Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-03
BY Percy II. Whiting.

~
the spring Of 1904 at the
Georgia Institute OF Technology,
there was the usual response. A
hundred or more young men turned
out--and one little boy. The boy
was a clean cut little shaver, in
short pants. about the size OF
half grown bat boy
When Coach Heisman looked
them over he saw the markings of a
fine team-and he also noted the
kid
II hope he doesn't get in the way
and get hurt I'll have to eliminate
him at the first cut" was Coach
Heisnan's comment
Then followed a lot of indoor
work For days the candidates
worked IS best they could in the
restricted space OF the gymnasium,
doing such small things in the
baseball line as the scant room
afforded.
When the time for the frst cut
cAne Coach Heismau welded the
pruning knife with reckless aban-
don, as usual But when he came
TO the name OF the kid he didn't
use IT
Il guess III see that boy work in
the open" was his comment.
Another cut came. And then the
nral onA.
When the first game was played
the smallest man on the squad was
at shoTtStop He had shown such
a positive genius for baseball that
hs had stuck through.
The name of the boy was Tommy
Mcmillan.
Nj OW, Tommy Mcmillan was un-
doubtedly the very littlest boy
who ever got on a real varsity
team in the South He won his
place because he could bat fairly
well, because he could field excel
lently. and most particularly be
cause he had a baseball mind
Mcmillan has" says Coach
t1tEsdutilf WHO ptIIlhAh huOWb Nun
better than any other man, that
rare faculty of knowing whore a
ball is going to be hit He seems
to give the matter no thought No
doubt he divines the thing by the
wording Of his subconscious mind
Given a batter ne knows and given
some hint Of what Is To be pitched
10 him and he can come nearer to
telling where 1t is going to be hit
than any living man who has ever
come under my observation"
1t is this faculty that has given
Mcmillan positions on three big
league teams and that has made
him, with the sole and glowingly
brilliant exception of Willie KeeIer.
the greatest ball player OF his
inches who ever graoed a diamond.
II HE faculty OF knowing whers
bail wac going to be hit was
McMnIan's most troublesome weak
ness at ffrst When he figured out
that tho sphere was going to be hit
between frst and second he didn't
hesitate At al to run over back
Of the patohsr and taloe II away
rom ms SECOND beseaman.
And this pScIfiREqy irrftaeed the
SECOND basenan-who was. the
yS@x Mcmillan beoks IN. that ak
oetlent performer Fred Richardson.
II took all Of Richardson's patience
ard all Of Coach Heismau's author
ny 20 conflne McNillans activities
30 - territory about tWics as large
rs any other shortstop IN the
Southern college world covered.
And to this day he can come as
near to playing the entire infleld
unassisted rs anybody you ever
saw.
lust how dimfnuttve Mcmillan
J was In his first year is hand to
realize. Coach Heisman estimates
that at the time he Was probably
nve feet, i've inches tail and that
he weighed perhsps ITO 10 115
pounds.
How young he wac IN best illus-
trated by story told by one of
his team mates that year.
The Tech team was off on trip,
It doesn't matter particularly
where: and after game the boys
went out for an evening at girls
college.
Tommy was the first man home
and he was particularly glum.
What's the natter" he was
asked on his return.
"Aw. those girls make me tired
said Tommy
He was pressed for particulars.
WHY. contound it,1 said Tom
my. "one Of EN- wanted TO kiss
me"
Whereupon he went Indignantly
TO bed
TOMMY required world of
1 coaching and he got IT, FINAL
ly. by agreeing TO let him play two
or three extra innings after the
game was over, all by himself, they
got him confined inside a normal
territory And after that he began
TO electufy the college world with
nj. performances