The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-22
Sixty Players
 In Big Leagues
 For Eight Years
Major Clubs Garry 400 Men on During Six Months
 of Season

One of the laws of organized pro- fessIonal baseball provides that be- twen May 20 and August 20 of each season the sixteen clubs which com prise the American and National leagues can carry but twenty-fi players on their rosters. This means that during the three most impor- tant months of the campaigns four hundred players are maintained on the salary lists of the major league clubs. Of this number nearly sixth sixty to be exact-have been playing in the two principal organizations of the great outdoor leagues" for eight years end more.
 When the rack and tear on physique and mental powers by every day com petition for six months-the actual playing season-is taken into consid- eration, this is large percentage When it is also realized that each spring some six hundred odd ball players are taken South for spring training by these same sixteen clubs, the percentage grows proportionately.
 It has been said by those who have made a profession of baseball for years that the average life of the pro- fessional player in the two major lea gues is four years. This can readily be understood when it is recalled how many athletes are drafted or purchas- ed by these clubs taken South and then fail to show calibre enough to oust some seasoned veteran from his regular berth, and are sent back to the minor leagues.
 This. naturally, makes the average life of the "big leaguer'' compara- lively short one. It has another ef- feet. It causes greater honor upon the sixty-five players who have wealth cred the efforts of younger men to secure their positions. It makes eight years, which at first might appear in- significant. a long while to maintain high standard of useful ability in what is one of the most severe of all athletic professions.
 There is still another point of honor to the credit of the sixty-five favor ties who have performed for eight years and more Baseball has ad- vanced in a natural progression, along scientific lines No longer are the ball hard and field well. They want more. They must find this natural ability possessed in conjunction with brains-the ability to think quickly and act with precision at psychologi- cal moments. The fact that this so- called inside" baseball is being taught in the schools of instruction, the min- or leagues and the colleges, makes the feat of the veterans in keeping pace with the times all the more com-
 
 
 Why have these men succeeded in so prolonging their active careers? The answer is condition. Capital training and the fact that the players have maintainsa regular mode of life fife the success of the sixtyfive accord ing to their own versions
 AS a rule, pitchers are the first to give way to the wear and tear. Yet Mathewson of the Giants; Mordicai Brown, of the Cubs; Patsy" F1aher- ty of the Boston Nationals; Long Tom'' Hughes of Washington; George Eddie" Plank and Chief Bender, of the Athletics; Charles Philippe of George Wiltse and Leon Ames of the Giants, not to forget "Cy'' Young of Cleveland, have weathered the ravages of time and are included in the choice number.
 "Cy' Young has been pitching since 1890, twenty-one years, and has been actively affiliated with major league baseball longer than any other man. has been pitching since 1900, eleven years, and is still conced- ed to be the peer of them all Creiger who was with the Highlanders last season, began catching in 1890 in big league baseball. William Keeler broke in in 1892. Napoleon Lajoie play ed his first major leaguer game on August 13, 1896. and John 'Honus" Wagner launched his career in fast on July 19, 1897.
 Those Who Have Succeeded.
 The following are the men who nave remained in the American and National leagues for eight years or nore:
 Giants-Christopher Mathewson, J. | l. McGraw, Leon Ames and George l Wiltse.
 Highlanders-Charles Hemphill.
 Washington-James McAleer, Nor nan Elberfeld, "Wid'' Conroy, Tom Hughes and Harry Gessler
 St. Louis Browns-"Bobby'' Wal | ace, Jack" Powell
 St. Louis Cardinals-Roger Bresna- i Ian.
 Chicago Cubs-Frank Chance. James | 'heckard, John Kling, John Evers, Jo- 'eph Tinker, Mordecai Brown.
 Chicago White Sox-Wi1liam Sulli- 1 'an, James Callahan, Harry White | Lnd "Pat" Dougherty.
 Boston Nationals-Fred Penney and l Patsy Flaherty
 Boston Red Sox-"Pat'' Donovan md Jack ThOrney.
 Philadelphia Nationals-Charles Doo- n, John Titus, William Bransfield, l 'Paf1 Moran John T,ohert "Roh,, Eevv-