the
Goods" Early in Life
Pittsburg, Aug. 2.-Fred Clarke,
the grizzled buccaneer who has led
the Pittsburg Pirates to four PEN
nants and one worlds championship,
solemnly declares that the very best
training for youngster who intends
to start a baseball career is to drive
delivery wagon for q grocery store
and drive 1t will. OF course this re-
markable man Of the diamond is bas.
Ing this observation ON his own ex-
perience and he; admits that things
might not have turned out so we'll
II the owner Of the grocery store had
not been q fan.
But" adds Mr.. Clarke. If I had
not driven that delivery wagon we'll,
aud II had not taken such good
care Of old Black Diamond. the horse,
would not have earned my $50 q
month and there would never have
been any Saturday afternoons off for
yours truly
Them were the happy days for
Fred, but once he made up his mind
to abandon the wagon and his friend,
the horse. he stepped out in the
world to make his mark and has done
fairly we'll. He has made for him
self e, fortune; he has made for Bar
ney Dreyfuss more than 81 1,000,0 900;
he has made 1t possible for the Pitts
burg club to own one of the most
magnificent baseball plants In the
world. and he has developed and put
on the baseball map such illustrious
(athletes az Hams Wagner. Tommy
Leach, Deacon Philippe, Claude
Ritchey, Kitty Bransfield. Sam Leev-
er. Jack Chesbro and Ginger Beau
mont.
Oldest Major League Manager.
In point of service Fred Clarke is
the Oldest msdor league manager in
the baseball business. He has been
at the head of the Pittsburg club
since 1897-fourteen years-and, ac-
cording to Barney Dreyfuss, he can
remain there for the rest of his days
| IL he 80 desires.
l ~ W0o Will IuC ND1oCOCo, 6u 6ulld-
teur team Of Des Moines, that Fred
Clarke began his career. At that
time he was q second baseman and
Later ei catcher, but neither of these
jobs took" Finally he became an
outfelder. and in that capacity set
the big leagues on fire for more than
fifteen years.
"As little fellow" explains Clarke
II went to the store of o. H. Thomas
In Des Moines end applied for a job.
Old man Thomas had son named
Orville, who was pitcher for the
Mascots. The minute the old gentle
man discovered that l was second
baseman and e, goot hitter he gave
me the job of driving the delivery
wagon for $50 month. I hit 300
from the start in the grocery busi-
ness, because / was anxious to get
the stuff delivered so that could go
out and practice. Orville Thomas
and I became great friends, and at
his solicitation the old man agreed to
let me of on Saturday afternoons
provided Orville would help me get
the groceries delivered in the morn
Ing. Black Diamond, the old horse,
must have been fan also, for when
Saturday morning csme the old black
steed would prick up her ears and
hustle around to the homes Of the
customers. I shall never forget one
Friday night when we were trying
to get through that Black Diamond
and myself ran into freight train
and wrecked the wagon. Neither of
US wae hurt, and made three hits
the next afternoon"
Took Catcher's Job.
Fred Clarke was making great
reputation as second basemsm when
one day he and Orville Thomas, the
grocery-mau's son, got a chance to
go to Carroll, Iowa, and play in a
semiprofessionad game. He did so
we'll that he was signed up for the
season at the magnificent salary Of
$50 a month.
While, was with that team" ex-
Iplains Clarke, "a gentleman named
Let's came around one day and told
us that the Hastings, Neb., team need
ed q cracking good catcher. was
not al catcher. but having good eye
for business l figured that could
just about I'LL that Job. wrote to
the manager and he ordered me to
AotSASs CIV . VOAkA0SL LUZ $OU a.
month, and board at the 81 day
hotel. and. you csn believe me, was
q proud lad. ! didn't believe it was
possible for ball player to earn
that much money. and l had to carry
the contract In my pocket to prove
to tho people Of Des Moines that it
was reslly true
II At Hastings Fred Clarke was not
| . big hit as q catcher, but he went
out and played the outfeld one day
and cleaned up. The next year he
went to st. Joseph, Mo-. to play on %,
team that was run on tho co-opera-
tive basis. and 1t was such q success
that he got $125 month.
Two years In st. Joe made Fred
Clarke q star, and the latter part of
the second season he was bought by
the team at Montgomery, Ala From
there he went to Savannah, and IN