The Washington herald., 1913-08-10

| His name is reminiscent Of the French;
he looks like an freshman and his father
and mother. natives of Germany. emf
grated to America and settled In Chicago
when that place was almost a village.
He's Walter Leverenz, the southpaw.
and one Of the classy bunch of young
twirlers who will make of the St Louis
Americans a great team In few years
Leverenz Joined the Browns at Waco
last spring. coming from Los Angeles Of
the Pacific Coast League
1t was up in Chicago that he learned
to play ball-on the lots-and he's strong
for the lots as training place for ball
players.
pick up what You can: you mix with
every kind of players, good, bad, and
worse. and that's where you get the ex-
perience also.' declares Walter. '-Of
course. there are good players who come
from the colleges. but they are not self
taught like the lot boys. The college
boy has some one to teach him to play
ball. some one to look after him, some
one to show him how and when to play.
And then he plays against the same sort
Of men taught by others. It's different
on the lots. There it's a question of the
survival Of the fittest. and that's rule
that goes and goes hard. The lot player
doesn't get any coddling. Those that
survive usually know how to play ball.
Found Time to Play.
i've been playing ball as far back as
II can remember. When was q kid at
school / helped my father in his black
smith shop in Chicago. and you can bet
II put in some hard ticks Of work there.
1t gave me lots Of strength, too. and
don't regret my work there. I learned
the blacksmith trade. but / found time
to play ball. Who doesn't IL he really
wants TO play?'
Walter organized the first regular lot
team he played on and he was the man
aser, captain. pitcher, and lead-off bat
ter. which was some Job.
Leverenz broke into organized baseball
up in Hartford, Conn, and in 1903 helped
he Hartford team win the only pennant
the town had ever landed. Hartford for
thirty years had had teams in the big
leagues and every other class Of league.
but before 1903 1t had never broken into
the fag-winning rank.
In 1905 Worcester loaned me to Hart
ford" said Walter. There was some
sort of deal arranged between the two
clubs and a dollar was passed to make
the trade binding. Some Of the fellows
told me was entitled to one-third Of the
money brought. and I. not knowing the
price, put up an indignant kick to Jesse
Burkett. who was running the Worcester
team. for my share Of the coin.
Forgotten.
"'Say, you sorter forget me, didn't
your I demanded Of him.
Forgot you, howr he came back.
ct think get some Of the money In
that Hartford DEAL said in a business
like way. Just come across with 80 Ia
per cent Of the money brought
He eyed me q while without smile,
and then, reaching In his pocket, drew
out three dimes and a nickel
Here you are. kid he said. If you
insist on It you can have 1t. That's a
third of what you brought. Now go out
and give your friends a champagne Sup
per. buy yourself a house and lot and
settle down."
In spite Of his German ancestry, Lev.
erenz laughed.
MY father and mother speak German
at home. and they write to me In Ger
man. They live among the Irish at Chi
cage, and my father has 30 many Irish
rails he speaks English with an Irish &C.
cent" he said.
Leverens ID fond Of the Pacific Coast.
and he's going out there to spend the
winter.
The crowds out there. especially at
Los Angeles, are composed mostly oil
touristA OF course, there Is always III
delegation on hand OF the dyed-in-the-
WOOL rooters." he said. 'But the major
portion Of the crowd at Los Angeles u |
composed Of tourists, and they are Just
AZ likely 20 root for the visiting team a.
the homo team.
Watches Fans.
Players have q habit Of watching thei
fans-in fact. they note the fans much
more than b comprshended. A. . Fuls.
= The home Brand stands you sse Tie