The Washington times., 1911-07-18
Don't Be Alarmed, Dear
Reader, He Is Only on
Business Trip.
McALEER DENIES
SIGNING BECKER
Bennett, an Indiana Lad, Tries to
Join Team and Is Deeply
Chagrined.
By SENATOR"
Only Washington Newspaper Man
with the Nationals.

Only Warrington Newspaper Man
with the Nationals.
CHICAGO, July 1S.-Walter johnson,
after winning yesterdays game hands
down from the White Sox, departed for
his home in Coffeyville, Kan, and Is not
expected to join the team until Thurs
day or Friday IN St Louis. Manager
McAleer allowed the twirler to make
this trip in order to look after some
business matters connected with his
farm
Bob Groom, the elongated pitcher, left
on the same train with johnson, going
to Bellevtlle, ILL.,, across the river from
st. Louis. He will join the team Thurs
day.
Manager McAleer says he knows moth
ing Of any amateur pitcher named
Charles Becker having been signed by
the Nationals. He says he generally
looks over all such candidates himself,
and he has seen and heard nothing of
any player named Becker.
Fate of Bennett.
Sad, indeed. is the tale of A. A. Ben
nett, the little lad from the country who
journeyed to the great city TO become a
star of the majors in a single day. To-
day. somewhere in Indiana, perhaps at
Laporte, whence he came, he is trying
to forget 1t all, trying to think ii but a
bad dream, but down deep in his boyish
heart he must be filled with hatred to-
ward those who built his air castle
molding 1t piece by piece till completed
by his journey to Chicago, the great
hlve where he was TO leap forth hero
of the multitudes.
T..
Great Northern Hotel. He was too early
10 see any of the Nationals. He spoke
TO the clerk, asking for Jimmy McAleer.
The manager was still asleep. He won
Gered He checked his suitcase and
his great, long black bat, the stick with
which he had pulverized the hopes and
ambitions OF the foes OF Intcrlaken Col
Iege, in Laporte, Ind. He took a walk
out on Dearborn street, amidst the hur-
rylng, scurrying crowds of the great
metropolis of the Middle West.
Sees Himself Hero.
Perhaps he dreamed Of becoming a
hero to those same crowds who rushed
past him. Perhaps in a day there would
all know Bennett, the Nationals peer
less backstop. His picture would be
in all the papers. The folks be- ok home
would see them and say: There I al
Ways Knew that Bennett boy had the
And finally, after several hours of
walking around the streets, looking into
the windows with wide stretched, boy
lsh eyes, he came back to The hotel
air castle then tumbIed. 1t crumbIed
into bits and passed away, and he
found himself the victim of a hoax.
When he had been told that every
tnlng had been fixed, some one had lied
When he had said that he supposed he
vas going to join the mayor league
team in Chicago, he was right, for he
did suppose So
When the folks at home had packed
his suitcase and wished him well, they
TOO, were in error They believed that
ne was going to make a name for him
self among the Cobbs and Johnsons
and Fords of the big league, to have
his picture IN the paper, his name on
the latest brand of cigars. And thew
were all the victim of a hoax.
McAIeer's Advice.
''My boy" explained McAleer to the
lad. that isn't the way players come
into the big leagues High priced
scouts look them over. Frequently they
start in small leagues. Never do they
come as you have come. I'm sorry
but somebody has told you a lot Of
stun, and you have believed, it. Now
go home. If you want to be a ball
player. stick to It. Get into some small
league, and, if you have the goods,
you'll come up"
Bennett went out to the ball park.
He is only eighteen, not big for his
years. either. He looked like a child
when alongside John Henry, the Ma
tfonals' college catcher Yet he would
become regular catcher, for hadn't
they told him so back home.
ITS all strange to me-" said he to the
writer. Il was told that all was fixed
for me to report to the Washington club
In Chicago. | saw a piece in the paper
about IT That was all l knew about
It. l had played good ball with Inter
laken, and supposed It was all right !
When people asked me If I was going
TO the big league, / said why, yes,
guess | am" That was all / knew
about il.
But / can see now that I was all
wrong. l see now that this way Of get
ting into the big leagues is the wrong
way, and I've got to go back home.
That's the worst part of it"
The lad. Drowned from active out
huge ball park. His lip trembled and
he swallowed hard. Then he went
away. He had come, seen, and that
was all. But somewhere in this world
of trouble and strife some one has
made an enemy of a raw country
youth and the youths name is Arthur
A. Bennett the Interlaken College
catcher. who came to Chicago, carry
ing his suitcase and bat in his hands
and a fanciful story of his achieve
nl2nts printed on a poster in his
pocket as his only recommendations
as catcher worthy of a trial with
the Washington American League
team.
If this tale is seen by any other
youthful players. let them read and
learn that baseball is a great busi-
ness and that seldom, only too sell
dom. do players jump from nowhere
into the seats of the mighty.