Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-02-08

SPICY SPORT COMMENT :
By TOMMY CLARK,

How quickly they come n go in
the world of sport. Just two years
| ago Little Johnny" Evers. the Chicago
Nationals second baseman. was the
most talked of ball player in the game,
with the possible. exception of Nv
Cobb. Several club owners were
knocking each other down Offering
him managerial herths. theatrical man
ayers showered him with offers to so
snug sums for his literary efforts. all
simply because Evers was credited
with being the brains of the great
Cub machine. His friends said he won
the pennant for Chicago in 1908 by the
~cleverest piece OF inside ball ever pull
ed off on the diamond. All these
things happened only Il few years ago.
Evers looked like the biggest man in
baseball. for the next ten years.
All of a sudden. however. things be-
gan to break badly for the heretofore
Prince F~ortunatus of the Chicago club.
A business venture proved disastrous,
and shortly before the worlds series of
1910 he broke his ankle. Right ON
top of this piece of misfortune he fig
ured in Il terrible automobile accident.
A prominent baseball writer. one Of
his best friends. was killed. and Evers
escaped death by the skin of his teeth.
Last season he broke down. His
nerves went back on him and he was
forced to quit the game. He played
every now and then during the clos
ing days Of the campaign, but failed
to display the brilliant form that char
acterized his work of two years ago.
Now they say President Murphy of
the Chicago club is willing to send
Evers to Cincinnati to pilot the Reds
next season. but Garry Hermann
wants Tinker OF Sheckard. AS Evers
is still young and the seasons rest
must have done him some good, Herr
mann may be making the mistake of
his life in passing up the Little Tro-
jan" If Chicago is willing to let Gin
cinnati have Evers, Hermann had bet
ter make the deal before Murphy
changes his mind. provided Chicago
does not ask too much for Johnny.
Perhaps Il change of clubs would prove
beneficial to EverS as it has done for
many other ball players.
While u%npacking his steamer trunk
recently Connie Mack. manager of
the Philadelphia Athletics. hauled out
some letters that were sent to him Way
back in 1908 after he decided to shunt
his veterans and try out his youngsters
and some u%nknowns, That year Mack's
team made a poor showing, and not
alone was he censured by the fans, but
by many experts. Some of the things
the assistant managers in Philadelphia
I wrote him may be thus epitomized:
You were always Il gutter"
You are trying to hand the pennant
to Cleveland"
"Why don't you admit the race is
fxed:"
Your action in going on the western
trip with a team of youngsters proved
your disloyalty to Philadelphia
That year Mach's team was shot to
pieces. Cleveland was picked to win
the pennant, and the Philadelphia men
lost several close games to the Maps
on the last western trip; hence the
suspicion.
And. 10 and behold. this same team
of "youngsters' that Mack tried out at
a cost in lost patronage to the Athlet-
ics' management of perhaps 100000
during that season since then has won
two Dennunts. two worlds champion
ships and made barrels of money for
the Philadelphia club.
Of course Mack is not the only man
ager who has received letters from the
bugs. Nearly every leader has been
the recipient of many pen and ink call
downs from the cranks.
Fielder Jones, the former leader of
the Chicago White Sox. one of the
greatest managers that ever piloted a
big league team. treasures as precious
mementos two letters which came to
him while the White Sox We're fighting
the Cubs for the worlds championship
in 1906. Both. of course. we're anony-
mous-assiStant managers have a
strange fondness for hiding their w
identity-and both were in the same
handwriting. although Il bungling at
tempt was made to make them look
unlike. In the first letter this assist
ant manager said:
"Of all he fool things you have
ever done. Fielder. the worst is TO play
Rhoe ut third He has never made a
base hit yer. and | doubt if he evet
will. You will lose this series. as you
deserve to-"
On the day the above letter was re.
ceived Rhoe made Il three base hit
with the bases full, and the SoX beat
the Cubs ; to o.. The next day this
letter came %ostensibly from another
fan. but in reality in the same teIltale
handwriting:
Am glad You took The tip ! gave
you in Il letter Il few days ago aud
played Rhoe at third. 1t is these I'M
knownS that break up a game and put
it on ice. Glad my Judgment has been