Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-26
PREMIER PITCHER OF PhlLADEL-
ss, pH,A ATHLETICS WAS BORN
At LEGRAND.
FAMILY REMEMBERED
THERE BY OLp.TlMERS
Father, Frank coombs, Was Tenant on
J. l. 6eans Farm-Left LeGrand
When Son John Was Years Old
3. N. Beane's Recollection of Coombs
Something Of Pitchers Career.

That John Coombs, the premier
pitcher Of the Philadelphia Athletics
who pitched the game against the New
York Giants in the worlds champion
ship series Wednesday. is native OF
this county, is not generally known
altho many of the older residents OF
,IeGrand remember the Coombs family
1t was not until Corwin O'Neal, editor
of the LeGrand Reporter attempted tc
connect the Johnny" Coombs known
as a little shaver around LeGrand
With the Philadelphia Athletics pitcher
that the fact was verified that John
Coombs, formerly of LeGrand. and
John Coombs, professional baseball
pitcher. were one and the same.
Mr.. O'Neal wrote Coombs letter.
and received a reply to the effect that
C'oombs was born at LeGrand. but re-
,nembered but very little. if any. about
his boyhood, owing to the family's re-
,noyal from this county in an early
day.
Father Was Frank Coon,bs.
Mr.. Coombs' father was Frank
Goombs. who was tenant on the j.
A.. Reane farm. a half mile north of
LeGrand. In the tenant house on the
farm John Cooms was born, and lived
until he was 5 years old, when the
family moved to Maine.
In the east young Coombs was reared
and educated, attending the Coburn
Classical Institute and Colby College.
He graduated from the latter institu
ton with the class of 1906 with the
degree B. S. 1t was during his col
lege career that he began to play base
ball. and during summer vacations
PLAYED with different amateur and
semi professional baseball teams. In
the seasons of 1923 he was with the
st. Johns, n. B.. team: in 1904 with
Northampton, Mass, and in 1905 with
Montpelier, VT. AS soon as the 1906
comm encement at Colby was over and
with his sheepskin tucked safely in an
inside pocket, Coonlbs left for Phila-i
6elphia, where he played his first
RAZOR lea que ball with the Athletics.
He has been with the Athletics ever
since.
9. n. Beane's Recollections.
B. H. Beane, of LeGrand. j. l..
Beane's son, who is about Coomb's age,
has occasion to remember the present
baseball pitcher well. According to
Mr.. Beane Coombs began to show ath
1etic tendencies at a tender age. and
specialized in hammer throwing. Beane
has occasion to remember a boyish en-
counter with Coombs while at play.
when Beane and Coombs quarreled.
and Coombs hit Beane over the head
With a hammer.
Was Here in 1907.
Altho Mr.. Coombs has never visited
ris birthplace since he left LeCrand.
he intends doing so at some time in the
future The nearest Mr.. Coombs has
come to getting back to LeGrand was
when he was here in 1907, scouting for
the major leagues. and to look over a
baseball player who was here.
coombs Injured in Game.
When Coomlos was put into the box
Wednesday. It was with the idea that
his superior pitching would cinch the
fourth and last game of the series.
And such might have been the case.
had il not been for an accident that
befel the pitcher. Coouhs ruptured
himself in throwing a hall, and late in
the game had to be taken out. He is
in a hospital, but 1t is said will avoid
an operation.