Evening journal., 1911-04-20
WINDOW PANES
VS.. BASEBALL
How "MuGSSy" MCGraw
Started the Great National
Game
TOOK MANY WHIPPINGS
FOR SMASHING PANES

Because window panes cost fifteen
cents each IN Truxton. n. Y, aud be-
cause he got licking from a leather
strap every time he broke one, is why
baseball boasts of such a remarkable
hgnre as John J. McGraw,
Many have been the times. says
the wonderful little manager of the
Giants. that / had to eat my supper
off the mantelpiece because | happen
ed TO be born a lelt-handed hitter
The grounds whereupon McGraw
got his early training were laid out
near a schoolhouse and church IN his
native town of Truxton. These build
ings were in right field and very close
TO first base. In fact the right fielder
had to plant himself against the side
of the church so as to catch tho fly
balls that were hit in that direction.
About once a day some left-handed
hitter would slam the ball on the nose
and with a crash it would go flying
through a window. The father of the
boy who made the hit would have to
pay fifteen cents to get the pane re-
placed, AND, as fifeen cents were eX-
tracted from the citizens Of Truxton
with considerable pain, strap welding
on the amidship section Of the youth
ful athletes grew into one of the most
popular indoor pastimes OF the burg
Young Johnny McGraw was no excep-
tion to the rule and his father. a vet
eran Of the Civil War, was a charter
member Of the Strap Wielders Agso-
citation.
The town glazler encouraged the
boys to keep up their games, as. he
did a thriving business during the
summer. McGraw says he counted
the youthful ball tossers one OF his
biggest assets.
We now come to tho important
question as 10 what bearing this in
teresting situation had on the making
of a great ball player. II was like
this:
Johnny McGraw being slight Of
stature. was accustomed 20 use his
brain instead Of strength from his
early youth. AT Truxton he realized
that he was under a handicap, being
a left-handed hitter. and he led the
league in getting licked by the older
McGraw for breaking window panes.
Left-handed hitters naturally hit in
to right field, and every time that
Johnny would swat one on the nose It
was another case OF fifteen cents and
a licking.
Il began figuring that out" says
McGraw. "and Il suddenly occurred
to me that If could turn my drives
into left field that ! would be saved
much annoyance from tho paternal
side of the family. ] practiced by the
hours and was fairly successful. The /
second year ! was able 10 hit into /
either field. In my opinion that is
what made me a good batter"
That ability TO hit in either field
developed under peculiar ciroum-
caused McGraw to hang up
one OF the greatest batting records in
the big league that has ever been re-
corded. For nine years he walloped |
the ball far In excess OF the 300 clip |
which is standard.
81 was a pitcher at that time." eX-
plains McGraw. And you can imag
Inc how looked, weighing ia pounds
pitching TO grownups who tackled us
on Saturday. When I wasn't pitching
played anyway and I soon became
proficient as an inhelder."
Toward the end Of the summer a.
player on tue Olthh Nluu. WilNh Md7
IN the New York and Pennsylvania
League, saw Young McGraw play and
he told him that " he would come to
Olean and play ON the team that he
could get $50 a month and live at 50
day hotels, where the drummers
stopped. After some argument Nc
/ Graw induced him 20 include the
/ laundry bills IN the expenses, so that
/ he could wear "righ-up" collar
every day. That was about the great
est thrill that a young player ever got,
and the terms we're accepted immedi-
ately for fear the man would es-
] rama