The Washington times., 1913-01-16
Young SouthpaW Obtained by
Cleveland for Fabulous Sum
Has Earmarks of a Wonder.
S0MERS PAYS HIGH
FOR HIS SERVICES
Chance Must Build Up Yankees
Without Expecting Aid From
Other American Leaguers.
By SENATOR" !"

By SENATOR"
Will Nick Cullop. the sensational
young southpaw bought from New Or
leans by Charlie Somers for the Nap
ianders, turn out to be the American
Leagues twirling sensation in 1913? Or
will he fail to show enough to hang on
to the rear end of the cart and be
jolted off into the road?
Cullop has cost the Cleveland club the
equivalent of $500 although little has
been heard about this end of the mat
ter Though a green, unknown. mex
perieneed pitcher, Cleveland has given
In exchange for him Tim Hendrix, out
fielder; George Yantz, catcher; Bert
Bremen, pitcher: Jakey Atz. second
basenlan; Jack Kibble, third baseman,
more PITCHER has been promised to COM
plete the deal, and so 1t is easy TO make
Cullop worth $4,000.
When Charlie Frank. the Pelican man.
eger. l:limpsed the young soutnpaw last
August he nearly threw a fit. He real
lied at once that he had the makings OF
a wonderful twirler. As soon as the
lad had demonstrated his ability suf-
ficiently. Frank benched him. Drafting
time was near at hand and he didn't
litcuu 10 pass MIN oNtT 10 any LAdJoi
league club for a paltry 1850. Cullop
escaped the drafting net and Frank
chuckled with glee.
Twirls In Cuba.
Then came the Cuban trip of the
Pelicans. CuIlop was in perfect form
and copped the only victories scored by
his team against the strong Cuban
teams. His greatest feat was pitching
a twelve-inning no-hit, no-run game
against the Havana club.
When the Pelicans returned from
Havana they spread the news of Cul-
lop's achievements, but the tip that
Rafael Almeida sent to his boss, Garry
Hermann started the Reds on the
trail of the slim southpaw before it
was generally known thar the young
ster might climb the ladder.
Connie Mack promptly got into the
running, but died early when Garry
Hermann bid 1000 for Cullop. Along
came Charlie Murphy with an offer of
81. 500, but he had no. chance for
Charlie Somers, the fairy godfather of
better the bid of any major league
club in the land. Thus IL came to pass
that Cullop went TO the Maps
Almost Escaped.
The joke about this whole affair is
that Cullop was bought from Bristol
by the Maps and turned over to New
Orleans without trial He hardly
had time to put on a Cleveland uniform
when he received a ticket to New
Orleans. Within a week Frank dis
covered him 10 be a baseball prize.
Thus il may be seen how narrow was
the escape Charlie Somers ran of los
ing him.
The Maps are going TO be a danger
GUS club for lefthand hitters to face
next summer If Cullop comes through.
vean Gregg, Willie Mitchell. and Nick
Cullop will make a pretty classy col
lection of south side singers to run
in against Eddie Collins and ]. Frank
lin Baker Indeed, the club that
counts on a left-handed hitter to clean
up may find itself strangely at sea
when the Maps start things.
The more one looks at those Maps, the
better they look. However, il has al
ways been thus with the Maps. In the
winter they are pennant winners. In
the summer they are also-rans. But
with Joe Birmingham on the job. the
Maps should do something. Doc john
ston and Chapman are lively, peppery
youngsters in that slow, logey infield.
Fred Carisch puts brains into the back
stopping, something lacking these past
two or three seasons. But Birmingham
should play center field himself He is
one of the best. and he adds steadiness
Just where It is needed.
With the Cleveland twirlers going at
the clip they should, the team should
cause trouble from the jump. Whether
Larry Lajoie plays second or not the
Maps should be there with the goods
Indeed, sometimes one thinks that
Larry is a deterrent influence on the
team. His slow, graceful action makes
others try the same thing with i'll sue
cess. Anyway. that's how II has Of
ten appeared to the writer.
May Help Yankees?
Some good. kind friend of Frank Far
relI Is responsible for the statement
that the clubs of the American League
will join in Strengthening the New York
club Such a foolishness! What club
fs going to pass even the greenest youth
10 an opponent. if he bears the slight
est sign of becoming good man with
experience?
II Frank Farrell counts on winning
pennant by means Of players given him
by othe- American League clubs, his
flag Is a Pole million miles high
and not visible to the strongest glasses.
That isn't baseball. Even when the Bal
ttmore club jumped the American
League back in 1902. and Ban johnson
filled il with men from other clubs. no
good men were ordered to don Oriole
Ontforins-
Frank Chance must build up his own
club. He must struggle with the other
managers every year, seeking to find
latent streaks of class in generally nom
descript lads gathered from the bushes
and the grass land. This. by the way,
HfIl be a new departure for Chance.
He has made his success with veteran
players handling them as no other man.
ager has ever been able to do.
Doubtless pennant would be won
derfuI thing for the New York club.
n Chance can but swing his club into
fourth place this coming season. he will
have done marvelously for the popu-
Iarity of the club he leads. The Polo
Grounders, the bugs who live there
wear in and year out, may have an
opportunity this summer of getting ac-
ouaInted with the Yankees and next
year they may be coaXed TO follow them
out to Harlem. pennant-well.
remnant I'm New York might cause Ban
johnson 10 make one of those wonder
full speeches of his, and that's whole
lot