New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-02
famous Athlete Here with
cIenn Warner and Formally
Becomes a Giant.
GAY PLAY IN 0UTFlELD
al and New Managers Express
n.Ief That Indian Will Make
Good in Professional
Baseball Ranks.


o..,, his faithful bodysuard. Glenn War
:. .rl6e him. Jim Thorpe arrived in
,ir. Yesterday Afternoon and made
GOV 70 the headquarters % the Giants
80 he signed a contract to play base
"a ,h. summer McGraw was there to
-, the Indian and his celebrated coach.
~. Trio Immediately went into executive
.s,;ap and IT took only little paIleying
80 the great athlete attached his sig
.,,,rs 10 the document which made him a
TO- of ne National League cham
Thus was the Indian graduated
80, the Glenn Warner school and ma
.,,s,,,ated in The McGraw college.
roorpe mad little to say about the cir
,.,orces which led Il his suspension
-, the Amateur Athletic Union. but he
.S,a very freely about his baseball eN-
..,.,ee IN tho Eastern Carolina League
-, .ocynej 10 be reConciled 10 The fact
-, no had los, his amateur STANDING.
uhile M. had some regret at the turn
'r.,rs had taken he appeared 10 look for
- with zest and enthusiasm 10 the
.asreet of becoming professional base
IN nlaver. lie is a born athlete. whose
',a,,rs,;ors have run more to football and
- and field sports in the past. but
80 he is banished forever from the
,o,ts OF the amateurs. and professional
~ athletics offers little that is at
,rsc,ive he has elected baseball as the
mos, natural outlet for mis- ability. Tie is
op,v tyenty-four years old.
+, GAS the drst time that McGraw had
~ seen the Indian. and he was much
Impressed BY him. ..
He Is big. strong. clean-cut fellow,
ssd the Little Napoleon, and ! think /
,,s make d ball player out CT him !
NOV one thing. anyway. ] nave started
,-i,b much roucher material than Thorpe
and developed some stars. can tel
mrs about him when | see him on the
s,,pon6. but from All l can see now
h,nk he has the markings of a good
player
NcCraw was closeted with Glenn Warner
alone for some time getting a few point
~, on the Indians athletic career as well
az his habits and temperament. Warner
vas optimistic over Thorpe's future on
NE diamond. and as the well known
zach is familiar with the Indians ways
bis opinion Is worth something.
Thorpe is a quiet and very observing
fellow" he declared. 1T has been my
fxperience with MIN that he could sit
Town and watch any other man do some
thing and then go out and do il just
little better. That has been the secret
Of his whole career on the gridiron and
track ! shall be very much surprised
Il he does not DO the same thing in base
6gn Everything he has done so far in
the way Of athletics has come TO him
aturelly. and basketball should not pre-
sent any difficulties Hc has the finest
sort Of an Instructor in McGraw. The In
lan never misses a point and he will
not have TO sit on the bench very long
before he has picked up all the fine
points Of the game"
Thorpe has a hankering TO be a pitcher,
but is perfectly willing to follow Nc
Graw's advice and play the position that
The New York leader thinks he is the
best fitted for. IT is a pretty even bet
that he will be developed into an out-
fielder. In talking Of his tvrling in the
Eastern Carolina League the Indian said
that he did not use any curves TO speak
Of. but depended largely upon his speed
for his effectiveness. He was not back
ward in admitting that he had quite a
little speed. lie pitched for Rocky Mount.
team that finished last, winning only
iTenty-one games during the season. OF
these Thorpe won ten. losing an equal
number. With first-class nine his rec
ord would have undoubtedly been much
better.
The Indian left the city last night and
returned 10 Carlisle where he will re-
main until IL Is time 10 report at Marlin
springs on February 10. On that date he
VII sever his connection with the Indian
school and devote all his attention 10
making good in professional baseball.
lie does not contemplate returning 10
carlisle after the season is over.
ofcial notice from the baseball au-
horities was received BY McGraw yes
terday that Thorpe was free agent II
was pointed out that organized baseball
avs provide that a club must offer a
payer contract before March Of each
year or he automatically becomes "a free
asent. None Of the clubs with which
inorpe played have lived up TO this rule.
The manager Of the Giants told the
Inoian TO send his measurements 10
'paidine for his uniform and asked him
" report at Marlin Springs with his own
'aoes and gloves. prepared to take up his
york in earnest.