Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-21
scRAPPY WHEN YOUNG.
Manager McGraw Displayed Peppery
 Tactics Several Years Ago.

John J. McGraw's first professional engagement was in the New York and Pennsylvania league This league, which witnessed the debut Of the Ia Bradford, Erie, Wtlliamsport, Altoona, Johnstown, Meadville and Wilkes Barre, in Pennsylvania, Jam estown. Clean and Elmira in New York and during it's short existence it was whirlWind baseball organizations. W. C. Higgins of Bradford, now of Pitts burg, was secretary of the league The league came into existence wholly and entirely through love of the great out door game and Iaudable ambition on the part of the towns represented to maintain and uphold athletic su- premacy. Commercialism did not en- ter into the proposition at all Those interested in the game went into their pockets freely and frequently that their clubs might stay the season out and beat rivals in the. race for the pennant In addition to this, most every season witnessed the passing of subscription papers in all the towns making up the circuit appealing to the local pride of the citizens to keep in the baseball world.
 It was with Clean that McGraw played his first engagement but he did not last long. He was too intense and zealous. so was released. In ll1s teens and about as big as 8 pop bottle, he had the baseball cauldron seethfng and boiling over all the time. The sea- son had not been month old when Billy Simpson, the owner Of the Otean club, had to shoo him away to keep the exasperated players and patrons of the game from going insane. McIraw showed in the box score as playing third base. In reality, he at times es- Wagner and a Joe Tinker combined. He hovered all over the lot. Ball players relate that if a Texas Ieaguer went to short outfield he was crouch 11<7 71rsr- 11~r f<1 h the ball if it were muffed. He was ambitious, alert and far too zeaaous. But he was young, very young
 At the crack of the bat felders like Crawford, obeying baseball instinct, turn and run under a long hit fly ball, their eyes not watching it's flight. Well. McGraw seemed to have this instinct to a degree on infield hits. Time and again he would be in front of the sec ond baseman the shortstop ana like as not spilling and mufdng the ball that did not belong to him. Kid as he was he sneered at the opposing players and his criticism of the errors of commission and omission of his own teammates was caustfc and Wit riolic, and this before he went to st. Bonaventure college, was couched in town lot talk and not at all soothing to sensitive ears He would block players twice his size when they were running bases, and at the bat would run the chance of getting an arm or a rib broken to get base.
 He loved the game and was winning his way quick, but as stated above, Simpson was only human and none but an East Indian pundit could stand for such an exasperating gadfy. and such a diminutive one at that After Mo Graw's release from Clean, Fred Kel- leher of Bradford. who was running 8 semi professional team in WeIlsville N Y, picked him up. Anon he went transforming with Al Lawson to Cuba, and it was his playing in the south the newspaper boys began to talk of his ability. and these press notices brought him to the attention of Ned Hanlon of the Baltimore club, Since that time until the present day the baseball reporters have kept the pub lie pretty well informed about Me Graw and his baseball career.