Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-20

knows we are living in a fast age,
but it is not due to Improvement in
human beings. Mechanical improve
ments are responsible for the rapid
age. Athletes were just as quick
years ago, in their movements. and
had just as much natural ability.
There is no difference in The way of
! handling ball today or batting a
ball or getting around the bases than
there was years ago. Whoever
: thinks so, never played tie game
much. The Athletics, perhaps, had an
advantage over the old Chicagos in
the use of pillows to catch and stop
the ball, but physically the old Chi
cago team probably was superior to
the Athletics, and good, big men
can always beat good, little men
doing anything in the athletic line.
Your comparison of this years Cardi-
mails with Ansons old team Is prob
ably intended as a joke. Did you
ever see Anson's team? Pfeger,
Kelly, Williamson, Dalrymple, Gore,
| Burns, ETC.? They looked like cham
pion athletes and played like cham
pions. They had the physical ability
and played just as much inside ball
as they do today, Notwithstanding
opinions to the contrary. Skill and
brains were extant years ago. If the
/ VI yOd anu pluCIS was
true about the human race advance
ing as much as science, then tell me
where are the Lon Meyers Tommy
Connects, Ned Hanlons, John L. Sui
livans, Jack McAuliffes, William Null
doons and numerous others of the
old days when there were no airships,
| subways, automobiles and other me-
chanical contrivances? You probably
would class the present day Giants
txHrttl -frrtr ,4e, I,A
seen the old Giants you would have
known why they were called "Giants."
They were giants in reality and with
out a question outclassed the present
day Giants as much as the Athletics
did. There are more players today,
but no better than years ago. Would
you class such catchers as Schang
and Meyers with Mike Kelly and
Buck Ewing. The latter were power
full, physically and mentally. Yours.
A MODERN OLD-TIMER.
That you do not agree with me is
no fault Of mine, and that ] hold to
the belief that the man of today is
superior to the man of yesterday is
only a matter of opinion, of course
1t is in keeping, though, with the fact
that no man is really, truly great I'M
til after he is dead. Then, and not
until then, will we admit his great
ness. 1t is so with everything. The
Chicago team in its day was the
greatest ever, but its day has past
is far and away ahead of it. The first
big league team / ever saw play was
Pop Anson's Chicago nine, and about
that time I remember of having read
q vicious newspaper attack on a
player who hunted the ball and beat
it out to first base. So, you see, the
inside ball there was in those days
was not appreciated by the experts.
Yes, today is greater than yesterday
an everything and tomorrow will be
greater still. The Athletics of today
would make holy show out of the
lChicagos of yesterday. 1t would be
the same in other athletics. The run
ners, the oarsman and the fighters
you mention were all great men in
their day, but it would be shame
what the great men of today in their
respective lines would do to them, just
like it was shame to have Corbett
make Sullivan look like "duck SOUP"
end you know what "duck-soup" is.
I don't care whether you disagree
with me or not-in fact, L rather en-
joy such letters as yours, as it shows
that intelligent men, even If their
Judgment is somewhat curtailed, read
my writings--but men and all things
that have to do with progress are
quicker, brighter, smarter today than
they were yesterday.
G
The writer of the following lines
has the keenest kind of perception:
J. p. NJ:
Your Sport Topics contain certain
notable characters. The one I am in
terested in Is THE Insurance Pest"
and my curiosity is aroused to know
il l have in mind the same individual.
If so 1 should term him 1.-THE infor-
nation kid" I am told he accepts
credit for rectifying mistakes the
official scorer might make, and is
always looked up to as an adviser.
He also has great knowledge on hits
and errors. and prides himself on be-
ing so well versed on the game, al
though he can't see where the New
York team is inferior to Philadel-
phia. Let's hope he does not butt
i'm on the new owners, should there
be any. 1 am, HARRY BELSKY.
81 Prince street.
You struck him right the first crack
out of the box. and your hope about
his Quitting I'M is also concurred in.
o
J. p. NJ;
lust a few lines for High School
Sam" and little Dotty." l want to
apologize to High School Sam" for
saving he was connected with "Hetty
Green and "R- A. G. 81 / found
my mistake out after l had written
my item l can just about imagine
what High School Sam" looks like
by his description he gave in the
paper. To tell the truth. the descrip-
ton referred more to young lady
than to young fellow, SO | surmise
I"High School Sam" has q very girl
, ish face and girlish manners. II I