The Washington times., 1911-02-23
CALLSBACK:
DAYS OF JACK ROWE
Was One of the Big Four
Sold to Detroit BY
Buffalo In 1885. -

The announcement that Jack Rowe Is
critically III of pleurisy at his home IN
Buffalo, reyives lively recHlections OF
one of the most notable combinations in
the history Of baseball-the Big -Four
This quartet made many RECORDS during
its career on the diamond. Brouthers.
Richardson, White, and Rowe were sold
to Detroit by Buffalo in the fall of 1885
for $7.5OO, the lowest price ever paid for
four such, remarkable players. -Four
men who could bat like the Big Four
could not be purchased today for $4,000
The Detroits, with the able assistance
of the Big Four, made record or seven
home runs in a championship game in
1886, the st. Louis Maroons, which Char
ley Sweeney, as one of the pitchers,
being the victims.
In the fall Of 1887 the Detroits made
a record in winning ten out OF fifteen
games from Comiskey's st. Louis
Browns for the worlds championship!
1t was the longest series ever played for
the worlds pennant, and the games
were scattered all over the circuits of
the National League and American AS
sociation.
Previous to the series. ii was predicted
that the Browns, with such speedy per
formers as Curt WelCh, Arlie Latham,
and Robinson would win the series by
their fast work in the field and on the
bases. Carruthers and Fouts were also
expected to hold down the sluggers.
Partisan Bob and Scissors utterly failed
to check the Detroit hitters and were
batted all over the lot But the sur
prise of the series came in the fact
that the Detroits not only outfelded the
Browns but outran them.
The latter result was due to the rife
shot throwing to bases Of Charley
Bennett. The Browns found 1t impos-
Sible to steal on Bennett, and as they
had poor success with the curves of
PretzeI Getzien and Lady" Baldwin,
their runs were few and infrequent-
Rowe has conducted a cigar store in
Buffalo for several years and has
prospered. Brouthers Richardson, and
Deacon White are still in the flesh and
in good health.
The Pittsburg club has established a
new position, that of soil inspector,
and Deacon Phillipe's experience as a
farmer has landed the Job for him.
The deacon will have to travel all
around the country till he finds cer-
tain loan that will improve the sur
face of Forbes Field. The players have
found the yellow clay Of which the
tnfield is covered too hard and shiny.
PHILIPPE will not get a chance to pitch
until he finds the proper soil.
81 would not be surprised to see
Washington we'll up in the hunt" con-
desCendingly remarks Hugh jennings
of Detroit. Jennings is of the opinion
and Bostons will be the contenders for
the flag. 1t is within the bounds of
possibility that the surprise occa-
stoned by the performances of the Ma
ttOnals may be considerably greater
than he anticipates.
The consensus of expert opinion on
the National League circuit is that
the teams will finish in this order:
New York, Chicago, Cincinnati, and
ably get a severe shaking up before
the last game has been played.
Fogel asked Murphy to give the
Phillies the date in Chicago when the
Cubs pennant is unfurled, and Muir
rhy obligingly consented. 1t is not
astonishing that Murphy should give
his Philadelphia players a chance to
see his Chicago players run the bunt-
ing up in the breeze.
H
The White Sox have a pitcher named
Baker. and according to Charley Dry
den the twirler bats, eats, and throws
left handed. Nearly all ball players
become skillfully ambidexterous as
soon as they reach the dining room
and Frank Bowernan's record of ball
ancing twenty-seven green peas on a
knife still stands. -
Hugh Fullerton, a Chicago baseball
writer. who recently declared that the
Nationals were lacking in enthusiasm,
followed that by declaring that he
would not give more than So for all the
recruits gathered in by Cleveland.
Frank Navin, of the Detroit Club. at
once offered Fullerton 1000 If he sue
ceeded in signing Jackson and Gregg to
Detroit contracts for a purchase price
of $4,000.