The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-22
'GAIN0R FAvORITE
IN BATTLE FOR
FIRST BASE
you're First Baseman," Hughie
Told Him Is Months Ago and He
Was, Though He Didn't
Know II.
Strong Endorsement Given Gainor
From the Man Who Was Teach
ing Him Last Season.
BY PAUL HALE sRusks.


In the fall OF 1909 there came TO
the Detroit club a rangy athlete from
West Virginia who had been signed
as the result of an enthusiastic recon-
mendation from one of the Detroit
scouts who had dropped OF at little
Pennsylvania town, just TO see game
and pass the time away. Gainor was
his name and ne admitted 10 Is years
Of age-"going on Nineteen as he
expressed ii.
Hughie Jennings looked Gainor
over.
what position do you playG' was
the inquiry fired at the youngster.
I'm short stop
you're mistaken" said the man
ager promptly You're a first-base'
man"
A first baseman Mr.. Gainor has re-
manned from that day.
Ears Open; Mouth. Shut.
Through the autumn of that year,
Gainor remained on the bench and
watched a champion big-league team
cop another title from out of the ire
Ii was a great experience for young
ster. Just out of the bushes OF
league where they pay salaries Oh the
shake-purse method, but he kept has
ears open and his mouth shut. Also
he paid particular attention to the
way the big-league first-basemen
4 ainifted their feet and played the bats
men. Mornings he devoted his at
tention TO testing in practice what he
had learned in theory. When the
regulars tired of their batting prac-
tfce, he would step up TO the plate and
give some OF the volunteer outfield-
ers chase with line drives that re-
joiced the soul of Hughie Jennings
and reused the admiration Of the vet
Grams.
But Gainor was only diamond in
the rough. IL takes time and expert
/. ence TO make q major-league hrst-
baseman, regardless of managers fat
and promising material. Gainor was
turned over to Jimmy Burke, the old
major league infielder, at Fort Wayne,
last spring. Mr.. Burke was given the
lease OF an embryo majof-leagne play
er for the privilege of teaching him
and giving him the needed develop
ment
Burke's First Verdict.
About month after the season be
gan, Burke wrote to President Navin.
Where did you pick this lemon"
he inquired, .and what did i ever. do
to you that you should unload him
on met"
It appeared that Gainor was doing
sensationally well I'm the field but
shockingly at the bat. ~
On the very day, however, that he
received Bnrke's letter, Mr.. Navln
looked up the box scores of the Cen
trail league race. Gainor had three
hits and as many assists. The record
was practically duplicated the next
day--and the next
A week later Mr.. Burke wrote to
Mr.. Navin again:
He's no lemon; he's real peach,
Quoth he. He's. struck his gait. He's
by all odds the best ball player in this
league"
For the remainder of the season, |!
Burke divided his time between tach. .
ing Gainor the inside baseball which |
he knew so well, and marvelling over !
the way in which the youngster alb 7
sorbed 1t all (
At the end of the season. when De
troit recalled Gainor, according to the
optional agreement, Mr.. Burke closed /
the correspondence.
Pick Of Entire League.
''Gainor will never see the minor
leagues again." read the letter He
i Is one of the best fielding first-base-
men ! ever saw, and corldng hitter !
s This is a pitchers league, but they
all look alike TO him. He won most
(. OF our games for us and we finished
second. He's the smartest youngster
IN ever aaW He uayar askad mo thu 3
same question twice and never had
TO suggest anything to him more than
once. He hasn't missed a sign all
year and he ran the bases with speed
and Judgment. He'll surely be De
troit's Businessman next year. If
anything happens so that you can't
use him and can still get him past
4 the waivers next year, send him TO me
at indianapolis and Ill win a pen
nant."
Burke's testimony must surely indi-
cate that Gainor is the most prob
able occupant OF the firstbase Job in
the elimination test which will prove
+ the most Interesting feature of the
Tigers trip this spring. That, in Ness
whom many OF the Tigers fancied
much a year ago, he will have a for.
midable rival, goes without saying.
however. The situation Is still furth.
er complicated by the possibility that
Mickey Corcoran will prove himself
"a more finished ball player than
, either. In this case, room will have
10 be made for him either at third
4 base or in the outleld.
COLDS CAUSE HEADACUr
{, LAXATIVE BRoMo ouinine, the world