The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
THORPE IS BIG
DRAWING CARD.
Carlisle Wonder win Prove .
Huge Money Getter
for McGraw.
sAY DEVELOP INTO STAR
Olympic Winner May Tsrn Dat to Be
4 Great Ball Player Undsr !,
MeGraw's Handing.
EAY DEVELOP INTO STAR

New York, Feb Is Jim Thorpe, the
most wonderful athlete of history. will
try for a regular position on the New
York Giants this year. He may make
the team. He may not. But whether
he does or not. he will prove drawing
card Of SUFFICIENT merit to reward Man
ager John J. McGraw for all the trouble
and expense to which he was put In Sc
curing him.
McGraw has turned any number of
clever tricks in his career as baseball
manager. None Of them showed more
business sense than the signing Of the
sborigine who is Just now the talk Of the
entire world. McGraw came to the Polo
Grounds when the Giants were the
laughing stock and the joke of the SPORT
ing world. He delivered the goods. He
gathered a bunch of real bail-piayers.
He put New York on the baseball map.
He laid the foundation for financial re-
turns which made possible the wonderful
Brush Stadium and the modern Polo
Grounds, at once the envy and the pride
of organized baseball.
No one better than McGraw realizes
the advantage Of advertising. Perhaps
he had some motive along this line when
he decided to go out after Glen Warmers
wonderful Indian. He realized that
Thorpe would prove a great drawing
much use as player. He could afford
to take a chance, because of the peculiar
ity OF baseball law which binds talent
to a club indefinitely, but which allows
that club the privilege OF casting adritt
undesirable talent on ten days notice.
Strong for Thorpe.
Still behind it all McGraw appears
most sincere in his move. lie hopes to
make baseball player out OF Jim
Thorpe. l do not think that the little
leader of the champion Giants would
have bothered with the Indian II he had
not thought there was hope Of develop
ing him into something worth while.
Doubtless the advertising possibilities ap-
pealed to him more or less. But at the
same time il is a good bet that John ].
McGraw would never have trified with
the greatest modern athlete II he had not
been reasonably certain of latent pos
sibiIities in This respect.
The very fact that Thorpe signed with
the Giants is grand testimonial to
McGraw's shrewdness. Nearly every
major league club had made overtures
to the Indian before the leader of the
Giants decided to enter the market Six
or seven clubs had already sent scouts
to Carlisle empowered to Offer excep-
tiohal inducements. McGraw did his own
business personally. by wire. 1t is
doubtful il he paid as great a salary as
other rivals had offered. But Thorpe
or his mentor-Glen Warner-appreciated
the fact that the Oklahoma redman could
not possibly go to better instructor.
Getting right down to hard pan
Thorpes baseball future is more or less
of a gamble. He is not a great player.
now. He could not be expected to be
such. Baseball has been a side line
Tbnrna he Hpsarfad q
reservation in search of an education.
He paid some lite attention to the game
when he first went to Carlisle because
he loves this sport. But Warner never
permitted him to develop his talents
along these lines. Thorpe was too great
an all-round athlete to waste on any one
speciality. Warner singled him out and
persuaded him to sacrifice the baseball
for track and field sports.
Big Jim was allowed to sub on the nine
of the Indians when not engaged in
track meets and did very WELL indeed. as
a pitcher and first baseman- He was
good enough to so out in the summer
time and earn fair salary in the OBJ
scure minors. Then Carlisle tabooed
baseball and Jim dropped the sport en-
tirely.
Thorpe is strong for McGraw Speak
ing of his signing with the Giants.
Thorpe says:
"1'il not fail because of disinterest-
edness, you may be sure. ] might have
gone TO other clubs where I would have
had a better opportunity to play regu-
larly. But / would sooner sit on the
bench under a real manager than to
play regularly for some one who could
not bring out the very best that is in
me. I am determined that IL l possess
ability it shall be developed to the ut
most degree. They tell me i have
gained my share of fame in athletics
and in football. II 1 have did not do
it by moping. but by hustling. I shall
hustle for McGraw, because l wish
either to be the very best ball player
in the world OF step down from the
That is the Thorpe situation in a
II the great Indian is pos
sessed of the proper talent he will take
his place among the great stars. Nc
Graw possibly did not realize Thorpe's
sentiments when he began to nego-
"a 0.,A IAN