The Detroit times., 1913-01-04
Tiger Catching Recruit From
Jersey City Has Had Many
Adventures
He WAS JOSTLED ABOUT
FROM CHAMPS TO BUSHES
Once Red Stocking; Plays Many
Positions; Lajoie's Eel
low TOwnsman
BY RALPH |. YoNkER.

Gentlereader permit me TO intro.
Guce to you Mr.. Henry Rondeau, o.
Woonsocket, r. l.
Mr. Rondeau is one of the men who
will try for the position Of first as
iistant to Oscar Stanage, Tiger back
Top, this coming season.
He came to Detroit from Jersey
Tity, via the New York Yankees. New
York drafted him but didn't want him
-netroit drafted Derrick. formerly OF
the Athletics. from Baltimore New
'ork wanted Derrick; Detroit wanteI
;,ondeau. So they were swapped o
cay or two after the draft.
Rondeau Is interesting.
He Is a fellow townsman OF tie
Baseball King, Napoleon Lajoie who
as born at Woonsecket many years
iefore Rondeau.
Lajoie and Rondeau are not the
only products OF that city with tho
woozy name. Arthur Butler, OF the
Pirates, was a sandlot companion or
I, Rondeau as were also Joe Connolly,
an outfielder, and Tommy Drohan.
pitcher, both OF whom advance 10
Washington this season. These three
men and Rondeau used to play In ?
ptll league team together. (Joe Jack.
son was q product OF southern mill
league: there may be another such
i,an in this eastern mill league.)
Rondeau started playing profess
flonal league ball l3 years after
ajoie. His first engagement was
. 18th Jesse Burkett. He had always
iayed first base and intended to CO
tlat at Worcester. but who should
q me along but Hugh Bradley, latei-
rf the Red Sox, who was so much bet.
ter than Rondeau that he showed him
a into the outneld
Rondeau was sent to the outfol1
iecause he could hit For the first
TX weeks he was a fiend and hit a
leasly .425. Then the Red Sox tool
i'm for Stephen Yerkes, now second
lseman for the champions, Pitcher
nderson and 81 500 in cash.
Ill-health nearly put him out OF
baseball when he went to Boston and
ne finished the season so poorly thai
tie was sent back to Worcester. There
lie was sent in to catch when Jess
surkett found that he was short oi
hackssops. He had discovered that
londeau had a good arm and decided
10 make the most of 1t.
The Red Sox management advanced
him to Providence in 1911. He was
IN the worst shape of his career ei
That time and was often UNFIT to piai
tall at all. He caught fairly welt
nlayed first base some and hit 2S9,
hut the Red Sox gave him up In
despair and sent him to Jersey City,
waving all claim to him
During last winter he rounded TO
-,in good shape and a trip to Bermuda
In the spring with the Jersey Skeeters
ut him in good condition. But when
oe was I'm good shape, Jersey CITY
didn't give him much OF chance u
show himself He says that he doesn't
blame them for the few times he nad
\ clout at the ball, he hit about 03g,
Finally Catcher Bemis was sold and
Rondeau got a chance to show what
he could do behind the bat, at first
fase and in the outfeld. He hit
about .410 the last two weeks, brins'
ing his average for the season above
I 900.
Rondeau has most unique method
~ training. He goes out into the
woods with band OF wood choppers
md uses his throwing arm TO swing
an Ak. lie HAS UCCh Out t"'NO -
ready this winter.
'T hope to make good with Detroit
his coming season." writes Rondeaii.
As Stanage Is the only regular catch
er. I feel that have a good chance.
am naturally ambitious to play un'
Ger men like Navln and jennings who
IRE known everywhere for their con-
nection with the game and to play
alongside such stars as COBB, CraW-
eord. Stanage and the others.
with the hope of making good
I'm spending my time entirely in get
ting into shape I have not worked
regularly but have taken two trips
into the woods with wood choppins
SQUADS and there get some good
exercise. I am feeling better and, my
friends say, I am looking better right
row than at any time since j havs
heen In baseball. weigh 175 pounds
now and am feet 91h inches tall In
my street clothes"
Rondeau may be the man to solve
many a dificult problem for the
Tigers this coming year II he doesn I
make good behind the bat there is
chance that he can be used at frs.
base. II his hitting Is away up, he
can be used In the outfield very
Il