The Washington times., 1912-01-08
PLAYERS
FAIL WITHMA,JORS

Without dealing with the veracity OF
the statements that seemed to have
slipped over the soaboard and the in
terror as well. In the spots where big
league baseball 10 discussed, the talk
about Marty O'Tooie. the highest
priced busfer in captiyity. gives RISE to
q little cogitation. 1F ~
Il Also arises the query. why do the
pastiming birds In the gilded cage al
ways fall down when they ny from the
minor to the major leagues? Should 1t
prove fact that Marty-price tag
s22,5o0-proves q fizzle next season he
will make the fourth OF tho highest
priced minor leaguers to have fallen
by the wayside. though one has since
redeemed himself and the others are
10 have an opportunity.
Gaze upon the list: Russell Black
hurne. cost $1,000; RUDE Marquard, cost
Loo; Lefty Russell, cost $12oc0; Marty
O'Toole, cost $22600; total price of
quartet, $56,5O0. Truly an appalling fig-
ure when one thinks Of g Collins that
cost nothing. Barry that meant no
expenditure Of money. and a Baker,
whose cost was well within 5000.
Strange about these chaps-how they
slump. It seems az IL some EVIL genius
pursued pui, ed these boys. admittedly splendid
show. Look at their histories:
I Teamed With Paddy.
Here's Rube Marquard. A wry-necked
'scuthpaw. born In Cleveland. he drift
ed Into Hosierdom and trailed along
with indianapolis. Had q backstop
named Paddy Livingstone. also q Cleve-
land chap. and they were grand pair.
Paddy caught every game which he
pitched and the skinny southpaw won
la pennant for Charlie Carr.
Rube's work attracted the attention Of
John r. Brush. and he sought the lad.
Paid 1L00o bucks out of an opulent
treasury and RUDE struck New York.
Rean,s of copy went through the mill
.aboat the South slider, and then-bing!
iaT s' " sr,sS sfter on Rn me personal
He failed dismaily for two years. Had
the stuff-wasn't the slightest question
about that. But no control. Went along
copy rolled through tho mills. But all
about lemon"
Marauard went down South last spring
with the Giants. In tina McGraw en-
toura age was as. one OF the bssinsst catch,
Robinson. Robbie took personal charge
Of his Rubelets, put him through a
course OF sprouts. nursed him like a
were
mili-.Wonder." 'Ae
Rube led the National League this
season. and has arrived. The rind has
been removed from the lemon" and
he has come to stay.
Set World Afre.
A few years ago there was a chan
playing for semipro teams in Palmyra,
N. j.. who set the world afire. He was
a shortstop. and such short! His
name was Blackburne. baptized Rus
sell. but called LENA" by his friends.
II only took a short time for that
chap to reach Providence in the then
Eastern League. Blackburne proved q
dazzling sensation. His work around
shortstop reminded the old-timers of
He was fast on his feet and a sticker.
Charlie Comiskey purchased the boy
and laid out 10000 perfectly milled dol
lars for roa Bhc ,hs Reams Of copy
burne started the season. He failed in
every branch. Proved the rankest sort
Of an in-and-outer.
More reams OF copy, etc. This time
"izzle." Last season he did not play
many games. HIS leg. which had been
broken. went back on him. and he was
star that had shot across the baseball
sky into oblivion.
Rescued Blackburn.
Now Jimmy Callahan has rescued
him. He Is going to give Blackburne a
chance. And IL history repeats. as in
the case of Marquard. the White Sox
win have one Of the finest shortstops
In the land next season.
One year ago last summer there was a
southpaw pitching in Baltimore who
had moro seouts on his trail than any
player In the land. His name was