The Washington herald., 1913-10-17
CANT BE Done,
SAYS GESSLER
81 Tried to Come Back but
Couldn't" Says Former
National Slugger.
OTHER SPORTING GOSSIP
Federal League Causing Some Appre-
heasion-Cricket in England Not
So Popular a. Formerly.
OTHER SPORTING GOSSIP
by WILLIAM PEET.


"They can't come back in base
ball after quitting the game for
one year."
Il tried it TO my sorrow, and
know whereof l speak"
Doc Harry Gessler, with the
Nationals part of the 1910 sea-
son and throughout 1911, made
this statement, when interviewed
in New York last week.
"Griff sold me to the Kansas
City club last year." Gessler con-
tinued, "but / did not care to play
so far West, and decided to quit
baseball that season, and stick to
my studies in Baltimore.
81 did not touch ball all last
year, but took enough exercise to
keep from getting too fat.
Last June, after college closed
thought 1 would like to try my luck at
baseball once more, and reported to the
Kansas City club of the American Asso-
citation, to which I was sold.
SAY, il was funny the first day 1 put
on a uniform and went to the outhelo.
Somebody batted out high fly and L
got under il all right, but then mis1udged
it and it hit me on the head. III bet
tried to catch a dozen flies and missed
every one of them
AT the bat was fright-whiffed nine
times in practice before / even fouleo one
of.
Il went out again the next day and
the next, but it was no use, and finally
gave it up in disgust and went home.
am through with baseball for good.
Gessler claims that burning the mid
night oil put his eyes on the blink. He
was forced to confine himself closely TO
his studies at Johns Hopkins in order
TO keep up with his class, and by SO
doing ruined his career as a professional
ball player but the former mighty slug
ger doesn't seem to worry whole iot'
as he expects within year or so 70
hang out his shingle as a full-nedged
NJ ID. and be able to pay his way into
the ball park in the future, when he feels
like seeing an exhibition of the national
pastime.
That the Federal League, which opera
ted i'm the Middle West last summer
and was able to finish out its schedule,
has several of the major league mag
mates worried is well known fact
Joe Birmingham, manager of the Maps,
admitted that the Federal leaguers in
Cleveland would have made money dur
ing the 1872 season, when the Maps were
going badly, il the so-called outlaws had
been able to obtain, a ball park within
easy trolley distance of the center of the
city. During the season just closed the
CleaVelanders were always up In the
race and it looked at one time as If
they might win the pennant, conse-
quentIy the Federal League club did
mighty poor business.
over in Pittsburg every move the Fed
eral Ieaguers made was watched closely
by Owner Barney Dreyfuss, of the
Pirates, who had his agents attend the
games and report on the attendance
each day.
1t is claimed that Jack O'Connor,
former manager of the Browns, who
handled the reins of the st. Louis Fed
eral League club, made money with his
team and pulled away from the regular
Cardinal and Browns patrons several |
hundred fans
The mere fact that the Federal League |
finished its season, playing every, game |
on the schedule, has caused the major |
league magnates to wake up and take |
notice, and next year some interesting !
developments are expected II the out !
laws expand and grab on some of the /
stars Of the organized ranks, as they |
threaten to do.
That cricket is gradually dying out in |
England is the opinion of Frank Miller, a |
young business man of Washington, who |
L.
tion spent in his old home near Birming- |
ham.
II don't believe cricket will ever be |
abandoned; there is too much tradition /
attached to this game" said Mr.. Miller, /
but I found this summer that many
of the old cricket clubs doing business /
when lived in the old country had dis
banded and the members had taken up 1
tennis, cross-country running, and other
sports.
''The young Englishmen Of today COM
plain that cricket is tiresome and the
matches take too long to play. They
know very little about baseball, but
believe that In time Americas national
sport will be very popular in the British
Isles"
Mr.. Miller further states that when the
New York Giants and Chicago White Sox
play their exhibition game in London he
believes a monster crowd will welcome
them.
Chick Gandil, the Nationals big first
baseman, has not only decided to spend
the winter in Washington, but has been
engaged by Frank Sherman, proprietor
CT the Royal Billiard Parlors, located
next door to The Washington Herald
Building, as an assistant in Mr.. Sher-
mans establishment.
Gandi viii be on the job in a few days
and is sure to be a big drawing card.
GUNNERS VS.. ENGINEERS.
Battle Royal Booked At vfgfIant