Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-12-12
FRANK BAKER, AND
WHO DISCOVERED HIM
The Home Run Sugger of the
Worlds Series
CRy Frederic Lieb)

ger and infielder. Baker" the answer
would be in ninety nine cases out o1
hundred. Connie Mack. 1t is true,
Connie took Frank when he was an
uncut stone and polished him into one
Of the most brilliant jewels on his
star combination.
But. who found the rough stone
Who gave the rough stone its first
chance IL develop? The answer TO
this question is no other than Charley
Herzog. the rival third-sacker on the
Giants Back in 1905. HerzuS man
aged AN independent team in the
Cumberland valley. Charley was al
ways a financier and never slipped up
on money proposition.
He had played with Baker when
they were younger. and Frank signed
up with him as a pitcher. Now
comes the part that Hero. had in
developing for Connie Mack one Of
the best third sackers the country
has ever known Frank WAS not Il
bad pitcher. but an inspiration seemed
10 strike Hcrzog that Baker MAS never
cut out Tor a Finger How'd you
like L. try the infield?" asked Char
ley of Frank one day. Frank de
clared il suited him To a tee. ana from
that time on Baker became Herzog's
third baseman. He could hit them a
mile. and was Il fancy fielder. though
Stin a little uncouth.
Let Us bark back To- Baker again
and review Franks early life. He
first saw the light of day in Trappe,
Md. March 70. 1856. Trappe is some
twenty miles L. the west Of Balti-
more, and is an agricultural com
munity. noted for its fine peaches
and canteloupes. Among its finest
peaches were those plucked 10y Man
ayers McGillicuddy and McGraw.
Bakers father was tller Of the
soil. and Frank was a typical country
boy He attended the district pub
lie schools, and his life Was that OF
the average rural youth until his ball
playing began To- attract public atten-
ton.
When Mack took his team down
south i'm the spring Of 1909. the ac-
counts sent up about Baker were al
most too good To be true IL had not
taken the youngster long to show his
class. He hammered those lengthy
drives all over the south. and every
day his hitting crop included homer
sandwichcd between few other
lengthy clouts
Baker was not able To start the
season of 1893 with the Athletics. the
day that Shibe Park. the pioneer OF
modern baseball structures, was
thrown open.
However, when he did start, he
surely made the fur fly. They had
said down in the south that he could
hat. and he surely lived up To those
nice words.
His fielding also was soon To at
tract attention. At first he was like
~ TO insert faulty throw when it
hurt. but the unruly tendencies Of his
whip were finally thoroughly cured.
BY careful coaching by Mack and
Captain Davis in the American
League Friends of Harry Lord may
not agree with me in this statement,
but though there is little to choose
between the two stars. | think Baker
is entitled To the benefit of the doubt
In fielding there is little to choose.
Lord is a little faster on his pins, and
though also "A wonderful hitter.
think that Bakers long wallops are
inserted at more timely moments.
In the heated struggle between the
Tigers and Athletics for the 1903
eOnfalon. Baker was the center figure
in the great Cobb Baker spi1ing con-
troversy that almost resulted in the
famous Ty Raymond's being mObbed
by bunch of rabid Phillie rooters. In
4 warm contest in Tigerville. the Roy
ston terror slid into Frank feet first,
and the Trappe citizen was badly cut
up.
I'm 1910. Maclt's Youngsters - Col
Inns. Baker and Barry-worked better
than ever. and the crafty New Eng
lander walked away with the flag.
Baker had been married in the fall of
1909 to his sweetheart of childhood
days. rural miss from Trappe. In
the spring of 1910. Mrs. Baker was in
poor health. and il had great effect
on the young slugger He was COM
PEELED TO absent himself from the team
on several occasions when he was
most needed. When he did play his
heart was not in his work. though he
lowering between life and death. the
young man could not be expected to
he at his best.
Never did young slugger live up
To his reputation more than did Baker
i'm the Worlds Series of 1910. The
Mack surely did punish the
sphere most barbarously in that event,
and Baker was one of the stalwart.
hitting the Cub boXmen for an aver
age OF 400.
Baker is q quiet. retiring kind of Il
citizen who prefers his country home
to city life. He passed up the $500
that went with the trip to Cuba last
fail. preferring to spend the time with
Mrs. Baker and his baby girl. He is
devotedly fond Of his home. and never
happier than when playing "horsy'' for
his little daughter. Last season. the
Philadelphia scribes invariably spoke
or Frank as Papa" Baker
Like most ball players, he is fond
of all outdoor sports. being especially
adept with the fishing rod and the
shot gun. The country he comes
from abounds in good duck shoot
ing and he is ALWAYS glad 10 conduct