The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-11
j. Franklin Baker De-
claresYoungstersMu Must
Have Grit toSucceed.
EVERY PITCHER
LOOKS THE SAME,
Homerun Swatter From Trappe,
Md, Rocks Baby TO Sleep
While Talking Baseball.
Many Men Claim to Have
Started Him in Life, and
They All Believe It.

J. Franklin Baker. the man who
ripped couple of home runs into tho
vitals OF New York last fall and made
US shiver all winter, Is one ball
player who has the right Idea, writes
Bozman Bulger. Instead OF Tutoring
around In the nashlight of fame for
the brief edification of city fans he
was contented to go back to the old
home town In Maryland, where he IS
sure to be hero for life. In the
little town Of Cambridge. Md, and
the adjoining town of Trappe. the
memory of those two homo runs Is as
fresh us, 1t. was In New York the day
following the downfall of the Giants
1t takes long time to get to Cnm-
bridge. but It is well worth the trip.
After being bumped around on accom-
notation trains for ton hours or
more-those trains run by sight and
stop whenever the engineer sees any
thing of interest-the Inconvenience OF
the trip were forgotten by seeing the
SIN ling face OF Home Run Baker. the
Giant killer, at the station. In fact,
the visitor was given little more
than ordinary attention simply be-
cause he personally knew the man who
put Cambridge and Trappe on the map.
Remember" was the parting IN
junction OF the old conductor who had
been talking to me about Baker dur
ing the thirty mile ride from Seaford
to Cambridge. 'wc think a lot of this
boy down here and you want TO treat
him right"
Cambridge Is a little burg hidden
down on the Eastern Shore of Mary
land. 1t is difficult TO find In the win
ter, as the Choptank River Is frozen
over and boats cannot get there from
Baltimore.
Natives Feared DcnI.
Have Tough trip?" asked Bakcr
with smile. as he indicated by a nod
of the head the long inland rIde Some
what TO the bush. ch?" ard he laugh
ed He had in mind by way of com
pnrison the rapid way In which big
league ball teams hustle around the
circuit.
Across the way large party of boys
were skating on the frozen river. Bak-
err pointed out one who. he explained
was bear" BEST skaters in the
country down here" he SAID.
rs that thesway you spend the win
ter?" l asked.
Il used to like It." he replied. But
I'm stronger for cunning now. We were
out yesterday and got Wild goose"
Immediately had visions OF the
possibility of getting a shot, but he
eSoppSu II ny lnal he lelt
the shooting grounds and would &c
there no more because lot of excit-
able fellows were shooting army rifles
and the Athletics stood u chance OF
losing third baseman by accident
Come on up to the house," he suS.
gested, where We can talk"
BY this time several Of tho leading
citizens had gathered around, and they
openly expressed fear that some kind
OF deal was coming off by which the
home-run hitter might go to New York
They are awfully strong for the Ath-
letics down there, and several proud
fathers are looking forward to the
time when their sons will be grhbbod
By Connie Mack.
Just minute" said a distinguish.
ed looking man as he touched me or
the arm and took me aside. You know
I'm the man who put this boy In the
business. ] could tell you Just how ne
learned to hit" Before we had gone 8
half block another Cam bridge either
told me the same thing.
Got s5 n Week.
You see," laughed Baker. Two have
baseball bugs down here Just the same
as you do In the big burgs.
Il did get big start here" he went
on. But my first chance came in
Ridgely. Md, where / played the out.
field for Charlie Herzog's team. Be-
| fore you leave here you'll run into q
dozen men who will tell you they put
/ me nthe business. and they honestly
believe II.
THE man who started me. however
was Mr.. Day. whose brother Is
iierzog's father-in-lew. was on q
little country team out at Trappe
| where was born, and Mr.. Day saw
me batting the ball around. He go,
me to go over to Rldgely and JOIN
| Heraog's team. I was paid IS wcel