Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-28
"GRASSHOPPER JIM WHITNEY
A WONDER IN OLDEN DAYS
Came East in 1881 From California and Was Sue
cessful Pitcher From the
Start.

John McGraw at third base. and later
Joe Kelly twho came from Pittsburgh
in exchange for Van Haltrenp In the
outfieid. In couple of years-in 1894.
In fact-the famous Oriole lineup was
comp etc, with Dan Brouthers, Henry
Reitz. John McGraw and Hugh Jcn-
nings, infelders; Joe Kelley. Walter
Brodie and .sillie Keller. outfieldtrs
John Mcmahon, Charles Esper, Kid
Gleason. George Hemming. and later
William Hoffer. Arlington Pond. Arthur
Clarkson and Joe Corbett. pitchers
Wilbert Robinson, William J. Clarke
and later Frank Bowerman. catchers.
This combination won the champion
ship three times in succession. in 1895
1896. Burlington was not the only old
pitcher to retire from the Oriole bunch
before ii landed the pennant Egyp-
tian John Healy, Adonis Bill Terry and
FRANK Foreman were also among those
dropped
After Whitney was let 20 by the Ros-
ton club he Joined the Kansas City team.
which remained in the National League
only one year. 1856. However. the Cow
boys did not finish in last place bur man
aged To keep ahead of the Washington
Nationals. who finished last In the process
| sion. At Kansas City Whitneys com
panion in the pitchers box was George
Weidman. who had done hard work for
| the Detroit team the previous four years
ana who ended his big league career thai
year. He died at New York in 1893.
comes to washington.
| In the following year. 1857 whitner
was engaged by the Washington club
and his catcher was Connie Mack, the
present successful manager Of the Phila-
delphia Athletics Mack, the year before,
had been secured by Washington from
! the Hartford club of the Eastern League.
along with William Krieg and George @.
Shock. The pitching staff of the Nationals
when Whitney Joined consisted of Hank
iODay, Frank Gilmore and Fred Dupee
Shaw. but in 1883 Whitney and ODay
did all the work. Gilmore that year was
! with Syracuse, and Shaw, before the sea
son of 1887 ended was playing i'm Port
| land. Ore. O'Day is the noted National
| League umpire.
Whitney was steady pitcher. with
good control. He gave comparatively few
/ bases on balls and never distinguished
| himself by striking ont more than the
| ordinary number Of batsmen in n game.
One Of the best games he pitched FOR
| the Nationals was aged at Washin2toi.
| September 30. 1887, when he defea t.a
| the New York Giants, who had Il ia
| keefe in the box, by "A score OF 10
| That year it took four strikes to reti.e Z
| batsman, and Ia the game Wh.tr j
struck out ten men and keefc strIcl Is
the same number. making twenty str,ss-
outs i'm all. This alone gave promin, \ -
to the contest, the interest ia which Wa>
| heightened by the fact that the Gants
| We're shut out.
Arrival of Amos Rusie.
| In 1889 Whitney signed with the In
/ diana polls club, which then was ia its
| last Year in the National League. Their.
] Whitney saw the arrival Of Amos Rusr.
destined to become famous pitcher
Early in the season Jim was released
and Joined the Buffalo team OF the Inl.f-
ia tional League At Buffalo he work -
4 side by side with Pitcher Will White
| brother OF Deacon Jim White. Will was
| probably the only pitcher who wore spec
| tacles. He made d great success whilc =
member of the Cincinnati team, for
which he pitched first I'm the National
| League and then in the American Asso-
citation. With the peak of his cap pulled
| close over his eyes his appearance must
| have been uncanny and sinister to the
batter. At any rate, he Was looked upon
as one of the most effective pitchers Of
| his time. His work with Buffalo was the
| last he did on the diamond.
The year 1870 was the last for Whit
ney in base ball. He joined the Athletics
of Philadelphia, then members OF the
American Association, in June. but
month later was released. lie was q
! sick man who could not do himself o.
| his team justice. He sought his bed, and
| May 10 OF the following year. 1891, he
died at Binghamton. y. Y, OF consumpz
ton.