Las Vegas optic., 1913-05-26

Then came his period of bad luck.
He had helped to make million dol-
lars for the Chicago Cubs. But the
president of the club, Charles W.
Murphy believed that Chance had
passed into baseball history. So
Chance was discharged.
But the big first baseman fooled
everybody. He came TO New York
and had very delicate and danger
GUS operation performed at the base
of his brain by DR.. w. G. Flarick of
No. SO East sixtieth street. 1t was a
great success. A depression OF the
nerve center at the affected spot was
relieved. 1t had caused blood clot
on the brain, and that soon was dis
solved. Consequently Chance has
come back, and some of his admirers
declare that he is better than ever.
Certainly his ripe experience will be
of great value.
1t is part Of the character OF
Chance never to step back. He new
er would dodge the filings of the
swiftest pitchers. All the hurlers on
the circuit knew that, and it was a
fayorite diversion to see how near
tIot, oD,,15 o,,r,4o - Lol1 orn,,,d =
Chances head without hitting him.
The object was to try to rattle hrm,
because the doughty player was al
ways a dangerous batsman. They
knew his head was vulnerable. The
charge has even been made that un-
scrupuious pitchers deliberately have
tried to bean" Chance at critical
times in the game.
II have been born again" sard
Chance in referring to the operation.
Il never thought that 1 could stand
the terrific strain OF speedy and
exciting game in such fast company
as l knew existed in the American
league. Hard as it was, l lad made
myself feel content to retire from
the arena of sport.
The neroyus tension Of a close
game makes many man seated up
in the grandstand or bleachers feel
limp as a rag after the game is over
But just imagine what the player
feels. He is in the thick of it and it
takes man of iron to endure the
strain
Now l am a NV man through the
use Of the knife. It's wonderful. Last
year l couldn't stay out in the sun on
a hot day, and everybody knows
collapsed in Cincinnati last July.
Nothing like that now!
Were bound to get a winning
team here. But it must be built up.
Such machines as the Athletics, or
Red sox, my old Cubs, the Giants, or
any other of the superior clubs were
gradually and slowly constructed.
You can't reach out and grab gocd
players in week, even if you have
all the money in the world.
THE fast player who is also a slug
egr with the bat is a rarity. Pitchers
who can cross-fire with xuccess the
mighty hitters Of the American lea
que like Cobb, Baker, Jackson or
others like them cannot be plucked
from a bush. They nave to be devel-
oped."
Like many OF the latter day pig
Chance is a college man,
and since he plays bail for a living,
be finds his recreation in reading.
Anybody who ever comes into con
tact with the powerful first baseman .
must be impressed by his mentality.
DIFF the diamond, like many Of his fel-
ows, there is nothing to suggest tne
Did time professional bali player. He
S a stickler for discipline but not
larsh in his control of his team. Also
le lives up to his own rules
1.-THE standard of the diamond ath-
etes of today" said Chance, is a
mental equipment. To be sure scores
high one, both as TO clean living and
II our most noted men are college
graduates. Conny Mack Of the Ath-
eties always has shown great prefer
.nce for them, and look at the splen-
lid team he has got
But it isn't necessary to be grad
lated from college to be a good ball
,layer The boys who learned to
,lay on the vacant lots are as speeuy
md skilful as the university fellows,
nut you have got to have your wits
,obut you ali the time in game
md need little more brains than
he average to be a big success in
he business.
"Tlme was when the majority OF
all men thought they had to be row.
Il