The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-05
FIFTY CENTS FOR
HIS FIRST GAME
RUSSELL FORD WHO PLAYED
BALL IN NORTH DAKOTA AND
MADE THE FARGO FANS REST.
LESS RECEIVED BUT SO CENTS
FOR FIRST GAME PLAYED.

tA hhAaH fOTQ, star pitcher
Oh the New York Highlanders Base
ball club and the peer of any pitcher
In the American league, is the find
OF no man. If his big brother Gene had
not been somewhat of a success as a
Dali player the chances are that Russell
would today be cultivating and tilline
MS fathers farm up In the province
OF saskatchewan. Can. The Old saw
ing OF like father, like son." does NOT
mean of course that like brother, like
brother; so of course Russell had "a
declare himself member of one team
or another and prove what he was with
ms lists And the same course he had
TO pursue to even get into professional
oasepall. To use his own expression
he "sandbagged his way" into base
ball.
1t will be twenty eight years ago on
April 20 that Russell came to this earth
In the little town of Brandon, Mani
toba, Can. When he was 6 years old
his folks moved to Minneapolis. Mimi.
and it was there that the boy learned
what is printed in school books His
father before him was fine athlete
one of the best cricketers that Scotland
ever parted with. The boy used to 60
to see his father bowl games in var
lous parts of the country, but did not
IKE the underhand delivery and lust
Tor that he never took to the national
game Of the old country.
Took Game Seriously.
AS little fellow. just like the boys
of the present day, Russell fooled and
played around lots in MINNEAPOLIS
When he was II he took to the game
seriously and engaged in games with a
Saturday afternoon league. He began
as pitcher and always stuck to the
JOB. He never did anything else. When
the. fall months set in he played foot
pail and in that way became hardened
10 everything that strenuous sport
could provide; and then, in the summer
Oh lSO4, ne was strong and big enough
70 make the big team of Enderlin. N.
ID, which town had a club in an indie
pendent league
There was not much success attained
by that organization, and so the team
to be welded together a. oir,
oy another toWn-Lisbon. The man.
ayers of the Lisbon club had more of
me business sense, and so 1t came that
-hey played games with some good
teams in the north league, which or
is sometimes known as the
twilight league, because play in games
up there never begins until after the
'olks have had their evening meal and
which games often are played until as
ate as 3 O'Clock. aAaF
Perry Werden was managing tbAI
Fargo, N. D., team then, and the lis
IONS were lined up against them. Rus
Tell Ford pitched that game, and all
hough he lost it by a score of 2 to I.
Verden was so taken with the Youths
'itching that he offered him a Job right
way. Ford began to think q biz Of
himself just about that time. too, and
ldnt jump too hastily at the offer.
de asked time to consider 1t.
Inc western country was talking
omething of the prowess of Young
ord and the news reached the ears of |
'op watkins, who now owns the In
annapolis club of the American assoot-
tion but who was then connected with
he MINNEAPOLIS club. Pop signed the |
Dung fellow for the fall campaign of
nat year, but an illness prevented |
ORD from working. He just sat on the
ench and absorbed everything that
nat f1rst-class organization was pull
lg off.
The following spring he went into
aiming with the Minneapolis people.
ut Watkins thought that a year or ao
ith some club that had less speed
ould do him good, SO 1t was Tn
pringtield, of the Three-I league thai
ord was sent.
Rain and rain, and nothing but rain
arked the early part OF that snring
lsO5. The directors of the club be-
an seeing themselves digging to nav
le players, and so they had to cut
own. They weeded out those thew
fought were of no account, and Ford
as one who lost his Job on account
rain. Watkins was then applied 10
Ford for release and 1t came,
Then followed the scene which saw
o I' s3ndpagglng his way into base
llh Beiden Hill was managing the
eedar Rapids club of the Three-I
ague. The club had had a very bad
sing streak. Thirteen games in a row
Va been put on the wrong side of tho
cord books.
Say, Mr.. HILL" began Ford. with +;
It even as much as being introduced
the mogul Of the club. "you have
zen losing a lot of games. I'm go i
g to go In there and pitch for vonr |
ub today. I can't do any WORSE +bap
y been done for the past thirteen I
mes" ,
Ford went in the box that afternoon (
"a gave Cedar Rapids fans a big sur- {
Use. he won his game. Then he got
contract and the next year saw him
star pitcher OF the club. His great 4
tchlng succeeded in winning the men. 1
nj for the club I'm 1906 and roada :
dar Rapids one of the best hall /
WINS In the west. /
The Atlanta clubs scouts had hoe, I
ltcning Ford, who was then nothing I
ore imam a curve ball pitcher He
ed curve one in while. but relied n
leIly on his speed. Atlanta drafted | v
m anyway. and 1907 found him with | s
fast Southern league club. Ford. III
10 Is ever student of the game
lich sets million fans daily every
ar, saw that the league was too 1
st for the kind OF twirling fle could
al out. and 1t came to pass that he
opted the spitball. All he knew about
was what was printed. Jack Chesbro
Is then In his prime, and Ford used
stay up late o. nights reading anv Il
Ing the big Hilltopper would saw in 6
Lerviews on how the bali was pitched ri
J had the Idea, but putting ii into ef- Il
Il was something harder. and SO Sid
NTH, who Is now catching for tha II
eveland club, and who was then with v
Ianta, and George winters, an OUT =
lder, showed him the trick. I'll